Teaching Writing Tying it all together !?

Time Session

10 :00 am – 10:15 am Welcome - orientation – icebreaker

10:15 am – 12:00am Introduction How do you teach writing Writing as a process and the six traits of writing Scaffolding writing instructions (part1)

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Prayer and coffee break

12:30 pm– 01:00 pm practical examples on scaffolding More examples on scaffolding (1,2,3,4 )

01:00 pm – 2:00 pm The 4-square writing method scaffolding in the resources- Tips for teaching writing Workshop evaluation Closure

workshop outline

1- Reflecting on own techniques for teaching writing .

2-Listing some of the best practices for teaching writing .

3-Revising knowledge on the writing process and traits of writing.

4- Finding out about how the technique of “teaching writing as a process” and “traits of writing “are implemented in the resources .

5- Developing awareness of the interrelation between the process of writing and the six traits .

6- Using different techniques to teach and scaffold writing .

Ice Breaker

The Snowball Activity

1-Individually , spend 2-3 minutes writing about

yourself on a piece of paper.

2- Crumble up the paper to resemble a snowball.

Have a snowball fight for about one minute.

3-Everyone grabs one of the snowballs and has

to try and find the person who wrote it.

4- Once you find your partner, bring him up and

say how you found out about him .

Prompt Individual activity

Read this opening from the novel “Bleak House” …

h ghgh ghgh ghght y ftrd rdgxkjahkjh kh sbagzj ws asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h asuwq wq qu iuu u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h ghgh ghgh ghght y ftrd rdgxkjahkjh kh sbagzj ws asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h ghgh ghgh ghght y ftrd rdgxkjahkjh kh sbagzj ws asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h ghgh ghgh ghght y ftrd rdgxkjahkjh kh sbagzj ws asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h asuwq wq qu iuu h u g 7aijq;m.1xz loli3ji h u h

Now write your own opening of a novel.

Individual activity

Are you serious ?

But take a moment to reflect on how you felt when posed with the task.

Some of you were excited to have the opportunity to write, some of you thought “really…writing…UG?” , some of you thought “I have to write to THAT?”.

That is how many of our students feel when posed with a prompt.

Actually , no ; we are just kidding !!!!

In this instance we “assigned” the prompt. It was clear we planned on providing feedback, but didn’t teach you what we were looking for or what the qualities of good writing were. Many teachers feel overwhelmed when it comes to teaching writing.

Assign vs. Instruct?

As a side note-we know that starting with a rigid GO can

help our struggling writers, but it is not the sole panacea

for good writing .

Searching for “the answer” Susan “I felt frustrated teaching High School English, and

thought…surely there is „an answer‟. So I went to grad

school, majored in rhetoric looking for the answers.”

The Answer……… And I found out that there is no answer…

writing is messy!

.

“We waste valuable time and energy fussing about the “trait” camp versus the “writing process” camp versus the “writing workshop” camp. We're all trying to do the same thing: help students learn

to write well. When these three powerful ideas coexist in writing classrooms, both students and teachers win.” -Culham

Reaction?

The main reason for teaching

writing is to help students

EXPRESS THEIR THOUGHTS

IN WORDS.

Why teach writing?

"Good writing does not just happen.

The best writers spend a great

deal of time and effort thinking,

planning, rewriting, and editing."

It is important to tell your students that....

What about you ?

How do you teach writing ?

Take a couple of minutes reflecting on

your teaching writing techniques , then

share with the workshop group.

Individual activity (5min.)

Writing Process Strategy

Four square writing technique

Peer writing response

The six traits

Scaffolding writing instructions

Increase Writing Frequency and Duration

Setting Goals and Using Rubrics

Collaborative Writing

Writing workshop

Best Practices

1-What is the writing process? What are the steps in the writing process?

2-What is a “trait”? What are the six (+1) traits of good writing ?

Think-pair-share activity (3 min.)

The writing process is ( A way of looking at writing instruction that shifts the emphasis from the finished product to what writers think and do as they write .

The 6-trait writing model is (a way to assess and teach writing. This model focuses on 6 qualities seen in outstanding written works).

Definitions

You will be given a sheet with names of “processes” and “traits” on . Your task is to “cut and glue” them under the correct category (processes ) or ( traits ) , putting the steps in the (processes) category in the correct order .

Group activity (10min.)

On the sheet you are given , decide what the trait(s)tackled in each process is(are) .

How do ”process” and “trait” interrelate ?

Group activity (5min.)

The Traits and the Writing Process

Prewriting Ideas, Organization, Voice

Drafting Ideas, Organization, Voice,

word Choice, Sentence Fluency

Revising All traits except conventions

Editing Conventions

Publishing Presentation

Use your resource book to locate example(s) and explain how writing process and traits are implemented to teach writing .

Detecting Process and traits in the resource book

Group activity (10min.)

An example from G11 Foundation (p.50,51)

Prewriting (ideas , voice )

Prewriting (organization)

Prewriting

(organization)

Prewriting (organization)

Drafting ( ideas )

Drafting (ideas , voice -organization)

Prewriting (planning )

Drafting (ideas , voice )

Drafting (organization)

Revising / editing

Evaluation rubrics / publishing

Scaffolding writing instructions

According to Harris and Hodges in their The Literacy Dictionary (1996), scaffolding in learning is:

(The gradual withdrawal of adult (e.g. teacher) support, as through instruction, modelling, questioning, feedback etc., for a child's performance across successive engagements, thus transferring more autonomy to the child).

What is scaffolding instructions?

Match teacher’s role with descriptions in the “Teacher’s

role” sheet you have .

Group activity (2min.)

Please take five minutes to read the hand out on the definition and some practical examples on scaffolding writing instructions , then feedback to the workshop group using the “PMI” graphic organizer that you have .

Some Practical Examples

Individual activity (10 min.)

More Examples on scaffolding writing instructions

1- Narrowing the Idea in writing :

prompts (R.A.F.T.) R.A.F.T. stands for . . .

Role of the writer

Audience for the piece of writing

Format of the material

Topic or subject of the piece of writing

Example: (writing prompt )

write a persuasive essay to persuade your principal to

resume the field trips at your school .

How would you scaffold this prompt using the

RAFT model ?

You are Sami Ahmed , a student in grade 12 at

AL-Amjad Secondary School .

Write a three-paragraph essay that would help

you and your class to persuade your school

principal to resume the field trips at your school .

it could be scaffolded as follows:

2- Using models

3-Sentence Stretching

Ask each student to write a simple sentence of 4-5 words at the top of a sheet of paper.

(Example: Sally ate a pizza.)

Students pass the paper to the next student who must add or change one element to make the sentence more specific and interesting.

After the paper has been passed to 10-12 people, it is returned to the original owner.

Students write their revised sentences on the board for all to see.

1-Experiment with one of your sentences.

2-Try ending it with different parts of speech.

3-Decide which is the most effective.

A rolling stone gathers no moss. (noun)

If a stone rolls, hardly any moss with be gathered. (verb)

If you are concerned about moss gathering on a stone, roll it. (pronoun)

When trying to rid yourself of moss, roll the stone quickly. (adverb)

If you roll the stone, the moss will become smooth.

(adjective)

4-Ending with a different part of speech

5- using graphic organizers to scaffold

writing instructions ( e.g. 4 squares):

Example :

Writing Prompt

Writing Situation:

Everyone has a fond memory of a special day.

Think about a day that stood out

among all the others.

Directions for Writing:

Write a paragraph/ essay telling about your

special day

Now fold your paper into 4

squares.

Prepare the graphic organizer.

another way

I will never forget my

sixth birthday.

Fold the paper into four squares. Begin with

one well written topic sentence placed in a

box in the center. This will become the topic

sentence.

Topic Sentence

I will never forget my

sixth birthday.

Add three supporting sentences (one in each

box). The fourth box should be a feeling

sentence that sums up the other three. All

sentences should support the main topic in

the center.

My grandmother

threw me a surprise

party.

My parents gave me a

wonderful gift.

My friends and I went

to the zoo.

It was the best

birthday ever.

I will never forget my

sixth birthday.

Add a detail in each box to

tell more about the

supporting sentence.

My grandmother

threw me a surprise

party.

My parents gave me a

wonderful gift.

My friends and I went

to the zoo.

It was the best

birthday ever.

•She baked my

favorite chocolate

fudge cake.

•They surprised me

with a golden

retriever puppy.

•We rode the elephants.

From the graphic organizer to the lined paper………..

I will never forget my sixth birthday. My

grandmother threw me a surprise party. She

baked my favorite chocolate fudge cake. My

parents gave me a wonderful gift. They

surprised me with a golden retriever puppy.

My friends and I went to the zoo. We rode the

elephants. It was the best birthday ever.

I will never forget my

sixth birthday.

Now add three details in

each box to tell more about

the supporting sentence.

My grandmother

threw me a surprise

party.

My parents gave me a

wonderful gift.

My friends and I went

to the zoo. It was the best

birthday ever.

•favorite cake

•tons of presents

•exciting games

•golden retriever

•named Goldie

•best friend

•elephant ride

•walked for miles

•rode train

Again from the graphic organizer to the lined paper………..

I will never forget my sixth birthday. My

grandmother threw me a surprise party. She

baked my favorite chocolate fudge cake. I got

tons of presents. We had such fun playing

exciting games. My parents gave me a wonderful

gift. They surprised me with a golden retriever

puppy. I named her Goldie. She is my best

friend today. My friends and I went to the zoo. We

rode the elephants. The zoo was so large we

walked for miles. Finally we gave up and rode

the train. It was the best birthday ever.

I will never forget my

sixth birthday.

My grandmother

threw me a surprise

party.

My parents gave me a

wonderful gift.

My friends and I went

to the zoo. It was the best

birthday ever.

•favorite cake

•tons of presents

•exciting games

•golden retriever

•named Goldie

•best friend

•elephant ride

•walked for miles

•rode train

Early in the day, After lunch,

Later, Indeed,

Adding a transition word to each

box will help the text to flow.

I will never forget my sixth birthday. Early in

the day, my grandmother threw me a surprise party.

She baked my favorite chocolate fudge cake. I got

tons of presents. We had such fun playing exciting

games.

After lunch, my parents gave me a wonderful

gift. They surprised me with a golden retriever

puppy. I named her Goldie. She is my best friend

today.

Later, my friends and I went to the zoo. We

rode the elephants. The zoo was so large we walked

for miles. Finally we gave up and rode the train.

Indeed, it was the best birthday ever.

4 Square + 3 +T = 5 Paragraphs

Keep it simple!

Teach the 4 Square on its own

Provide multiple opportunities for practice .

new step of the 4 Square – repetition for automaticity

Don’t move on to another step of the 4 Square until

your students have mastered the current step.

Remember, the goal is for students to internalize

the template’s structure and be able to use it quickly and

efficiently as a planning tool for any writing task!

To make this strategy successful for all of your students you need to :

Use your resource book to find example(s) and explain how writing is scaffolded in the writing tasks .

If you can’t find an example of scaffolded writing , just pick one writing task and say how it can be scaffolded using one (or more) of the techniques presented .

Detecting Scaffolding instructions in the resource book

Group activity (10 min.)

To the Top 3 G8 , P.73

genre scaffolding

outlining and writing frame

outlining and writing frame

genre scaffolding

Writing is scaffolded through :

1- outlining and writing frames .

2-genre scaffolding

In this example

In these writing activities , writing is scaffolded through :

1-Outlining and writing frames

2-using models

3-Narrowing the idea (RAFT ) model

4- cloze procedure

5-rewriting

6- genre scaffolding

7-rhetorical model

Upstream G11 Adv. P.150-160

Practice time ! Group activity(10 min.) prep.&(10 min.)pres.

1-Use your resource books , choose one of the

writing activities

2- Plan , present and scaffold it using suitable

technique(s) form the ones presented today

(or any other technique you find suitable .

3-Present the activity to the workshop group .

4-Use your table group members as your

students .

5- You can make up the writing activity if you’d like to.

Dedicate time to writing, with writing occurring across

the curriculum, and involve students in various forms of

writing over time

Teach basic writing skills to mastery .

Increase students’ knowledge about writing .

Begin with discussing with them the objectives of writing.

Let them know that their writing can speak for them

when they are not there.

Tell them that writing is an organized process.

Tips to get students into writing

Take advantage of technological writing tools .

Select interesting prompts for students to write about.

Give them a sample written work to base their

expectations on.

Agree with them on an assessment criteria that they will

be graded on.

Use assessment to gauge students’ progress and needs.

Provide opportunities for self and peer checking

Tips to get students into writing

Pease fill in the workshop evaluation form

Hamburger Organization: http://guest.portaportal.com/propel

Venn Diagram: http://kids-learn.org/mousetales/fincher/fincher.htm

Writing Sample: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cityteacher/431041339/sizes/m/in/photostream/

6+1 Writing Traits: http://bhggraphicdesign.com/blog/2007/08/02/6-1-traits-of-writing-posters/

Praise: http://elliotcampaignmanagement.com/

Writing Homework: http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/fall/

BookBuilder Coaches: http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view_print.php?book=10939

Question Mark Man: http://www.xump.com/blog/post.cfm/the-scientific-method-part-2

6+1 Writing Traits PowerPoint: www.svusd.org/hp.../D26270-The_6_1_Trait_Writing_Model.ppt

Marzano’s Instructional Strategies PowerPoint Provided By Cheryl Wissick in Weekly Activities

Teaching writing , Al-Sayegh , Asmaa.

Integrating Best Practice into Effective Writing Instruction, Troy Hicks and Rita Maddox.

The best intervention is good instruction , writing like a staat , curriculum council

Teaching writing , Barton , Geoff , 2001

Resources