Beyond the Basal: Day #4, Reading/Writing Connection

Everything we know as writers, we know as readers first.

- Katy Ray Wood

Today’s Class

• Discuss the reading/writing connection- Reading like a writer

• Explore mentor texts• Discuss strategies that teachers can use to

develop language and vocabulary• Participate in vocabulary instruction minilessons• Real time to work with Inquiry Topic (WE

PROMISE!)

Thoughts about Writing (Lucy Caulkins, Katie Ray Wood, Donald Graves and Carl Anderson)

Writers need a sense of purpose. Make plans for what they will do- set goals

To teach writing well, we should know at least 5 details about the lives and interests of each of our students.

Read like a writer- notice how things are written. The little things that happen everyday make wonderful

writing topics- jumping on the bed your brother throwing his food on your plate, your dog getting into the garbage can. (Mentor Text: Night Shift Daddy, Spinelli, The Paperboy, by Dav Pilkey)

Rich conversations cultivate writing Our goal is to offer children the opportunity to bring their

lives to school and put their lives on the page

Things to consider when writing with children

• Writers need to read.• Allow children to talk about a story with another.

Have them “turn and talk” with a partner to tell their stories before writing them.

• Focus on Ideas instead of handwriting, spelling and conventions

• Children should have the opportunity to write throughout the day and throughout the content areas

Analyzing your Current Practice

What does your writing program look like?• Fill out the continuum about writing and

your school• Then, “Dot the Chart.” What types of

writing do the children in your classroom have the opportunity to engage in?

Process Writing

• Components of the Process– Prewriting– Drafting– Revising– Editing– Publishing

• Things to consider:– Writing is not linear, nor should it be

necessarily– Think about how to integrate multiple sign

systems into the process (i.e., drama, music, movement/dance, art)

Connecting Reading and Writing

• The Small Moment (Lucy Calkins)– Watermelon vs. Seed

• Use mentor texts to see how authors use the writer’s craft

• Teacher writing sample

Connecting Reading and Writing

How do writers “open the door” for the reader? Looking at leads:

• Take a look at the leads for some popular children’s books

• Notice what the author did to “open the door” to the story

• What are some of the different ways they did this?

Connecting Reading and Writing

Read Like a Writer!

• What do authors do to share ideas?

Your Turn:• Select a mentor text.• What do you notice in your book?• How can you use this text in your

classroom to teach about writer’s craft?

Several Different Vocabularies

• Listening

• Speaking

• Reading

• Writing

Vocabulary

How do people learn words? • We notice the names of things• We hear others use words and attach the

word to a situation• We look for parts we might know and then

figure out the meaning• We experiment and try words out

Monitoring Vocabulary Knowledge

People have varying levels of knowledge about words

• Never heard of it• Heard the word but don’t know what it means• Have some idea of what it means• Sure of the meaning• Uses the word appropriately in many situations

Considerations for Teaching Vocabulary

• Provide Students with opportunities to extend knowledge of words in meaningful ways

• Provide direct instruction on how to infer Word Meanings

• Provide multiple encounters• Promote active processing- give

opportunities to use the words

Today’s Minilessons

• Share writing

• Examine writing for overused words

• Write a Tired Word Poem

• Go on a Treasure Word Hunt

• Create a Word Bank of Treasure Words

Sources

Readwritethink.org- Delicious, Tasty, Yummy: Enriching Writing with Adjectives and Synonyms

The Revision Toolbox by Georgia Heard

Craft Lessons by Ralph Fletcher

Going Beyond Looking up the Definition

• How might these strategies be modified? How would it look at various grade levels

• How would you assess vocabulary using the strategies?

• What adaptations would you make?

Inquiry Group Work Time

• Take this time to read your Inquiry Materials– Do an “author” study (Why is this person writing this?

What experiences do they have with the topic and classrooms?)

– Complete an “I Read/I Thought Chart– Make connections to your classroom– Plan how you can use the ideas in your classroom

• Discuss with the members of your group

Meet back in this classroom at 2:00