best practice and core strategies for elementary writing
DESCRIPTION
A variety of strategies to use in the elementary classroom: 6+1 traits, Writers Workshop, assessments, using mentor textTRANSCRIPT
Welcome…
• Begin by labeling your tabs.– Red: Documents– Clear: Assessments– Blue: Handwriting– Orange: Workshop and 6+1– Yellow: Notebook– Green: Mentor Texts– Pink: Strategies– Light Orange: resources
Best Practice and Core Strategies
for Writing Instruction
Lisa King
CKEC
July 2014
Agenda for Core Writing Strategies
• Read and understand KCAS writing standards• Plan effective Writing opportunities based on
best practice research• Demonstrate basic knowledge in
– Writers’ Workshop, 6 traits and Notebook– Using Mentor Text– Writing Process– Assessment
The most important thing about writing is______.
It_____________________________.
It is _____________________ and ___________.
But the most important thing about writing is_______________________________.
What does writing instruction look like in your school?
3 Modes
Opinion Informational Narrative
Writing Requirements: Program Review and HB 69
Demonstrator 2 Instruction Demonstrator 1 AssessmentDemonstrator 1 Instruction
HB
69
And
K-3
Pro
gram
Rev
iew
Let’s Start with KCAS
What?
How?
Three Modes of WritingLocated in Standards 1-3
Standards 4-10How students should do the work of Standards1-3
Writing Standards
Handwriting
Conventions
Where is it addressed in the Standards?
Let’s Take a Deeper Dive Into Writing
Learn more about the standards
Nouns:Know
Verbs:Do
AdjectivesAdverbs:How, To what degree
Ainsworth, Mctighe and Wiggins
“On their own”
Standards focus on expectations not
methods
Will require a planned, sequential and explicit writing program
Universal Screeners
Possible Data Sources
• KPREP Results– On-demand– Extended Response/Constructed Response
• MAP• Core Content Assessments (CCA’s)• Program Assessments• Writing Sprees• CBM Group-Administered Probes
Universal Screening for Writing
• Screening Written Expression– Writing Probes– CBM – Rubrics
• Screening for Letter Writing Fluency• Screening for Word Writing Fluency
– Dictation Sentences Hearing and Recording Sounds in Words (Observation Survey)
– Observation Survey Writing Spree by Marie Clay (Writing Fluency)
So, do you have a Universal Screener for Writing?
Handwriting Screeners
Things to Consider
• What do I want to screen at my school?• What resources or tools do I have available?
Let’s Look at some Writing!
Do we teach handwriting in an explicit, sequential and intentional way?
Why teach Handwriting?
Labored handwriting creates a drain on mental resources needed for higher-level aspects of writing, such as attention to content, elaboration of details, and organization of ideas.
Instruction
• 10-15 minutes daily• Early instruction is key so bad habits don’t
form• Teach children consistent formation of letters
using a continuous stroke if possible.• Focus initially on learning the motor pattern
rather than perfect legibility or size.
Instruction
• Teach similarly formed letters together, and use an instructional sequence that takes into account both ease of formation and frequency in words.
Assessments should include:
• Legibility– Legibility involves the readability of letters, as
well as spacing within and between words.
• Execution– Execution includes correct and consistent pencil
hold, posture, and letter formation.
• Speed/ Fluency– use writing efficiently in a variety of tasks.
Handwriting Screeners
Writing Process
Learning to write is active. The learner must do the bulk of the work. Just as in learning to swim or play the oboe, there is very little the teacher can do from the front of the room.
WRITER’S WORKSHOP
Process and Product
Integrated Writing Instruction (MacArthur, Graham, & Schwarz, 1993 )
The instructor follows a uniform daily instructional framework for writing instruction.
1. Status-checking
2. Mini-Lesson
3. Student Writing
4. Peer & Teacher Conferences
5. Group Sharing or Publishing
Writer’s Workshop Structure
• Includes at least 30 minutes a day for writing• Begins with a minilesson (10-15 minutes of
direct explicit instruction)• Conferencing with individuals and small
groups• “After the Workshop Share” connected to the
minilesson
Minilessons (only 10-15 minutes)
• All students bring writing folders,notebooks to meeting area.
• Sit on their folders (younger students)• Assigned spots.• Assigned Partners• We teach a strategy that the child will use
often as they write.• Teach children their jobs during minilesson
Architecture of a Mini Lesson (10-15 minutes)
CONNECTION
• Avoid launching mini lessons with questions• Tell children what they’ll be doing rather than
what they will learn• Make connections short
TEACHING
• MOVE STUDENTS ALONG GRADIENT OF DIFFICULTY
• PLAN METHOD AS WELL AS CONTENT– DEMONSTRATION, TELL AND SHOW,
INQUIRY, GUIDED PRACTICE
Excerpt from Launching the Writing Workshop by Lucy Calkins
“I know that we’ve been talking about writing our words the best we can. And we’ve been talking about stretching our words so that we can hear the sounds in them. Today I want to show you how to get the main sounds you hear in your words down on paper.”
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT
• Ask children to be researchers and articulate what you did
• Ask children to try it immediately• Ask children to plan to do it immediately and
tell their partners their plans.
Excerpt from Launching the Writing Workshop p. 21 by Lucy Calkins
“So let’s pretend I say it is writing time. I’ll say table monitors and when I say that, six of you , one from each table with your names on the list, will come over here and get your tools. So let’s try it.”
“Table monitors get your tools.”
“Let’s watch and see what they do.”
LINK
• Restate your teaching point• Encourage children to add the days teaching
point to their repertoire of strategies• Generalize the lesson• Make transition smooth• Boost the children’s writing energy
Excerpt from Launching the Writing Workshop p. 22 by Lucy Calkins
“ Writers, this is how we will always get the room ready for writing workshop. Now let’s see if , when I call on you, you can go quickly to your writing spot.”
Let’s Take a Look
Scoring Rubric for Traits
6+1 Traits Of WritingPage 4-5
• Select the trait you will teach.• Find mentor text for the selected trait. Teach the mini lesson.
• Students work on several writing activities to develop the trait. Teacher modeling very important.
6+1 Traits Of Writing
• Students look at sample pieces and score them on the selected trait using a 6+1 trait rubric and make revision using the sample piece.
• Teacher assess the piece of writing.
Writers’ Notebook
“
Why Notebooks?
• Provides students with writing practice.• Allows student ideas to emerge.• Becomes a reference to strategies taught
throughout the year.• Encourages writing fluency.• Becomes an ongoing process.
What’s In? What’s Out?
In the Notebook Out of the notebook/ in Writing Folder
Daily entriesCollecting Around a topicRevision strategiesEditing, grammar notes
DraftsRevisionsEditingFinal Copy
General Time Frames
• K-1st 5-10 minutes writing or drawing in the notebook on a daily basis.
• 2nd-3rd 5-15 minutes writing in the notebook daily, perhaps 1-2 times at home with travel notebook.
• 4th-5th 10-20 minutes writing in the notebook daily, perhaps 1-3 times at home with travel notebook.
MENTOR TEXT
Mentor Texts
• Short pieces work best• Use the text numerous times for different
purposes• Teaching Writer’s Craft not the book
How to Select A Mentor Text
• The text is a little more sophisticated than the writing of your best students.
• Your entire class can have access to the text.• The text is a good example of a particular kind
of writing (genre).• The text is of a genre you are studying.
MENTOR TEXT
How would you use your Mentor Text?
Multisensory Strategies To Incorporate into Your Writing Practice
Props for Paragraphs
The Claw
Bare Bones
Resources
• www.writingfix.com• http://educationnorthwest.org/resource/504• Appendix C KCAS• KDE Marker Papers
Let’s Make a Plan
• Who will you share today’s information with?• What information will you share?• What ideas do you have for core writing
instruction at your school?• What next steps to you need to take?