1. A Process Approach to Teaching Writing

2. Students need structure and sequence in writing instruction.

3. Three Important Basic Concepts: Writing is a developmental cognitive task Writing is a developmental cognitive task Writing is a social act that progresses from egocentrism to larger audiences Writing is a social act that progresses from egocentrism to larger audiences Writing is the only literacy process that involves the hand, the eye, and the brain (and maybe the heart, too!) Writing is the only literacy process that involves the hand, the eye, and the brain (and maybe the heart, too!)

4. The Writing Process Involves: Emotions surrounding writing Emotions surrounding writing Building confidence and motivation Building confidence and motivation Micro-level skills such as handwriting, spelling, mechanics, sentence construction Micro-level skills such as handwriting, spelling, mechanics, sentence construction Macro-level skills such as organization, cohesion, audience, genre Macro-level skills such as organization, cohesion, audience, genre

5. 6 Lesson Types to Develop Writing Process 1. Addressing emotional issues 2. Developing student understanding of the writing process 3. Modeling and teaching self-regulation processes 4. Training and monitoring peer response partners and groups 5. Guiding writing development through targeted lessons (The Six Traits of Writing) 6. Developing a writing vocabulary

6. Type 1: Addressing Emotional Issues About Writing Researchers have proven that emotions greatly impact writing ability Researchers have proven that emotions greatly impact writing ability Skills and emotions are intertwined: Skills and emotions are intertwined: Adequate instruction and time address this Adequate instruction and time address this Provide a positive, nonthreatening environment Provide a positive, nonthreatening environment Write frequently (SSW Write frequently (SSW Write across the curriculum Write across the curriculum Provide guidelines for each writing task Provide guidelines for each writing task

7. Break down state assessment writing assignments Break down state assessment writing assignments Share drafts and best lines Share drafts and best lines Celebrate student accomplishments through publication Celebrate student accomplishments through publication Teach students to conquer the inner critic Teach students to conquer the inner critic Assess students’ apprehensions about writing (Writer Self-Perception Scale and Measure of Writing Apprehension) Assess students’ apprehensions about writing (Writer Self-Perception Scale and Measure of Writing Apprehension)

8. Type 2: Develop Students’ Understanding of the Writing Process Ensure all students understand the complexity of the writing process Ensure all students understand the complexity of the writing process Demystify the writing process: all writers use a process to write! Demystify the writing process: all writers use a process to write! Use word processing and desktop publishing to assist in the draft and revision process Use word processing and desktop publishing to assist in the draft and revision process

9. Type 3: Model and Teach Self- Regulation Strategies Self-regulation of writing involves monitoring comprehension and applying specific strategies Self-regulation of writing involves monitoring comprehension and applying specific strategies “Self-initiated thoughts, feeling, and actions that writers use to attain various literary goal” Zimmerman “Self-initiated thoughts, feeling, and actions that writers use to attain various literary goal” Zimmerman Specific lessons for reflection and self-evaluation Specific lessons for reflection and self-evaluation Model a framework or sequence of steps Model a framework or sequence of steps

10. Type 4: Train and Monitor Peer Partners and Peer Response Groups Writing is a social activity best learned in a community Writing is a social activity best learned in a community Writing process thrives on the interaction between teachers and peers Writing process thrives on the interaction between teachers and peers Peer groups can provide ideas, feedback, and positive reinforcement Peer groups can provide ideas, feedback, and positive reinforcement Peer groups provide an authentic audience (as writers move towards fictional audience) Peer groups provide an authentic audience (as writers move towards fictional audience)

11. Type 5: Targeted Strategy Instruction on the Six Traits of Writing Direct instruction targeted at specific student weaknesses Direct instruction targeted at specific student weaknesses A strategy is a series of steps that lead to success in a task A strategy is a series of steps that lead to success in a task Word choice, sentence fluency, spelling and mechanics (lower level) Word choice, sentence fluency, spelling and mechanics (lower level) Schema activation, self-regulation, planning, content, organization, voice (higher level) Schema activation, self-regulation, planning, content, organization, voice (higher level) Balanced instruction is key Balanced instruction is key Focus Correction Areas (FCAs) – a selective approach to correcting student writing Focus Correction Areas (FCAs) – a selective approach to correcting student writing

12. Spandel and Stiggins: Six Traits of Writing Ideas and Content Ideas and Content “Write from the heart, then rewrite from the head.” “Write from the heart, then rewrite from the head.” Provide strategies to generate ideas – Prewriting Provide strategies to generate ideas – Prewriting Brainstorming Brainstorming Graphic Organizers Graphic Organizers Free Writing Free Writing Choice of prompts Choice of prompts Pair Planning Pair Planning

13. Organization Organization Plan sequence after generating ideas Plan sequence after generating ideas Avoid: Avoid: Tickertape Writing (a list of loosely connected ideas) Tickertape Writing (a list of loosely connected ideas) Scotch Tape Approach (ideas on one topic but not related to each other) Scotch Tape Approach (ideas on one topic but not related to each other) Knowledge Telling (text that has facts with little or no planning evident and no reflection) Knowledge Telling (text that has facts with little or no planning evident and no reflection) Strive to promote meaning construction in our students Strive to promote meaning construction in our students

14. Voice Voice An author’s unique style and personality An author’s unique style and personality Tone Tone Vocabulary Vocabulary Syntax Syntax Expression Expression Kitchen language vs. elevated language Kitchen language vs. elevated language

15. Word Choice Word Choice Words need to suit the content and purpose of the writing piece Words need to suit the content and purpose of the writing piece Good readers who are poor writers usually suffer from vocabulary problems – unable to use original language Good readers who are poor writers usually suffer from vocabulary problems – unable to use original language Students need to develop the use of strong nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs Students need to develop the use of strong nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs Best taught in context Best taught in context Poetry is great to teach word choice (connotations and denotations) Poetry is great to teach word choice (connotations and denotations) MadLibs MadLibs

16. Sentence Fluency Sentence Fluency Variety of syntax and sentence structures Variety of syntax and sentence structures Direct instruction of grammatical structures during revision Direct instruction of grammatical structures during revision Syntactic growth is developmental and arises results in the need for understanding new grammar and punctuation Syntactic growth is developmental and arises results in the need for understanding new grammar and punctuation Sentence-combining activities based on students’ writing are effective Sentence-combining activities based on students’ writing are effective

17. Conventions Conventions The mechanical aspects of writing The mechanical aspects of writing Spelling Spelling Punctuation Punctuation Usage Usage Paragraph Indentation Paragraph Indentation Have students correct their own writing Have students correct their own writing Read piece aloud to find errors Read piece aloud to find errors

18. Type 6: Develop a Composing Vocabulary A language to talk about their writing A language to talk about their writing Parts of Speech Parts of Speech Names of Structures Names of Structures Emotional Issues Surrounding Writing Emotional Issues Surrounding Writing Writing Process Terms Writing Process Terms Writing Group Words Writing Group Words

19. Writing in the Middle Childhood Classroom Three relationships between writing and learning: Three relationships between writing and learning: To recall previously learned ideas and prepare for new learning To recall previously learned ideas and prepare for new learning To review, summarize, and evaluate information from multiple sources To review, summarize, and evaluate information from multiple sources To extend and reformulate ideas To extend and reformulate ideas Which one is used most in instruction?? Which one is used most in instruction??

20. “Writing develops critical reasoning skills, higher order thinking, problem solving, and analytical thinking.”

21. Writing Across the Curriculum to Increase Learning Use a broad range of writing activities in content-area classes Use a broad range of writing activities in content-area classes Develop a network of teachers to develop writing curriculum materials Develop a network of teachers to develop writing curriculum materials Develop writing evaluation expectations and tools (rubrics) Develop writing evaluation expectations and tools (rubrics) Move beyond formulaic writing to true expression Move beyond formulaic writing to true expression

22. Types of Writing Applicable Across all Content Areas Note taking Note taking Reporting Reporting Summarizing Summarizing Analyzing Analyzing Journal Writing Journal Writing Creative Writing Creative Writing

23. The Teacher’s Role Develop lessons based on the Six Lesson Types Develop lessons based on the Six Lesson Types Focus lessons on student needs Focus lessons on student needs Allow time for SSW daily Allow time for SSW daily Encourage writing across the content areas Encourage writing across the content areas

24. “Writing is easy. All you have to do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” - Red Smith