writing across the curriculum (mra 2009)
TRANSCRIPT
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Writing Across the Curriculum: English Language Arts
Lynnette Van DykeTroy HicksCarol TrojanowskiSharon Armstrong
53rd MRA ConferenceGrand Rapids, MIMarch 14, 2009
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Goals For the Session
Provide an awareness overview of the Michigan Department of Education Writing Across the Curriculum: English Language Arts Resource
Explain the status of the project Help participants understand the importance of
implementing the two types of writing Provide examples Make connections to MDE’s emphasis on technology
and 21st Century learning
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What is Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)?
Infusing writing throughout the curriculum for various learning purposes
Fosters and demonstrates learning in a variety of subjects or disciplines
Emphasizes common, communicable, and portable practices
Encourages critical thinking and learning Use in multiple ways to prepare students for a
variety of contexts
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Writing Across the Curriculum:From Writing Now
“Writing can help students understand, process, and think critically about course material (Writing to Learn). Writing assignments, then, are best designed to help students learn: by asking them first to use writing to learn about a given topic or subject, to evaluate their own understanding of that topic, and/or to develop expertise about it; then to use writing to critically analyze that understanding. In other words, teachers who create writing assignments that begin by engaging students in writing-to-learn activities set the stage for students to demonstrate in final, polished writing (Writing to Demonstrate Knowledge) a fuller understanding of the topic at hand.” (Writing Now, NCTE, page 2)
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How is Michigan Faring?
NAEP MEAP: ELA Writing and Reading High Priority Schools
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From Past………………………….…
30 years of Writing Across the Curriculum perpetuates its usefulness and importance
Writing lets us communicate & discover what we know and what we didn’t know we knew
Writing is recursive: the writer considers purpose and audience while shifting back and forth to develop ideas and clarify meaning
MDE Content Literacy Committee: User-Friendly Writing to Learn Handbooks (SS, Sci, Math)
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…………………………….to Present
Emphasis on process & product Acknowledges outside-of-school literacies, & connects inside/outside literacy practices, supporting
development Uses online literacy practices that nurture: quality of
work, narrative power, logic, character & concept development
Utilizes Web 2.0 for social networking: free participatory, collaborative & distributed resources
Documents for all core curricular areas: posted at www.michigan.gov/ela
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Why Does Writing Matter Now?
When we write we think. We slow down enough to reflect, synthesize, clarify & communicate. These are 21st Century skills
We cannot write without reading. If we neglect writing it is at the expense of reading (Rief, 2006). Strong writers are strong readers
Writing about or developing content helps students focus on meaning & helps them process information at deep levels
Both essay & blog writing are important. One should support the other
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21st Century Writing Assumptions
More than ever, students need to develop their capacities to communicate effectively in preparation for participation in a global world
Students need to think & write clearly to be effective contributors & to use current social media well
New media demand new literacies—those including sound, graphics & moving images in addition to text
Digital literacy provides rich opportunities to blend research & storytelling in creative ways within the domain of new media
NCTE Policy Research Brief: 21st Century Literacies
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Using This Online Document
Peruse
Locate a resource aligned to your learning purpose
Use the Table of Contents hyperlinks to go directly to the page
Print using the page numbers feature
Use this strategy & others often
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Two Major Categories
Writing Across the
Curriculum (WAC)
Writing-To-LearnWriting-To-
Demonstrate-Knowledge
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Each Section Offers…
A definition What it accomplishes How to implement Examples of procedures or variations Visual representations to use with students
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Practices In Strategy Instruction?
Set & facilitate high expectations Empower students Explain the value & rationale for strategy use Explain why, when & how the strategy assists
performance Model & discuss thinking associated with steps Teacher or student modeling includes
explanation, demonstration, & thinking aloud
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Practices in Strategy Instruction?
Guided Practice/Gradual Release of Responsibility
Independent use & application of the strategy
Instruction & practice extend over a period of time across diverse tasks leading to success with complex assignments…
Keep the audience in mind when writing
Ongoing reflection & planning
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Writing-To-Learn: Definition
“A writing-to-learn strategy is one that teachers employ throughout and/or at the end of a lesson to engage students and develop big ideas and concepts.”
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Writing-To-Learn: Definition
Fosters critical thinking, requiring analysis and application, & other higher order thinking skills
Uses impromptu, short or informal writing designed by the teacher & included throughout the lesson to help students think
Focused on ideas rather than correctness of style, grammar or spelling
Uses journals, logs, micro-themes, responses to written or oral questions, summaries, free writing, notes & other writing assignments that align to learning ideas/concepts
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Writing-To-Learn: Purpose
Organizational tools such as journals where specific strategies can be housed
Strategies for understanding, synthesizing generating content area, digital, literary or generating narrative & informational texts
Responses— interpretations—connections
Understanding content area, literary & digital texts
Graphic organizers to hold, process & organize thoughts throughout a lesson
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Journaling
Helps students express thoughts, feelings, & reactions about reading, authors, messages, & style on paper
A flexible instructional strategy used for self-generated responses or tailored for instructional purposes—short or extended, capturing thinking on paper
Helps students interact with text/reflect on reading
Helps students discover what they know, ask questions, confidently share their observations/opinions & clarify understanding
Assists teachers in assessments of critical thinking
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Implementation of Journaling
In the beginning, the teacher models the journaling strategy by using his or her own response journal
Students write down the date, title, author, chapter, and page of text to which they are responding to save their writings for future use
Students meet the expectations set for completing one or more thoughtful responses
Expectations for length of entries should be set high
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Implementation of Journaling
Interrupt discussion with writing to change direction, get back to a main point, or encourage greater participation
Identify a unifying theme and support it with references from the text
Allow flexibility. Teach various purposes of journaling that allow choice in how to respond
Use journals for closure. Allow five minutes at the end of lessons to write observations/summaries
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CRAFTS: A Design Tool
Acronym prompts & guides design and inquiry
Provides choice & develops ownership
Demonstrates student knowledge & higher-order thinking
Encourages creative application
Aligns writing to accommodate an audience other than the teacher
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CRAFTS Acronym
C Student considers context for the writing
R Student chooses a role from which to write
A Student chooses an audience to which they will present their writing (real world or imagined)
F Student chooses a format for presenting theirwriting
T Topic for writing is chosen
S Uses a strong verb
Students use the acronym to think through and plan their writing:
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Design Choices
Students determine the CONTEXT
ROLE…I will be the writer as though I am … (historian, political commentator, lawyer, librarian)
AUDIENCE…The writing will be read/heard by…(immigrants, leader of another country, general
public, those in poverty, senate committee, etc.)
FORMAT…The writing will take the form of… (brief essay, commercial, e-mail, 5-minute speech)
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Design Choices
TOPIC… and will be about… (civil rights, democracy, monarchy, war,
Bill of Rights)
STRONG VERB …the writing’s purpose will be … (contrast, oppose, evaluate, support, rate)
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CompleteCRAFTS Assignment
I will be the writer as though I am … a political commentator
The writing will be read or heard by… the general public
It will take the form of… 5-minute speech
…and will be about…war
The writing’s purpose will be to… oppose
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Column Notes: Cornell Notes
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Column Notes: T-Charts
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Column Notes: Chapters/Selection Chart
Q Notes
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Writing-To-Demonstrate-Knowledge
Inquiry-based writing connects with real-world experiences & increases student engagement
Research: authentic writing leads to increased writing achievement
21st century requires: flexible writers who can move between genres, think critically about new writing tasks, exercise audience awareness, & identify & improve areas of weakness.
Digital technologies & social networking opportunities influence the processes & evaluation of writing
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Writing-To-Demonstrate-Knowledge
Students show what they have learned: About disciplinary (literary/narrative &
informational) content and process Through a “constructed response” explaining
their understanding of concepts and ideas About specific writing genre Through inquiry--finding, organizing, and
reporting information in both traditional and new ways
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I-Search: Traditional Report
1. My questions
2. My search process
3. What I have learned
4. What this means to me
5. References
More on I-Search Process can be found by following
the link on the wiki page.
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I-Search: Description
Informal, alternative process to formal, traditional research papers
Interest-based– students design questions to satisfy "a genuine itch“
The inquiry: Reading, Watching, Asking, Doing The 1st person report or multi-genre option Students reflect upon their search processes Designed for authentic audiences
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I-Search: Phase 1Immersion &Generation of
Questions
Teachers engage students in activities about a topic connected to standards
Teachers check & build prior knowledge
Teachers help students find questions to pursue
Varied immersion activities model for students multiple ways to gather information
Large & small group inquiries set the stage for learning the process
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I-Search: Phase 2 Search Plan
Students meet criteria for active inquiry Teachers guide students in the development of a
Search Plan requiring active learning: Reading: books, magazines, newspapers, & reference
materials (in print, CD/DVD, Internet) Watching: videos, pod casts, television documentaries,
online newscasts, etc. Asking: face-to-face requests: online/e-mail interviews or
surveys; or Doing: e.g., experiment, Congressional session,
debate/computer simulation, field trip
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I-Search: Phase 2Search Plan
Teachers guide students through developing a materials/resources plan for the search process
Sequence calendars detail what & when Specific processes for citing & keeping track of
materials & resources used
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I-Search: Phase 3Gathering & Integrating
Knowledge
Students implement search plans Teachers introduce strategies to organize
information: semantic maps, categorization charting, developing figures, drafting summaries
Students sustain gathering, integrating & recording information
Teachers confer with students throughout the process to monitor & facilitate progress
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I-Search: Phase 3 Gathering & Integrating
Knowledge
Students progressively revise search plans
Students utilize media centers, interviewing, field excursions, & community & online libraries
Students integrate information from multiple sources & engage in enrichment around big ideas
Students create journal entries on "ups & downs" of the search process
Students begin drafting
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Guiding Question 1
Guiding Question 2
Guiding Question 3
Guiding Question 4
My Research Topic ________ ? ? ? ?
Interesting Facts and Figures
New Questions
Sources:1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Summary
I-Chart
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I-Search: Phase 4“First Person” Reporting
Teachers explain product the criteria
Teachers provide time, process & supports needed to help students represent new knowledge
Students use writing process: Design/Pre-write, Draft, Revise, Edit, Publish
Students share reports/exhibitions with appropriate authentic audiences
Students debrief & reflect
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“A multi-genre paper arises from research, experience, and imagination. It is not an uninterrupted, expository monolog nor a seamless narrative nor a collection of poems.
A multi-genre paper is composed of many genres and subgenres, each piece self-contained, making a point of its own, yet connected by theme or topic and sometimes by language, images and content.
In addition to many genres, a multi-genre paper may also contain many voices, not just the author's. The trick is to make such a paper hang together.”
Romano, T. (2000). Blending Genre, Altering Style: Writing Multi-genre Papers.
Multi-Genre: Definition from Romano
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Works for elementary, middle & high school
Can be integrated into any content area
Highly adaptable –from autobiography to critical analysis
Students experience the agency of shaping & structuring their papers to extend performance beyond the teacher’s expectations
Listening/speaking are addressed through the presentation stage
Multi-Genre:Characteristics
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Why Use Multi-Genre?
Project development Genre choices Weaving genre into writing in a connected way Scrapbook, magazine, locked trunk in the attic, narrative,
biography Multitude of standards & expectations in writing, research,
reading, vocabulary, & speaking Spark creativity & imagination—create a thought -provoking
search & thematic product Reinforce mechanics
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Why Use Multi-Genre?
Incorporate thinking: analysis, synthesis & MI Driven by a personal need to know
Provides the opportunity to communicate in multiple genres
Expands student writing experiences beyond a traditional report
Process provides the synergy of sharing ideas & accomplishment
Students develop identities as writers & learners
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Complete same process up to spreadsheetComplete same process up to spreadsheet
Decide and draft the thread that hangs all of the pieces together
Decide and draft the thread that hangs all of the pieces together
Decide and draft the various genre pieces for the ‘thread’ of the project
Decide and draft the various genre pieces for the ‘thread’ of the project
When everything fits, revise as needed, edit, and publish.When everything fits, revise as needed, edit, and publish.
5th Grade Multi-Genre: Process & Product
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Interactive Multigenre Planning Tool
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Multi-Genre Example: Wanted!
A lovely giraffe is wanted for eating too much bark off trees causing the poor trees to die. If you see this 16-17 foot tall female giraffe, please come to animal control. Thank you!
Reward: A nice salad with everything you can dream of on it!
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Multi-Genre Example: Menu
Welcome to Irukandji Restaurant!We cater to adults and children
Adult MenuPrawnsFish
Adult MenuPrawnsFish
Just for the childrenMicroscopic animals – as much as you can eat!
Just for the childrenMicroscopic animals – as much as you can eat!
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Multi-Genre Example: Dear Diary
Dear Diary,I turned 4 years old today. All
ofthe emperor penguins chose
todayto form a colony called a
rookery. Together, we travel 70 miles
to ourmating grounds and huddle together to keep warm. We go
to the same spot where we were
bornwhere the ice is thickest and
won’tbreak under all our weight.
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Multi-Genre Example: Creative Interview-Late Night
TV
Marty (host): Now, can you tell
me more about how you find
your meals?
Prickles (hedgehog): I have a furry face with two eyes that cannot see very well, but I have two large ears that hear well and a nose that is superb. Add my mouthful of sharp teeth and I think you get the picture.
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Multi-Genre Example: Poetry
Raining
Snails reign
Especially when it rains.
They march out of hibernation
Around March.
Macho Cat
The jaguar conquers the
capybara in the grass
Slams it into the ground
Crushes the skull
With its tantalizing teeth
Then drags it home to eat.
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Multi-Genre Example: Page Torn Out of an ABC
Book
The pads on the bottom of the tiger’s feet help him to move quickly and quietly through forests and grasslands. Sneaky, sneaky!
When tiger cubs play, they are practicing their hunting skills. They are not trained by the father as he leaves after they are born.
The loud “ROAR” of the tiger can REACH distances up to a mile away. I would hate to be next to the tiger when he roars – for more reasons than noise!
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Multi-Genre Example:Simulated Ad– “Danger
Lurks”
Human creatures are starting to take our kind one by one. Armed with guns and working in groups, the poachers in the forests of Africa seek animals with the longest tusks. These are sold to dealers for up to $350 per pound. Beware! Report any poaching activity to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
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Multi-Genre Example: Diagram
2 keen eyes
4 paws – run up to 30 miles per hour
Up to 12-21 inches long
Head and body length, 18 to 33.75 in
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Multi-Genre Use Of Technology
Powerpoint slide show Digital story Incorporate video clips
& music Interactive for viewers Motivating &
engaging for
creators
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Argumentation: Toulmin
Considered a “Genre of Power” Improves logic, persuasion, the ability to argue
reasonably, & coherence of an argument Introduces students to informal logic Aligns to instructional requirements of the ACT in
the high school Michigan Merit Exam Establishes a claim—then proves it with logical
reasoning, examples, and research Guides an audience through the writer’s reasoning
process, offers an explanation of each point argued, & demonstrates the credibility of the writer
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Toulmin’s Conversational Approach
1. The writer makes a claim. The claim is the point being made, answering the question “So, what is your point?”
2. The audience may accept this claim or ask, "Why do you say that?" or "What makes you say that?" Respond with evidence or data that satisfies the challenge.
3. If the data satisfy the audience, the conversation ends. This suggests that the data warranted the claim & satisfies the question "Is the data sufficient to prove this claim?”
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Toulmin Writers
4. The conversation will end if warranted data support the claim. If not, the opposition might ask, "Why do you think that such data supports that claim?" The response is backing for the warrant
5. Or, the audience might respond, "There were assumptions being made when you chose to use that data to support that claim that may or may not be true.” This requires rebuttal
6. The writer might respond to the challenge by narrowing the claim and adding a qualifier
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Argumentation: Planning & Drafting
What position or claim will be developed? Take a stand.
What grounds will convince the reader to agree with the claim? Give reasons why, data, evidence, and facts.
What is the link (warrant) between grounds and claim? Explain the “reasons why” using conventional wording, e.g., since, given the data, if…then…
Is the backing reliable? Justify the reasons. This is reasonable because... (further explanation)
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Argumentation: Planning & Drafting
What are other possible views on this issue? Rebut the counterargument. Explain and refute other possibilities, e.g., Others might think...but...
Is a qualification necessary? Is the argument so solid that qualification based on extenuating circumstances is unneeded? Use conditional qualification, e.g., probably, presumably
Have I adequately summed up the case? Restate and summarize
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Writing Prompt:
Topic or Issue: Purpose: Audience:
My CLEAR POSITION (thesis) on this issue:
“Reasons” or WHY I take this position
EXAMPLES and EVIDENCE “Warrant”HOW the reasons & examples
support the position
1. 1. 1.
2. 2. 2.
3. 3. 3.
Most Significant Counterargument
Rebuttals to Counterarguments
Toulmin Graphic
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Interactive Persuasive Essay Planning Tool
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Recommendations
Use writing strategies across all content areas, write both narrative & informational texts, & write everyday
Require all students—especially less experienced ones—to write extensively so that they become comfortable writing extended prose
Create writing assignments that require analysis and interpretation through a wide variety of genres
Help students understand how language works in a variety of contexts
Foster collaborative writing processes
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Recommendations
Use formative assessment to give students feedback on developing drafts
Employ multiple measures to track student’s development & proficiency over time
Develop authentic assessments that bridge gaps between school/workplace writing
Create & implement curricula that fosters writing through every subject at every grade level
Build a technological infrastructure to support new media writing and make it a part of students’ regular composing
Invest in professional development
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Open the Window
“It has been said that reading can serve as a window to the world; if that is true, then writing is what opens the window. That window must be opened to all.”—Kylene Beers, The Genteel Unteaching of America’s Poor, p. 1
We will post WAC materials and this powerpoint at our wiki site. Please go to:
http://hickstro.wikispaces.com/WAC_MRA_2009
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Contacts
Lynnette Van DykeMDE ELA [email protected]
Troy HicksChippewa River Writing ProjectCentral Michigan [email protected]
Sharon ArmstrongGISD ELA [email protected]
Carol TrojanowskiAnna B. Literacy ConsultantMSU Faculty, College of [email protected]