1. This Prewriting Stage lesson is about…
Topic
Prompt
No Prompt
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project

2. What are you going to write about?
PROMPT
Sometimes you are given the topic or prompt.
NO PROMPT
Sometimes you might choose a topic.
icon
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project

3. Let’s look at writing to a prompt…
Topic
Prompt
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project

4. National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
What is a Prompt?
Basically, a prompt is a question or an instruction that tells you what you're supposed to write.
For example,
a prompt might instruct you to write about…
a story you have read
your opinion on a topic
something you have experienced
a research topic
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project

5. Deconstructing a Prompt
(constructing means to build) Deconstructing means to take apart
How do I do that?
To deconstruct a prompt:
1. Read it
2. Take it apart
3. Understand what you need to do
4. Determine how to respond to the prompt correctly
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project

6. Identifying Key Parts of a Written Prompt
Does the prompt give you suggestions to get started?
Hints
Pay careful attention to the wording of the prompt.
Look for suggestions in the prompt to get you started
(ideas to think about, verbs that tell you what to do).
Use key words from the prompt to construct
your thesis statement.
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project

7. Identifying Key Parts of a Written Prompt
You can use the word RAFTS to help you remember how to deconstruct a prompt.
What role do you take as the writer? (student, citizen, expert)
Role
Who is your audience? (class, parent, teacher, friend)
Audience
What kind of response are you writing?
(essay, letter, descriptive)
Format
What are the verbs in the prompt asking you to do?
(advise your classmate, justify your opinion, explain why…)
Task
What are the key words that you need to include in your response?
Hint: Use these words to construct your thesis statement.
Strong key words

8. Example of Deconstructing a Prompt
Doing a Good Job
Select a person you know who does a good job in his or her profession. This person may be an entertainer, an athlete, a character in a story, or simply a successful family member.
Write a multi-paragraph essay describing why you think this individual is so good at his or her job. Include specific examples and details to support your response.
What role do you take as the writer? (student, citizen, expert)
I am writing this as a student.
Role
Who is your audience? (class, parent, teacher, friend)
My audience will be the teacher.
Audience
What kind of response are you writing?
I am writing a descriptive multi-paragraph essay.
Format
What are the verbs in the prompt asking you to do?
Select a person, write an essay describing why he/she is good at his/her job, include examples and details
Task
What are the key words that you need to include in your response?
Strong key words
Profession, successful

9. Re-read the prompt and deconstruct it by writing your response for:
Your Turn
Prompt:
Lots of people try to give us advice—parents, friends, brothers or sisters, teachers, etc. Tell a true story about a time you were given or gave advice. Tell if the advice was followed or not and the results.
Form Pairs
Re-read the prompt and deconstruct it by writing your response for:
Strong
Key Words
Role
Audience
Format
Task
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project

10. Practice Writing Prompt
Lots of people try to give us advice—parents, friends, brothers
or sisters, teachers, etc. Tell a true story about a time you were given or gave advice. Tell if the advice was followed or not and the results.
Role
Audience
Format
Task
Strong key words

11. National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
The most important prewriting activity is to think about what you are going to write about.
Good writing is about…
Clarifying the topic/deconstructing the prompt
Identifying strong feelings about the topic
Forming an opinion about the topic
icon
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project

12. Write one to two complete sentences describing
Writing to a Prompt
Review
Write one to two complete sentences describing
how you deconstruct a prompt.
Read your sentences to a partner.
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project