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Explicit Instruction for Writing in Grades 1 - 8

Effective and Efficient

InstructionWebinar Series

Session 2 Anita L. Archer, Ph.D.Author and Consultant

archerteach@aol.com

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Schedule

February 7, 2013Topics: Sentence Writing

February 21, 2013Topics: Big Ideas-Writing Instruction; Scaffolding with Writing Frames; Scaffolding with Strategies, Think Sheets (Summary, Compare and Contrast)

March 7, 2013 Topics: Think Sheets for Products that Inform, Convince, and Convey an Experience

• Time

3:45 to 5:45 (Alaska)• Materials needed

– PowerPoint Handout

– Paper

– Writing Tools

• Follow-up Resources– Examples

– Articles

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Participation 1. Structured Choral Responses:

If the answer is short and the same, you will say an answer together.

2. Structured Partner Responses: If you are viewing this with fellow educators, divide into partners and give each partner a number (either #1 or #2).

3. Written Responses: Record written responses on the handout or on plain paper.

4. Recorder: Select one person in your group to be the recorder of “best answers” when asked. Type into “Chat Box.”

5. Best Practices: On a separate piece of paper, maintain a list of best practices.

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Participation

• Passage Reading– Choral Reading– Cloze Reading– Partner Reading

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Questions

If you have a question, type it into the “Chat Box”. At intervals during the session, I will respond to the questions.

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Topics• Overview of Foundation Skills• Sentence Refinement

– Sentence Formation - Patterns– Sentence Expansion – Sentence Combining– Word Choice– Sentence Starters

• What Why How

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Teaching Skills and Strategies

Design of Instruction

Modeling - I do it.

Guided Practice - We do it.

Check Understanding - You do it.

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Sentence Instruction

1. Structured initial instruction

Model I do it

Guided Practice We do it

Check Understanding You do it

2. Judicious practice

3. Transfer skill to daily writing and editing

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Sentence Formation - Patterns

What- Students generate sentences that match a specific pattern

Why- Students gain:

- Sentence sense- Ability to manipulate words within

sentences- “Sentence Vocabulary” allowing

discussion of sentences and feedback on sentences

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Sentence Formation - Patterns

How - 1) Teacher presents pattern and explains the

sentence parts2) Teacher models generation of parallel

sentences using stem3) Students generate sentences by supplying

missing element to stem4) On subsequent days, students practice the

same pattern with new stems 5) (Repeat with other other sentence stems.)

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Sentence Formation -Patterns

Who Action What

My friends watched a movie.

My friends watched a play.

My friends watched

My friends watched

My friends watched

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Sentence Formation -Patterns

Who Action What

My friends watched a movie.

o Example Student Paper

Who Action What My friends watched a movie. My friends watched zoo animals. My friends watched a small dog. My friends watched a video. My friends watched television.

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Sentence Formation - Patterns

(See Examples for additional sentence stems) Additional sentence stems

Who Action What

Max created

Ms. Jones lifted

Pauline drew

Thomas fixed

Mr. King baked

The children

cleaned

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Sentence Expansion What • Students add words or phrases to sentences expressing

time (when), place (where), manner (how) or reason (why).

• Students add adjectives to modify nouns.Why• Useful if students sentences are short, incomplete, or

stilted (Moats, 2001)

• Students gain:– Sentence sense– Greater precision in sentences (Cudd & Roberts, 1993)

– Sentences rich in vocabulary and detail

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Sentence Expansion

How1. Teacher models how to add words or phrases to

sentence stem to answer one or more of the following questions: who, what, when, where,how, why.

2. Teacher guides students in adding words or phrases to sentence stem to answer.

3. Students edit sentences in the same manner.

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Sentence Expansion

Example - Focus on when and whereSusan scampered.Susan scampered down the forest trail.After lunch, Susan scampered down the forest trail.

Susan scampered.Susan scampered into class.As the bell rang, Susan scampered into class.

Susan scampered.

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Sentence Expansion - Writing “meaningful sentences” for vocabulary

who √

what

when√

where

why√

how

relievedMaria was relieved.

Maria was relieved when the musiccontest was over and her worrying could end.

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Sentence Combining

What

Students make one smoother, more detailed sentence out of two or more shorter sentences.

Why???????

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Sentence Combining

Why– students gain

• increased sentence sense• ability to write more sophisticated

sentences

– when writing text, sentence combining reduces repetition and monotony

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Sentence Combining

Why– Recommended in Writing Next

(Graham & Perin, 2007)

– Has positive effect on students’ writing.(Evans, Venotozzi, Bundrick, & McWilliams, 1988; Howie, 1979; Kanellas, Carifio & Dagostino, 1998; Pedersen, 1977; Saddler & Graham, 2005; Stoddard, 1982)

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Sentence Combining

1. Teacher provides a series of short sentences.

2. Teacher models sentence combining process.

3. Students practice combining short sentences into longer, more effective sentence.

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Sentence Combining

Students ask themselves:(clarity) Is the sentence clear?

(meaning) Does it express the desired meaning?

(coherence)Do the parts of the sentence fit together?

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Sentence Combining

• Sentence-Combining Activities (Rewards Writing - Sentence Refinement published by Sopris Learning )

• Students start with a stem sentence and combine it with one to four other sentences.

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Sentence Combining

(Examples from REWARDS Writing -Sentence Refinement published by Sopris Learning)

• Start: Linda grabbed a seat.• Add: Bobby grabbed a seat.• Add: The seats were adjoining.• Add: The seats were on the bus.• Add: The bus was crowded.• Create:

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Sentence Combining

• Start: As the cubs grow fur, they spend periods of time outside the

den.• Add: The fur is thicker.• Add: The periods of time are short.• Add: The den is warm.• Add: The den is protective.• Create:

___________________________________

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Sentence Combining

• Start: Jared will finish shopping for school supplies.

• Add: He will shop this afternoon.

• Add: He will shop at the mall.

• Create: ________________________________

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Sentence Combining

• Start: Everyone ate birthday cake.• Add: The birthday cake was chocolate.• Add: Everyone ate vanilla ice cream.• Add: Everyone ate candy.• Create:

____________________________________

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• Porcupine caribou are large mammals.• Add: Porcupine caribou are hoofed

mammals.• Add: They live in northern Canada.• Add: They live in eastern Alaska. • (Use that to make one sentence.)• Create:

____________________________________

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Word Choice

What

Students replace overused words with

stronger, more precise words that better

convey meaning. .

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Word Choice

• He walked into the big building.

• (Better) He wandered into an enormous department store.

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Word Choice

• We had a nice holiday. Our nice relatives came to visit. We did a lot of nice things including eating at three nice restaurants. It was a really nice vacation.

• (Better) My family had an incredible holiday. Five close relatives arrived Thursday for an extended visit. We enjoyed many adventures including feasting at three gourmet restaurants. It was the most memorable vacation of my life.

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Word Choice

Why

?????????

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Word Choice

WhyWord choice is the most important tool for expressive power. (Scott and Nagy, 2009)

Students will– reduce use of “overused words”– increase use of alternative words in their lexicon– use a greater variety of words– increase the quality of their writing

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Word Choice

HowStudents edit sentences replacingcommon, overused verbs.

made, liked, walked, ran, ate, took, grew, got, went, saw, knew, used, gave, let, said, had, lived, talked, found, stayed, wanted, put, helped, build, thought

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Word Choice

Jamie ran down the hall.

Alternative Words (From Sentence Refinement - Help Book published by

Sopris Learning)

jogged dashed

sprinted darted

hurried fled

rushed galloped

scampered ambled

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Word Choice

Students edit sentences, replacingcommon, overused adjectives.

nice, big, bad, pretty, hot, little, smart, cold, good, happy, terrible, funny, dirty, wonderful, scared, sad, old, clean, mean, hard

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Sentence Starters

What

- The teacher provides the initial portion of a sentence that students then complete in response to a question.

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Sentence Starters

Why

- Students

- initiate answers with more ease

- respond in complete sentences

- are more likely to have accurate answers

- embed more “academic language”

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Sentence Starters

1. Ask a question

2. Give students thinking time

3. Provide a verbal or written sentence starter

4. Have students share answers with their partners using the sentence starter

5. Call on a student to give answer

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settlements

settlesettlements

Visual Learning: What can you conclude aboutthe houses in early African settlements?

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technique

Elementary Example

• This batik artist uses many special techniques as she creates. How might an artist acquire these techniques?

• Begin by saying:

An artist might acquire these techniques by……….

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Reading Check page 335

Reading Check (Middle School)

Why were Adams and Clay accused of making a “corrupt bargain” (stealing the election)?

Begin your answer with:

Adams and Clay were accused of making a “corrupt bargain” because ________________

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Reading Check page 335

Scaffolding QuestionsHow many political parties were there in 1824?

Four men in the party ran for president. Did Andrew Jackson get a majority of votes?

Which of the 4 candidates received the most votes?

Who did the House of Representatives select as president?

Who helped Adams to be elected as president?

What position in the government was Clay given?

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ethnic group n

(high school social studies)

An ethnic group is a group of people who share the same ancestors, culture, language, religion, and customs.

Africa has hundreds of ethnic group.

Visual Learning: What are some the differences between these ethnic groups?

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ethnic groups

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ethnic groups

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ethnic group

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What are some the differences between these ethnic groups?

Begin your answer with:

Some of the differences between these ethnic groups include:

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settlements

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settlements

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settlements

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Best Practice List

Share your best practice list with your partner. Tell your partner two practices thatyou intend to implement in your classroom.

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Thank You

May we always remember :

How well we teach =How well they learn