The Pre-writing Process

We are on this road together…

Research

Writing Process research compiled by Trish Havlin, University of Oregon EMPL program and

presented in collaboration with Heather Anderson

For further information contact phavlin@uoregon.edu

Recommendations for the Road Map

Writing Next Meta-analysis, process writing instruction has a small treatment effect (ES of .32)

Compared with traditional writing instruction, process-based instruction yields higher quality papers and superior writing achievement on NRT’s (Norm Reference Testing), (Hillcocks, 1984; Varble, 1990; Monieth, 1991)

Agenda for Today

Revisit pre-writingMove through a model lessonHave ‘a-go’ and design a pre-writing lesson

using templates discussed

Think about…

In 2002 the NAEP measured writing skills of 4th, 8th, and 12th graders and translated their scores into three levels of proficiency: Basic, Proficient, or Advanced.

72% of 4th graders 69% 8th graders77% 12th graders Did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals

Cause for Alarm

These results clearly demonstrate a large numbers of students need

interventions to help them become better writers.

We are on the bus together…

We will look at a two writing strategies in the form of a mini-lesson to support struggling writers utilizing the following tools: Connecting Teaching Actively engaging Sharing out CelebratingThese are the components of best practice writing instruction and professional development

Trip Plan For Writing

Vista Points 1-4Exit 1: Pre-writing brainstorming activityExit 2: Pre-writing clustering activity Exit 3: Anticipating StrugglesExit 4: Resources

Vista Point 1:

Discover ways and plan for success in pre-writing

Recognize your students needs and utilize pre-writing strategies

Map your plan for strategy instruction

Active Engagement: Turn and Talk

What is pre-writing?

What are the attributes of good pre-writing?

What makes good pre-writing difficult for struggling writers?

Vista Point 2: Research

According to Writing Next, pre-writing (Effect Size = 0.32) has a small to moderate impact on students’ writing.

Writing instruction often involves explicitly and systematically teaching students how to pre-write. The pre-writing approaches studied ranged from explicitly teaching pre-writing strategies to enhancing pre-writing by progressively “fading” models of a good pre-writing.

In fact, students can learn to write better from either a rule governed or a more intuitive approach. Overall, teaching students to pre-write improves the quality of their writing.

Vista Point 3: Attributes

Pre-writing is the first stage of the writing process and the point at which we discover and explore

our initial ideas about a subject.Prewriting techniques involve warming up the brain, organizing ideas, and setting up a plan

before diving straight into writing a composition. Pre-writing helps us to get our ideas on paper, though not usually in an organized form, and

brainstorm thoughts that might eventually make their way into our writing.

Vista 4: Share out Model

Topic: BirdsThey flyThey’re prettyThey squawkThey lay eggsThey may fly south for the winter

Turn and Talk

What are the attributes of this example of pre-writing?

What makes it good pre-writing?Can we identify the pre-writing strategy?

Vista Point 4:What?

Is activating prior knowledge Is discovering and exploring initial ideas

about subject Is not in an organized form

Pre-writing

Pre-writing strategies use writing to generate and clarify ideas.

While many writers have traditionally created outlines before beginning writing, there are

other possible prewriting activities.

Exit 1:Pre-writing Lesson PlansModel Two & Give Two Pre-writing

StrategiesMODEL: Brainstorming & Clustering

Give Two

1. Free writing2. Asking the six journalists’ questions

Brainstorming Strategy #1

Model/Mini lesson: Prewriting Connect:

1. A good strategy for pre-writing is brainstorming in the content area.

2. Think aloud and jot down all the possible terms that emerge from the general topic you are thinking about.

3. Group the items that you have listed according to arrangements that make sense to you.

4. Give each group a label. Now you have a topic with possible points of development.

5. Write a sentence about the label you have given the group of ideas. Now you have a topic sentence or possibly a thesis statement.

6. Students have ‘a-go,’ share out celebrating success and participation.

Engage: Content Area

What are you studying?Push your brain and write all that comes to mind…

Model: Science Content Area

Brainstorm ActivityGlobal Warming Green House EffectPhotosynthesisManufacturingCarbon DioxideEnvironment ProblemsAlternative Fuels

Model: Thesis Statement

Thesis Statement: Global warming, also known as the green house effect is a topic that is receiving a lot of attention in recent years. Yet our climate change is not a recent problem, it has been happening over many years. The rate of change is accelerating due to the growth of our population. The growth of our population has increased our use of fuel, land and manufacturing. All of these are increasing emissions into our atmosphere that increases global warming.

Turn and Talk

Process through these content area terms with your partner.

Can you verbalize a thesis statement utilizing words from

brainstorming activity?

Share-out

Teacher has students share-out thesis statement with partners.

Teacher calls on individual students to share-out thesis statement.

Celebrate

To ensure a safe learning environment, applaud students for having ‘a-go.’

Link: Today and Everyday…

Students write using brainstorming activities, also called listing, as a process of generating a lot of information within a short time by building on the association of previous terms used during instruction.

Teacher models this activity and posts it in the classroom to serve as a touchstone for future student use.

Students turn and talk to elbow partners sharing out their ability to brainstorm verbally on an individual subject.

Teacher rotates supporting turn and talk listening for one stellar example to share out with the class. This provides students with another model of expectation.

Teacher instructs students to have ‘a-go’ in their writing. Teacher celebrates students having ‘a-go’ by sharing out individual

student work

Exit 2: Clustering

EngageModelHave ‘a-go’Share-outCelebrate

Engage: Turn and Talk

What is clustering?

Clustering

Clustering is also called mind mapping or idea mapping. It is a strategy that allows you to explore the relationships between ideas.

Model Put the subject in the center of a page. Circle or underline it. As you think of other ideas, link the new ideas to the central circle

with lines. As you think of ideas that relate to the new ideas, add to those in the

same way. The result will look like a web on your page. Locate clusters of

interest to you, and use the terms you attached to the key ideas as departure points for your paper.

Clustering is especially useful in determining the relationship between ideas. You will be able to distinguish how the ideas fit together, especially where there is an abundance of ideas. Clustering your ideas lets you see them visually in a different way, so that you can more readily understand possible directions your paper may take.

Have ‘a go”

Given the topic, the value of a college education engage in Clustering

Remember…with this technique, you start with a circle in the middle that contains your main idea and then you draw lines to other, smaller circles that contain sub-ideas or issues related to the main idea. Try to group like ideas together so as to organize yourself.

Model of Clustering

 

  Mother Earth has a fever

Tell your friends

recycle

ride your bike turn off lights, water

gardenglobal warming

dirty gas from cars, factorieshot

Link: Today and Everyday

Students write using clustering activities, as a process of generating a lot of information within a short time by building on the association of previous terms used during instruction.

Teacher models this activity and posts it in the classroom to serve as a touchstone for future student use.

Students turn and talk to elbow partners sharing out their ability to cluster verbally on an individual subject.

Teacher rotates supporting turn and talk listening for one stellar example to share out with the class. This provides students with another model of expectation.

Teacher instructs students to have ‘a-go’ in their clustering. Teacher celebrates students having ‘a-go’ by sharing out individual

student clustering work.

Vista Point: Lesson Plan

ConnectTeachActive EngagementLinkShare-outCelebrate

Link: Today and Everyday…

Students write using pre-writing activities, as a process of generating a lot of information within a short time by building on the association of previous terms used during instruction.

Teacher models this activity and posts it in the classroom to serve as a touchstone for future student use.

Students turn and talk to elbow partners sharing out their ability to pre-write verbally on an individual subject.

Teacher rotates supporting turn and talk listening for one stellar example to share out with the class. This provides students with another model of expectation.

Teacher instructs students to have ‘a-go’ in their pre-writing. Teacher celebrates students having ‘a-go’ by sharing out

individual student pre-writing work.

Celebrate

To ensure a risk taking environment, applaud students for sharing our their thinking.

Exit 4: Anticipating Struggles

To support individual writers, we are modeling the strategy, verbally processing the strategy with a partner and having ‘a-go’ trying out the strategy. This is a multi-sensory approach to preloading the writing experience.

As students are doing this, teachers rotate and conference with individual writers.

Sharing out is the celebration of students being accountable for their work. It may provide confidence in future writing.

Exit 3: Resources

Packet includes:1. Model Lesson Plan-graphic organizer2. Pre-writing StrategiesA. BrainstormingB. ClusteringC. Free-writingD. Journalist Questions

Next Year…

Stay tuned for professional development announcements for the 2012-13 school year!

*Thanks for your participation!