Writing Tracker

Developing Stamina and Fluency

Missouri Middle School Association Conference“Success in Middle Grades”

February 8 – 9, 2016 - St. Louis, MissouriPresenters: Dr. Elaine Weber eweber@misd.net

Raymond Woods rays630@yahoo.com

Let’s talk writing!

At your table find out • How many participants are satisfied with

their students’ writing skills?

• How many participants believe their students write enough in school?

• How many participants wish they could have students do more writing in their classroom?

Why Write?

• Writing can activate background knowledge• Writing can increase engagement, especially

when used in conjunction with talking/sharing activities

• Students can feel more in control of their learning when using writing regularly.

Why Write?• Writing, more than any other subject can lead to

personal breakthroughs in learning.• Writing is a highly complex act that demands the

analysis and synthesis of many levels of thinking.• Writing develops initiative: In reading,

everything is provided. In writing, the learner must supply everything.

Why Write?• Writing develops courage. At no point is the learner more

vulnerable than in writing.• Writing can contribute to reading from the first draft of

school.• Writing contributes strongly to reading comprehension as

children grow older. The ability to revise writing for greater power and economy is one of the higher forms of reading.

But the real reason to write is….Open your packet to Leadership, The Write Way

Next, look at Writing Makes Middle School Students Better Learners

Writing Tracker System

The Writing Tracker system is a combination of: – Idea generators– Quickwrites– Chart recorders– Data analyzers– Reflections– Decision makers– Goal settersNow go to the Hands-on Booklet in your packet.

Circle the content area you are exploring. In the following spaces list all the topics in the circled content area that you could write about for five minutes.1.________________________________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________________________________

3.________________________________________________________________________

4.________________________________________________________________________

5._______________________________________________________________________

6 ________________________________________________________________________

7.________________________________________________________________________

8.________________________________________________________________________

9.________________________________________________________________________

10.______________________________________________________________________

Topic GeneratorContent Areas: Social Studies, Science, Health, Foreign Language, English, Mathematics, Physical Education, Vocal Music, Instrumental Music

Your turn

Select one of the content areas and list all topics you could write about in five minutes.

Select one topic, think about how you might write about the it.

For demonstration purposes, you will write for only one minute.

After one minute, stop writing and count the total number of words you wrote. Record this information on the Progress Chart. Also put the date, topic, and the number of domain specific words.

Chart the number of words on the Data Analyzer Graph.

Writing Tracker: Chart the Progress

• Record the topic • Record the text structure(s)• Record the date• Record the number of words• Record the domain-specific words

Writing Tracker Progress Chart

Topic Date Number of words

Number of domain-specific words

Text Structure

Data Analyzer

• Create a line graph with number of words and date and topic

250

200

150

100

50

01/20 1/23 1/27 1/31 2/4 2/7 2/ 11 2/13 2/15

state inventions oceans continents wars cities

Resources for Writing Tracker

• Data collection and analysis for your students.• Domain words • Suggestions

Fluency: Some Ideas

Ideas to build

Writing Fluency

• Turn and talk: Share your ideas for writing • Visualize your writing before you write.• Put ideas on your fingers: thumb (topic) pointing

finger (first thing you will write), next finger (next thing you will write), next finger (next thing you will write), and the little finger is the conclusion.

• After you select a topic and before writing, list all the possible verbs and nouns you might use in your writing.

• Partner writing: Choose the same topic as a partner. Share verbs and nouns that could be used to develop the topic. Share after writing.

Your turn again!• Select another topic from your topic generator list.• This time you will think about what you will write and find

a partner to share what you will write. Decide with your partner who is A and who is B.

• Take turns sharing what you will write.• Write for one minute.• When finished, follow the protocol: count words,

record date on Progress chart, and chart data on the Data Analyzer Graph

Your turn again• Select another topic or stay on the same topic. • This time when you think about the topic, visualize what

you will say and put it on your fingers for retrieval. Thumb is the topic, pointing finger, the first thing, next finger, the second thing, next finger, the third thing, and the little finger will hold the conclusion.

• Write for one minute. Stop and count your words.• Follow the protocol.

Developing Writing Fluency and Stamina• Opportunities to write regularly every day or every

other day.• Chart progress: count words• Analyze writing: what creates more fluent writing? (turn

and talk, visualize, put ideas on your fingers, generate potential nouns and verbs)

• Partner writing• Group topic with a discussion before writing

Fluency (first)• An adequate level of fluency should be

developed before moving to focus and form.

• High School -- 150 words per 5 minutes• Middle School -- 125 words per 5 minutes

Donald Graves is quoted as saying, “When writers write every day, they begin to compose even when they are not composing. They enter into a constant state of composition”

Writing Development

• Fluency

• Focus

• Form

Activity to build

Writing Focus

Staying on topic and developing the topic with details and examples

After three or four writings, ask the students to read through their writing and underline every detail or example they used to develop their topic.If they have three details or examples have them put a star on their paper.

FOCUS IN WRITING! • Select a topic (new or one you’ve used before).

• Think about staying on topic and developing it with three or more details and/or examples.

• Write for one minute. Count words. Follow the protocol.

• Read over what you have written, underline every detail and/or example. If you have underline three or more details or examples, put a star at the top of the paper.

Common Text Structures

Compare-Contrast StructureThis type of text examines the similarities and differences between two or more people, events, concepts, ideas, etc.

Cause-Effect StructureThis structure presents the causal relationship between an specific event, idea, or concept and the events, ideas, or concept that follow.

Sequence StructureThis text structure gives readers a chronological of events or a list of steps in a procedure.

Problem-Solution StructureThis type of structure sets up a problem or problems, explains the solution, and then discusses the effects of the solution.

Descriptive StructureThis type of text structure features a detailed description of something to give the reader a mental picture

DEVELOP FORM IN WRITING

Learning to write/think in text structures (FORM)

• One minute: Write a description of the topic.• Next minute: Write about the topic in sequence.• Next minute: Write the cause and effect of this topic.• Next minute: Write a comparison for this topic.• Last minute: Write the problem/solution for this topic.

Thank You for attending this session!• Ray Woods rays630@yahoo.com www.english-languagearts.com

find writing tracker under resources• Dr. Elaine Weber@misd.net www.missionliteracy.com

find writing tracker in “Literacy in Action”