curriculum support document teaching writing - …ieapng.net/curriculum/english/docs/teaching...

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION AGENCY OF PNG CENTRE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Curriculum Support Document

TEACHING WRITING

2016

Writing Support Document page 1

Contents

Contents ........................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 3

Teaching Writing .............................................................................................................. 4

Shared & Interactive Writing .......................................................................................... 15

Guided Writing ............................................................................................................... 17

Independent Writing ...................................................................................................... 20

Editing............................................................................................................................ 26

Supporting children with writing difficulties .................................................................... 30

Writing Support Document


Introduction

Writing is an amazingly complex activity. The writer has to deal with many

skills simultaneously:

thinking what to write about

selecting appropriate content, supporting information and detail

linking it all together

layout of the text

grammar

spelling

punctuation

letter formation and legibility

What do writers at the earliest stages need?

many opportunities to write freely

to see demonstrations of how people write

to see teachers and other adults using writing in a variety of ways

to see their spoken language changed into written form

many opportunities to work with the teacher, individually or in a small group, on

different aspects of writing

opportunities to choose their own topics based on their experiences and interests

a supportive climate for writing where efforts and approximations are accepted and

praised

comments which focus first on the message, rather than spelling, handwriting etc

What do developing writers need?

Writers who are developing control of the process still need the help outlined for the

earliest stages, and in addition:

to see demonstrations of, and learn to use, an ongoing revision process i.e. to write,

read, reread and rewrite as they go along

to use a range of different text forms, based on models which they have analysed

to share, reflect on and discuss their work in supportive situations

to write for a range of audiences as well as the teacher, even if they have to be contrived

at times e.g. a letter from Goldilocks to the Three Bears

to understand who they are writing for and why

REMEMBER: PURPOSE + AUDIENCE = FORM


Teaching Writing

A balanced writing program includes Modelled, Shared, Guided and Independent

Writing which provide students with many different levels of support. The teacher is

complete control during modelling writing stage and gradually releases control to the

students as their skills grow. This model is called: Gradual Release of Responsibility

(Pearson and Gallagher, 1993)

Student Directed Writing By

Independent Writing

You Do I Watch

Teacher Directed Writing to Guided PracticeWriting With

I Do You Watch I Do You Help - You Do I Help

Modelled Writing Think-Aloud

Shared Writing

Guided Writing

Independent Writing

Modelled Writing Think-aloud

Shared Writing Guided Writing

The teacher demonstrates the writing of the text. You must always model the skill that you want the students to learn. Children learn to write by imitating other writers.

The teacher invites the children to help and participate in the writing. Let the students practise the skill as a whole class activity.

Let the students practise the skill in small groups with teacher support to use the strategies that have been demonstrated.

Let each student independently practise the skills and processes they have learned from the demonstrations. Students who cannot demonstrate competence at the skill will need to return to some small group practice (guided writing) and some one on one coaching.


Literacy rich environments

For children to become good writers they need to readers.

The classroom should display relevant words and print, provide opportunities and tools

that engage students in reading and writing activities, and celebrate students’ reading

and writing efforts.

Each classroom should have an extensive collection of reading materials with a wide

range of high interest, multiple text type books at developmentally appropriate reading

levels which motivate and support reading and writing. The room design should support

whole group, small group and individual instruction.

Classroom libraries to include newspapers, magazines, levelled and non-levelled books,

displays of student work, environmental print, resource books, computers and software

to support the reading and writing program.


Using Learning Intentions and Success Criteria Research shows that students who regularly receive information about what they are

learning in the classroom are more focused for longer periods of time, more motivated

and active in their learning and better able to take responsibility for their own learning.

To give students the tools they need to take more responsibility for their own learning

and achieve greater learning independence, teachers need to communicate to them:

Where am I going? (Learning intentions)

How am I going? (Success Criteria)

Where do I go next? (Feedback)

When teachers share these with students they will also develop other key skills such as

communicating (as they give and receive feedback) and the skill of staying well as they

become more confident and positive about their learning.

Learning intentions, success criteria and an assessment task are linked to learning

outcomes.

Example:

Outcome Learning Intention

Success Criteria

4.W

4.S.CC.101

Review the key ideas

expressed during

discussion, explain their

own ideas and

understanding of various

We are learning to write

and present a point of view

in a persuasive manner

Begin with a good opening

sentence

Present reasons and

examples to back up your

argument

Use emotive and

persuasive language (such

as ‘Surely’)

OutcomeLearning

Intention

Success Criteria


perspectives in light of the

discussion.

Use humour, stories and/or

questions to gain your

audience’s attention

Conclude with a strong

statement

Look at your audience

It is important that criteria is co-constructed with students using exemplars to uncover

together what quality looks like. Teacher may use a visualiser or multiple copies of an

exemplars to build mental models of what success looks like. As the class studies

samples, they begin to develop a common language for thinking and talking about

writing. Students and teachers begin to use this common language in the descriptive

feedback they provide throughout the writing process. When students know what

counts, they are able to set goals, self-assess and improve their writing.

Selecting Samples

Teachers can build their collection of writing samples by:

saving student writing samples from year to year

sharing with colleagues

selecting samples from published authors

downloading exemplars available on the internet.

Choose 4-6 samples for the process, based on assessment of current student

writing. Choose samples that represent the writing students are currently producing

as well as samples that lead to the next curricular outcome for the class. For example, if

her assessment reveals that the students need to use more adjectives, she will select

samples that include the effective use of adjectives.

A suggested four step process for co-constructing criteria with students:

1. Brainstorm

2. Sort and Organise

3. Make and Post a Chart

Modelled, Shared, Independent and Guided Reading occurs here

4. Add, Revise and Refine

1. Brainstorm –

As a class, students brainstorm what counts in a quality paragraph with their responses

recorded on a chart. Then the whole class looks at one or two paragraph samples

together and talks about what the author did well. Any new attributes of quality writing

are added to the chart. Working in partners, the students analyze the other samples,

noting what the authors did well. They come back to the group and share their findings

and again, new attributes are added to the chart. If the students don’t notice an

attribute, the teacher can point it out and then add that attribute to the final chart.

2. Sort and Organise – (use with Levels 4 and 5)

As a class, the students and teacher sort the attributes into groups and choose a title for

each category. For instance, the category entitled organisation might include: lead

sentence, closing sentence, relevant details, sentence order makes sense. Other

categories may include mechanics, word choice, voice, ideas or content.


3. Make and Post a Chart–

The classified criteria are recorded and posted on a class chart. Student copies of the

criteria chart can be used before writing as a tool to set goals, during writing as a self-

assessment tool and after writing as a tool for offering descriptive feedback.

4. Targeted Instruction –

After the criteria chart is created, the class practises using the criteria to assess other

samples and finally their own writing. Then, based on their self-assessment, students

set goals for their learning. The teacher plans lessons to target common student

identified needs. As they practise their writing, students regularly refer to the criteria.

Students are taught how to offer descriptive feedback to peers and a cycle of self, peer

and teacher assessment supports students as they practise writing.

5. Add, Revise, Refine –

The criteria chart is not a finished document. As the class uses the criteria, they may

choose to change, delete or refine their attributes. As student writing improves, new

samples may be studied in order to add new attributes to the list. All students can learn

to write effectively. When we co-construct criteria with students we invite them to build

their own picture of what quality looks like.

Davies, A. (2000). Making Classroom Assessment Work. Courtenay, B.C. : Connections (p. 31)

from: Using Samples to Co-Construct Criteria for Writing, Sharon Champ and Marilyn Vaughn

Saskatoon Public School Division


Before Writing

Before writing, teachers need to:

1 Consider things like:

Does my focus reflect students’ needs?

What background knowledge do my students need to have?

Which level writing outcome am I modeling?

How am I going to keep my students engaged?

What strategies and concepts do my students need demonstrated?

2 Negotiate the writing task or aspects of the writing task with students

3 Assess prior knowledge - talk about the topic and texts - generate ideas, establish

or review students’ knowledge of the topic and the text type and rrecord ideas and

information in a systematic summary of shared knowledge.

Develop concept maps/webs, T-charts,

Talk about the social purpose, and reader–writer relationships.

Discuss, compare and contrast model texts:

Research and explore subject matter

4 Listen, read and view similar texts (immersion) in Shared Reading. These provide

optimum opportunities to question the purpose and audience, deconstruct the text,

focus on the language and surface features.

5. Read as a Writer by analysing the mentor text they have been reading.

Boxing up the text structure – physically breaking up the text structure eg

Title (How to…), Introduction, Ingredients, Method, and Final Comment).

This can be done with the text blown up onto the white board, rewritten on a

chart or photocopied for all. Teacher and students can use a marker to box-up

each text structure so students have a clear image.

Identify key language features by underlining or circling words or phrases

that demonstrate text language features (eg past tense, topic sentences,

connectives), author’s voice (eg use of metaphors, point of view). Have these

been effective in achieving the writer’s purpose?

6 Construct knowledge of text type using exemplars (samples) by deconstructing and

reconstructing text (see next chapter for details)

7 Go on field trips or excursions related to topic eg Nature Park, the beach.

8 Develop vocabulary using word webs etc.

9 Make decisions about planning and designing their texts.

10 Develop task-specific criteria. Use writing samples to Brainstorm, Sort and

Organise and Co-construct and Post a success criteria chart (see chapter - Using

Learning Intentions and Success Criteria)

11 Set personal writing goals.


Activities help children construct knowledge

Using one of the texts that children have experienced in the classroom, create activities

that help children discover the structure or organisation of the planned writing.

Direct Model - The teacher poses

questions about the parts of the text. In

this example the teacher has written the

organisational marker (title, beginning,

middle, end) on the left side of the text

and the purpose of that part of the

writing on the right. If this is done on a

language experience chart, students can

refer to the model throughout all of the

steps of the writing process.

Text Reconstruction – In the junior

classes write the procedure on sentence

strips and place jumbled up strips in a

pocket chart. Work as a class or in small

groups to reconstruct the writing in the

order that follows the textual structure

and makes sense.


For middle years students - provide

partners of students with an envelope of

typed sentence strips. Together partners

work at reconstructing the text.


Modelled Writing

“It’s much better if teachers of writing .....write themselves. At one stroke, it puts you both in the

same world.”

- J. R. Gentry

Description & Features:

Scaffolding is the process of developing students’ abilities to approach a writing task

independently.

Teachers and students collaboratively explore the way texts are crafted during shared

and guided reading activities. Teachers draw on this shared knowledge during modelled

writing lessons.

Modelled writing introduces students to the joy of writing; with you, the teacher being

an active writer.

In modelled writing the teacher demonstrates the strategies of a proficient writer ie the

writing process through the concept, purpose of the writing, using success criteria,

planning and organising of information, draft, revisions, etc by verbalising the thinking

processes that you are going through. This is done by “thinking-aloud” as you compose

and interact with a text in front of the students. Modelled Writing also demonstrates the

conventions (grammar, punctuation and spelling) of written language. This allows

students to hear the thinking that is going on during the writing process.

Modelled writing lessons may occur at any stage of a unit of work and may focus on any

stage of the writing process. Teachers may choose to model the whole process during one

lesson by writing and revising a short text or may return several times to the same text

and model the process of rethinking and revising their text over time.

Be prepared:

1 Before you start run through with students what the expected Modelled Writing

Behaviours are. You may need to have an Anchor Chart displayed in the classroom

with the main points eg “Looks Like”, “Sounds Like” that the students have helped

format.

2 Ensure you have a purpose for the modeling. What do you want the students to

observe you doing? Ensure you explain the purpose of the session to the students.

3 Be prepared with resources:

Use large sheets of paper or newsprint. Younger children benefit from this method

since they can see the teacher forming letters, words, and sentences on a large

scale directly in front of them. The overhead projector or interactive whiteboard is

useful with older students. Ensure you have pens that work to avoid students’

losing concentration while you look for one. Using different coloured markers is

useful for highlighting words or text.

Ensure all students can see the text. The paper needs to be displayed at a height

students can see and the writing needs to be large enough for students to see. Sit

on the floor or in the desk at the back row and see for yourself.

Ensure you have written the text beforehand and got someone to check it for

correct grammar and spelling etc. It is essential you model correct English. If

need be copy the text from another writer.


4 You may model with the class or a smaller group depending on the level of

students in the class and your focus.

5 Because you are not interacting with the students it needs to occur at a quick pace

for 10 minutes or less.

6 You may need to demonstrate this strategy or concept for one session or more. You

may need to continue the demonstration the next day, particularly in the senior

classes where the demonstrations may continue over a number of days.

Conducting

Design a writing plan

o Box-up Group and sequence ideas to be included in different stages of the text.

o Think aloud to make the decision-making process available to students; provide

explanations and reasons as information is sorted and organised.

As you write the draft you are modeling not only the words that go down on paper or

the specific focus of the lesson, but the thoughts that go with the writing. You are

“thinking -aloud” while writing. Students need to hear you think-aloud the thought

processes that go into deciding how to select a topic, the reasons for topic selection,

how purpose and audience lead your decision to use a particular text type.

Voice is the personal quality of the writing, a sense of the writer behind the words –

their individual fingerprints on the page. It is the “flavor” or tone appropriate to the

purpose for the writing and audience, a sense of commitment to the topic,

involvement in the writing, enthusiasm, and integrity. You can model voice by

interjecting your thoughts and feelings into your writing and choosing vivid, specific

verbs. Then discuss the tone of the piece with the students while stressing the

importance of knowing the audience and the purpose for the writing.

Model ways that writing can be changed, rearranged, or deleted. At this point,

“thinking- aloud” is imperative

Model how to ‘have a go’ at spelling, how to use classroom resources eg word banks,

wall displays, dictionaries.

It also gives you an excellent opportunity to model how to proofread text for surface

feature errors eg spelling, punctuation and grammar. A class editing chart (that is

used throughout the school) is most effective.

Model the usefulness of drawing pictures or diagrams, making graphic organisers,

jotting in margins, and note taking.

Briefly review and edit the text yourself:

o Does it make sense?

o Does your voice as author come through?

o Think aloud about the possible need for images to support the text.

Rethinking and revising

o Invite students to provide constructive feedback on the draft (focus on meaning):

o Is the meaning clear?

o Is the message communicated effectively?

o What changes (in vocabulary, grammar, generic structure) might improve the

effectiveness of the writing?


o Rethink and revise the draft based on feedback.

Editing and proofreading - use an editing checklist to proofread; correct spelling and

punctuation. Think aloud about the reasons for your editorial changes.

After

Share your writing with the group by reading the piece and inviting students to

respond.

Always go over the main teaching points to give children a clear reference point for

their own writing

Modelled Writing results in a readable error free text that allows for continued use,

so display your writing for students to use.

You may need to repeat sessions using different contexts with the same focus until

students can apply their understanding to their own writing.

Connect text to classroom context by linking writing to a previous text, experience,

or activity.

Reflect on your session. This is an important step to improving your teaching:

o Were all students actively engaged?

o What skills or strategies did I model during this lesson?

o What should be included on a poster showing the process the students will

use in the future with the strategy or skill being modelled?

o How will I know if my modelling was effective?

o Do the skills or strategies I modelled need to be revisited in another writing

activity (Modelled, Shared, Guided or Independent Writing)? Why or why

not?

o What potential does this text have for future use?

o How was my pacing?

o When I look at my piece of writing that I modelled today, does it clearly

portray the concept I was teaching?

Discuss publishing options for your writing and establish a publishing plan,

which might include decisions about:

o medium for publication

o print/electronic format

o scanning images

o borders, font (style, size and colour).


Shared & Interactive Writing

Shared writing is when the teacher holds

the pen and writes what the students

suggest.

Interactive Writing is used when the

students actually hold the pen and write

on the shared text. It is often best to do

this in a smaller group so everyone gets a

chance to write. It is important though

that students are asked to participate and

not put on the spot.

Note: The term Shared Writing as used in this document, is more of an inclusive

term for the use of both strategies.

Shared Writing provides an opportunity for all students to successfully participate in

the writing process. The students and teacher share the task of writing. The writing

comes from the students' thoughts and ideas. Teachers identify and discuss with

students the conventions, structures and language features of written text.

In Shared Writing either in a whole class session or in a group, the teacher acts as

scribe allowing the children to concentrate on the text structure and language aspects of

the text.

Students should be given opportunities to think, or talk with a partner before offering

suggestions for words, phrases or sentences.

In Interactive Writing the children are invited by the teacher to help with the writing

or “share the pen” as it is sometimes called;

Planning

1 Determine what the focus for the session will be.

2 Ensure materials are handy and the text visible to all students.

3 Decide when the students will be invited to “share the pen”

http://mail.google.com/mail/h/19ugtj8ssd4lz/?view=att&th=126066de7602be33&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

http://mail.google.com/mail/h/1norntor7cbgg/?view=att&th=126066e57ce05b03&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw


Conducting

1 Keep sessions brief. In the junior classes 10 is sufficient while a 15 -20 minute

session is appropriate for older students.

2 Explain the purpose of the session and explain that students will be helping you to

make decisions and scribe. “Practice makes perfect” and students, with guidance,

will become better and better at participating.

3 Activate prior knowledge about the experience, topic, or text. Revisit earlier

sessions or activities to ensure students can build on this previous knowledge.

4 Constantly reread the text with the students to ensure the meaning and purpose

are on track.

5 Make observations of students as they participate in the session.

6 Ask students to refine and revise the text,

After

Display text so children can you it as a guide when they write independently.

Make sure students are given opportunities to practise and apply the skills you

have been focusing on.

Shared writing texts are a useful supportive text for students to read in

Independent Reading sessions.


Guided Writing

What is guided writing?

Susan Hill (1999) explains guided writing in her book Guiding Literacy Learners,

Eleanor Curtain, Victoria:

'Guided writing involves individuals or small groups of students writing a

range of text types. The teacher may provide short anchor-lessons to

demonstrate a particular aspect of text type, grammar, punctuation or

spelling. Guided writing is linked to reading and various text types are used

as models. Students may use writing frames or templates as scaffold for

writing.'

Guided writing involves the teacher working with flexible small groups of students. In

guided writing students apply the understandings they have gained from modelled and

shared writing sessions, with varying degrees of support from the teacher. The students

explore aspects of the writing process, which have been demonstrated.

Planning

Keep sessions short 10 -1 5 minutes.

Importantly the teacher decides what the teaching focus will be from observations and

analysis of students' writing. The session is focused on specific aspects of writing that

students need to develop. This is an opportunity to develop a student's independence

and ability to self-monitor own learning of writing strategies and skills

Group students as the need arises.

Conducting

It is important that the strategies and skills are demonstrated within the context of

authentic writing tasks.

Give students support and immediate feedback.

David Hornsby (2000) outlines two different ways that guided writing can be

managed. Each approach has a different main purpose.

One or two sessions may be planned for small groups of children who need

assistance with specific writing skills

Many sessions, building upon shared reading and writing of a particular text type,

are planned. Firstly, the children are immersed in the text type during reading.

Secondly, they compose a text in that text type during shared/interactive writing.

Finally, they are guided to write their own text in that text type.

Beginning the session with an anchor-lesson based on the needs of the students and

their developmental stage is useful. Jan Turbill outlined this guided writing

anchor-lesson for teaching students to avoid the overuse of ‘and then’ in their

writing:

Type up a text written by one of the students in the focus group.


Ask students to put a block or post it note over each 'and then'.

Ask students to consider which 'and then' /s could be removed.

Suggest alternative words for the remaining 'and then' conjunctions.

Have students collect alternatives from literature shared in class. Chart these

words for future use eg consequently, but, so. This process teaches students to read

like writers.

In this strategy, students focus on the use of phrases to enrich and extend their

writing:

Choose a text with simple sentences containing lots of phrases, such as Jenny

Wagner's John Brown Rose and the Midnight Cat.

Write out a sentence such as the following. 'In summer he sat under the pear tree

with her.'

Discuss what each phrase tells us; 'in summer' - when; 'he sat under the pear tree'

- where; 'with her' - who.

Change each phrase in the sentence eg change 'In summer' (when) to 'Last night'

change 'under the pear tree' (where) to 'beside the fire', change 'with her' to 'with

his dog'.

After

Conclude with a share session (such as Author’s Chair) to celebrate students’

writing.

When necessary, meet with individuals or small groups of students to teach

specific strategies and/or provide feedback.

Anchor-Lessons

Short, 5-10 minute lesson focusing on writing skills and strategies.

Takes place as needed, with a focus on a writing a teaching point –eg using a

spellchecker or writing complex sentences.

Teachers use observation, conversation, and review of writing samples to

determine what support students need.

Emphasis is on developing the writer, not "fixing" the piece of writing.

Occurs during different phases of the writing process (planning, drafting,

revising, editing, publishing, and reflecting stage).

The students applies the skill and strategy immediately in their writing

Author’s Chair

Is usually used after writing is completed but some time should be set aside daily

for children to read orally what they have written or are in the process of writing.

It is important that that children are given the opportunity to confer with each

other to get feedback for revisions, elaboration and affirmation as they write.

Develops collaborative learning abilities and peer editing skills

Older children who need feedback may find it less threatened if they share their

writing with students in a lower class. The benefits are twofold: the older student

gains the confidence and needed in order to continue his/her writing, and the

younger student sees the connection between reading and writing.


In order to facilitate higher-level thinking skills the teacher needs to model, the

kind of feedback she is looking for: eg when a student says, "I like the part where

the one boy won the race”, I would ask the student to specify what it was in the

story that he or she liked about the boy winning the race. How did the writer

describe the excitement and the tension of the race?

Language and Word Study

Organised block of time includes word study within the contexts of reading and

writing:

Lessons should include word patterns and structure (pre-fix, root, suffix) as well as

high frequency words and other vocabulary from reading and writing.

Anchor-lessons are focused on the explicit teaching of phonics, word study,

vocabulary and grammar.

Writing skills and strategies should be practised in meaningful ways in all aspects

of literacy and not addressed in isolation.

Lessons should focus on strategies that can be applied to unfamiliar words in

reading and writing.

The use of word walls by teachers and students should be evident in every

elementary classroom.

Emphasis is on increasing vocabulary for reading and writing.


Independent Writing

Children need many opportunities for independent writing in a variety of forms based

on both teacher guidance and their own choice of topic.

The purpose of independent writing is to put into practice the ideas, structures and

skills they have seen demonstrated in modelled and shared writing and tried with

support in guided writing.

Independent writing need not always mean individual writing – it is often a good idea to

let children write collaboratively, in pairs without adult support.

Encourage students to record their thinking, emotions and experiences along

with “magpieing” (borrowing words and ideas from other writers) into writing

journals to be used as a storehouse for ideas and language when writing. Make

your classroom one that encourages a love words and phrases and collects

examples of these.

Independent Writing is often best timetabled after Shared Writing so students

are able to have-a-go themselves

Students are encouraged to write for authentic purposes eg We need to write a

fairy story to read to the Prep students; We need to write a menu to help us cook

dinner for the BFG: We need to explain how bread rises for our science research,

We need to write instructions to plant our carrot seeds; We need to write

persuasive text for the debate.

When planning and preparing for individual writing, students need time to:

o brainstorm ideas and vocabulary

o talk with each other and the teacher about what they are going to write

o plan using a variety of strategies depending on the text type eg story

maps, time lines, graphic organisers, storyboards, flowcharts

Conducting

Tools such as word walls, vocabulary charts and dictionaries provide support for

students.

http://mail.google.com/mail/h/1om9tlhil7jn4/?view=att&th=126066f3390384c4&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

http://mail.google.com/mail/h/mn4yn5ubpu7y/?view=att&th=126066e9f07475be&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw


Students follow the writing processes which have been modelled by the teacher

using co-constructed success criteria as a guide.

Students who need support to improve their writing will need to be grouped for a

guided writing session.

After Teachers need to conference with students concentrating on specific targeted

aspects of writing. Provide specific constructive feedback on drafts and the final

text using a shared terminology (built through explicit teaching of the criteria) to

talk about language. An example below for L2 can be used to peer and self-edit

before final feedback checking by teacher.

I can write a letter Me A

friend

How I know My teacher

I can write the date

I can write the greeting

I can write what happened in the

body

I can write the signature

I can use full stops and capital

letters properly

I can read my sentences back and

they make sense

Collaboration:

Students need to be encouraged to collaborate as writers, thinkers, and learners.

Teacher models effective ways to collaborate.

Collaboration occurs throughout the writing process.

Students are encouraged to confer with their peers to revise/edit each other’s

writing using co-constructed success criteria (example above). Author’s Chair is a

technique that encourages supportive and reflective discussion of student’s own

and other’s writing.

Publishing:

Give students the opportunity to publish writing. Not all pieces need to be

collected or published. Published work on display should have no errors and

should not have teacher’s signature and or date and or comment written across

it.

Use of computer for word processing of published pieces should be made

available.


Writers need an audience. The audience becomes the writer's purpose. If children do

not have a purpose for writing (i.e., an intended audience) then writing can become a

chore.

Publication may mean displaying the work. Writing can be displayed on display boards

in the classroom or around the school or in local shops, emailed to friends and other

classes, sent home, or published in "real" book form.

Publishing "real" books is a child-centered production, where the child designs the book

cover and illustrates the book, has a dedication and title page, and may even have a

page written "about the author." Students model bookmaking just like real authors.

Make coloured pens, a variety of paper, scissors, and other bookmaking materials and

techniques available. Also encourage publishing on the computer especially for those

students who find writing or drawing difficult or uninteresting.

Formatting and Presenting

Being able to format and present work in the required way can significantly increase

students' pride in their finished products.

Strategies to ensure well formatted work

Check the task sheet. Students reread the task sheets to check that work is

formatted or hand written in the required way. (When alternative formatting

is not stipulated, working in 12pt Times or 11pt Arial with a 3 - 4 cm left

margin and a return space between paragraphs is a safe and dignified choice.

Hand written work usually requires double line spacing and a 3 - 4 cm left

margin.)

Use an example. An example of a piece of finished writing in the same text

type enables students to compare their own work and to check that they have

all the formatting elements (eg sub headings in bold on a report). Also use an

example of the correct formats for a bibliography if required.

Using digital templates. Templates can scaffold literacy learning by allowing

students to compose and edit their work in the context of the final format. The

text type templates presented on this site will be useful to some students, yet

may present a barrier to others. Learning style differences will dictate how

this strategy is used.

Presenting Written Work

Some students who experience difficulties with writing prefer to make their work

'disappear' rather than hand it in and expose weaknesses. This may also happen if the

student does not feel that he or she has owned the process.

Negotiating respectfully with the student is essential to supporting literacy learning in

the middle phase and helps to ensure that:

Students' own ambitions for their work are respected (To be seen to achieve too much

too soon may be an assault to their personal sense of 'honesty' and self-respect.)

Over investment on the part of the supporting teacher does not become

counterproductive.

http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/area/literacy/uplg/using-templates.html


An important resource for supporting teachers is a memory stick or other device or

strategy to keep student's tasks at each part of the process so that they have something

to actually present. This supporting strategy is particularly helpful to students with a

high absentee rate.

Using a supporting teacher as a scribe or a typist at this final stage can benefit certain

students enormously especially if the technical aspects of writing are not part of the task

evaluation. Scribing should not be used in situations where it is seen as a modification

of curriculum rather than an inclusive strategy except when the student has been

identified as needing this level of support for a disability. Nor should scribing be used

when it negatively affects a student's outcomes.

To encourage and excite students about publishing. Schedule author conferences

periodically and invite the public in to browse. Events can be centered on completion of a

topic, celebration of holidays, "awareness" weeks, or featured students, careers, etc.

These celebrations of authorship to the process writing curriculum generate excitement

about writing, and they promote more writing in classrooms.

Classroom Environment

The classroom atmosphere determines the amount and kind of risks taken in writing.

Children need to feel support and acceptance from their teachers and peers to take the

kind of risks involved in the process of producing good writing. When children feel safe

from criticism, they become eager to write and to share their writing. The class becomes

a community of writers.

What is Author's Chair?

Author's Chair is usually the final step in the writing process. A special time and place

is allotted to writers who wish to share their final products with an audience. Because

the writing has already gone through revising and editing based on constructive

criticism, Author's Chair is an opportunity for the writer to receive positive feedback

from their classmates.

The student in the author's chair reads aloud a selected piece of text or a piece of their

own writing. Peers then have an opportunity to respond to what is read aloud. During

publication, children can play both the roles of author and audience to other children's

pieces. Instead of questioning the teacher, they can question each other for clarity of

meaning.

Children as authors use the ideas of their audience when revising their writing. As

audience, they have the opportunity to see their ideas used by other students in their

revised stories. Shifting from author to audience and back encourages children to

become perceptive readers and writers.

Many students will want to have their say but it is best to choose no more than three

people with one or two comments each to respond to their work. Students must provide

examples for the aspects of writing that they enjoyed eg I liked how you described the

sun as a ball of fire. I understood from that how hot it must have been for the boy

running in the race.

How it is organised

Facing the audience, an individual reads a personal draft or polished composition.

The author shares accompanying illustrations with the audience.


The audience is respectful and accepting of the author's efforts.

The author requests comments from audience members.

First responses are positive.

Comments focus upon favourite events and characters or particularly interesting and

impressive uses of language.

The author or audience direct questions about the clarity and the effectiveness of

passages, or about the language structures or specific vocabulary.

The audience offers suggestions.

Initially teachers will need to model and guide audience responses

This sharing and responding helps students develop a reader perspective on their

writing among readers they know and trust. The child receives opinions and ideas from

many children, whereas during individual conferences, the author receives the

comments of only one person. Children learn how to be helpful responders in an author's

circle. They learn how to discover good qualities in a piece, and how to ask good

questions about the content. Additionally, circle participants learn that their ideas are

valued when many of them later turn up in the work of the authors they have helped.

Teachers need to know their purposes for having children write. Ultimately, the goal is

for students to be able to express themselves and what they are learning through

writing that clearly conveys meaning to the reader. Realistically, teachers must give

students support and encouragement to "make their best better," and in so doing,

children must be allowed to be responsible for all the components of publication.

Making writing public brings an additional dimension to reading and writing. Writers

view themselves as authors and value the interaction with their audience in the process

of writing. A cooperative and caring environment that invites children to share and to

respond is the type of supportive environment in which children's reading and writing

can flourish.

What is the purpose?

Providing an audience for hard work done well is a motivating force for children to

write more in the future.

As an active-listening audience member, students develop listening and attention span

skills.

Analysing written work requires reflection and critical thinking abilities. Giving and

receiving feedback is beneficial for both parties. Both the presenter and the audience

member's own writing improves as a result of the critique.

What does it look like?

A special chair such as a director's chair, an oversized office chair, or a spare teacher's

chair can be set up the Author's Chair. The audience should face the presenter and

listen carefully, critiquing the story silently. Critiquing involves thinking of parts of the

writing that one likes and doesn't like. Only those things he or she likes should be

shared with the author. Authors are encouraged to respond to the comments they

receive.

How can I adapt it?

Beginning writers can share drawings with captions or limited text.


Students could share their writing with younger students.

An "author of the week" could be chosen regularly. The individual's work could be put

on display and peers could post their comments about particular compositions. Items

for display should be chosen by the author.

This procedure should apply to writing efforts in all subject areas. Examples of

narrative and expository writing should be shared

Taken from: Educational Excellence, Marygrove College http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/94958/docs/k-6_reading_comprehension_best_practices-o_fin-r2.pdf

http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/94958/docs/k-6_reading_comprehension_best_practices-o_fin-r2.pdf

http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/94958/docs/k-6_reading_comprehension_best_practices-o_fin-r2.pdf


Editing

Spelling and Punctuating

The following strategies can support students as they spell and punctuate their written

work.

Use a computer. Some students would often prefer to avoid facing spelling and other

technical difficulties which will cause them shame.

Using a computer enables students to monitor and correct a large number of their

errors in private. Typed text more easily builds a strong, internalised visual idea of

'what looks right'. Very poor spellers will need teacher support beyond the punctuation

and spell checking tools in word processing programmes.

Print out the work. Printouts allow students to see some of their mistakes more readily,

to circle and to correct them.

Use technological support programmes. A number of technological aides and software

programmes, both free and commercial can help students with literacy learning.

Use a corrected example. Retype or rewrite a student’s own word, phrase, sentence,

paragraph or document to show them how it should look when it is correct. Support

students to compare the accurate version to their own work and to circle and correct

their errors. Encourage them to talk about the reasons for the corrections are made.

Transcribe from a proofed and corrected printout. If handwriting is required for the

final presentation, transcribing from a printout of their work usually enables students

to produce a better copy. The process of handwriting draft after draft as the work moves

towards accuracy is often exponentially more difficult for students who struggle with

literacy than it is for their classmates.

Break up the task. For those students who make a large number of spelling and

punctuating errors, proofing can be an overwhelming task. It may be necessary to work

at one thing or small part of the written work at a time.

Proof-reading and editing

A whole-of-school approach to proofreading is highly desirable. As students develop as

writers, demands in proofreading become greater. Consistency in the use of symbols

across year levels assists teachers and students. Understanding what is expected at

each level should also be a part of the school approach, and should be made clear to

students, teachers and parents.

Symbols

Proofreading may involve reading the text several times to find out and mark

misspellings, grammatical errors, omissions and insertions and punctuation errors.

Proofreading for spelling errors requires a focus on individual words. It is important

therefore, to develop strategies that ask students to proofread in this way. We rarely

read word for word.

Proofreading your own work is difficult if the text has just been written because it is

predictable; you read what you think s there. Writers are less likely to ‘see’ mistakes if

they attempt to proofread immediately after writing something. Proofreading is likely to

be most effective if at least a day is allowed between writing and proofreading.


Emergent Spelling Transitional Spelling Independent Spelling

When students re-read their

writing, they should:

circle words that they are

unsure of

have a friend circle or

correct misspellings

enter different versions of

the word on a ‘Have a

go’ pad

Check authoritative

sources around the room

At this stage, students should

re-read their work three times:

to check meaning

to check for punctuation

and grammar

to circle words that have

misspelled or are unsure

of

to enter different versions

of the word on a ‘Have a

go’ pad

to check those

authoritative sources

that have been

introduced: wall

dictionaries, word charts,

dictionaries,

environmental print

proofread with a partner

At this stage, students should

proofread independently

or with a partner

use a variety of

authoritative sources:

dictionaries, thesauruses,

spell checkers, atlases,

topic books.

A suggested scope and sequence for proofreading.

Useful hints:

Enlarge pupils’ work from A4 to A3 using the photocopier.

Encourage pupils to write on alternate lines so they can edit easily.

Use co-constructed success criteria so students have a reference to what their

writing should look like

Students can work with their talk partner to develop the concept of 'critical

friend' or 'reviewer.'

Edit in another colour (not red) so that the edits stand out.

Suggestions for Teaching Proofreading

Model these techniques during modelled, shared and guided reading sessions:

Use a student’s writing sample from a previous year and place under a

visualiser/document reader. Use a ruler and a small piece of blank paper.

Uncover the text line by line with a ruler, and line by line with the blank paper.

Check if you have the right spelling. Think about the word. Try to visualise it.

Does it look right? Think about other words that may be spelled the same.

If you are unsure of the spelling, circle the word.

Say the word in your head and try to write the word as it sounds on your ‘Have-a-

go’ pad.

Break the word into syllables and check that you have represented all of the

sounds.


Try several different versions of the word on your ‘Have-a-go’ pad.

Use a dictionary, spell checker, chart or book to check your spelling.

Try several different versions of the word on your ‘Have-a-go’ pad (Children

attempt two spelling of an unfamiliar word, and then bring the pad to the teacher

for checking).

Use a dictionary, spell checker, chart or book to check your spelling.

Using Symbols when Proofreading

This is an example of a code that can be used for a whole school approach to teaching

proofreading and editing. Model using it during writing sessions or conduct anchor-

lessons to teach the use. An OHP is excellent to teach editing codes with.

Editing Code How to make your writing better!

* = expressive words – well done!

S = check how to spell this word T = check the tense of this word // = leave spaces between these words. C = a capital letter is missing in this line. P = a punctuation mark is missing here. ^ = word missing here/another word needed ( ) = this section is hard to understand ? = something is wrong here – it doesn’t make sense

= new paragraph needed

Borrowed from Rabaul international School


In the process of revision, children become responsible for corrections. A piece ready for

publication must contain correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and good handwriting.

It is important that the writing not be taken away from the writer during the

publication stage. Final decisions about content, title, and so on, must be made by the

author who must also attend to conventions. When involved in group publication, the

author should remain in control of publishing decisions about illustrations, layout, form

of publication, etc.

Students who attend to their own misspellings, errors in punctuation, grammar, and so

on during the editing stage of publication learn and remember more of the mechanics of

writing than if the errors are found for them.

If teachers choose to do the final edit, they are taking the "ownership" of the writing

from the writer, and they should be aware of the effects this may have on future writing

for students in the classroom.


Supporting children with writing difficulties

Co-constructed success criteria for students with writing difficulties is essential and

will need to be differentiated. However students would be expected to write the same

text type as the rest of the class.

Success criteria is essential to communicate to students:

• What they are going to learn

• Why they should learn it in the first place

• How they will recognise when they have succeeded.

This gives students the tools they need to take more responsibility for their own

learning and achieve greater learning independence.

Model, model, model. Teacher modelling is very important for all children, but

particularly for those having difficulties. Their self-esteem is often damaged by seeing

others writing furiously and knowing they are unable to. Seeing an adult having a go or

struggling with ideas, can give children confidence to keep trying.

Remember to limit the focus in any session –concentrate on either the composing or

the conventions, rather than tackling the two together. If students are worrying about

spelling the quantity and quality of the writing is less.

New text types introduced in modelled/shared sessions for the whole class will need to

be revisited for those with writing difficulties. Short guide writing sessions and

anchor-lessons at frequent times throughout the writing process will support and guide

children with their writing.

Encourage short, real life writing e.g. letters, e-mails, notes – kids especially like

Post-it notes; posters, advertisements, signs, labels, captions; lists of all kinds, and

greeting cards.

Provide prompts which children are taught how to use e.g. What to do if I can’t spell a

word. (This prompt card could be made by the class in Shared Writing of instructions,

with a real purpose!)

Other useful prompts are alphabet picture/letter sheets or an alphabet letter strip;

‘tricky words’ from the high frequency list; personal word lists; letter formation

reminders; b/d card

Ensure there are plenty of words (topic words, sight words, spelling patterns etc)

displayed on word walls, lists, books etc in your classroom for students to use.

Individual word lists are also very useful.

Display copies of modelled, shared and published text. This will not only inspire

but guide reluctant or delayed students.

Ensure anchor charts are displayed showing the skills processes and behaviour

expected eg What writers do when they think they are done! Refer students to these

when they ask for help.


Use writing frameworks of all kinds, for sentence starters, text types etc. They

provide a clear structure and often help those children who find getting started very

difficult.

Innovating text (keeping the structure of the text but changing the

characters/setting/verbs etc) is often used in the younger grades and is a great support

for reluctant or delayed writers in all grades. It gives them a sense of security and

means they can concentrate on the words, be creative and not have to worry about the

structure.

Encourage collaborative work, from whole class Shared Writing through small group

work to paired working. It is less threatening to reluctant writers when they can share

the responsibility; it encourages a lot of talk and discussion about writing; children are

more likely to take risks and have a go; it promotes confidence and enjoyment.

Written conversations are time consuming but often motivating to the reluctant

writer. Write one or more questions for the child to answer; encourage replies and

questions for you to answer. You can tailor the questions to individual interests, and

encourage longer replies by making the questions open-ended eg What do you think

about..?

Read aloud to children daily from a wide variety of texts, and build up a collection of

story, poetry and song tapes. Repeated re-readings of favourite texts gives children a

bank of language and story structures to draw on in their own writing. Older children

can read their own stories on to tape (with an accompanying book) for younger children.

Ensure you explicitly teach such things as proof reading, use of dictionaries etc.

Model their use in daily sheared writing or guide writing sessions.

Give frequent opportunities for teacher and peer conferencing. This will not only

support and keep them going, but ensure they are on the right track.

Collect on-going assessment in the form of writing exemplars, and analyse for text

structure, writing conventions and language. Use observations of writing behaviours,

conference and interview notes as well to guide planning.

curriculum support document teaching writing - …ieapng.net/curriculum/english/docs/teaching...

Documents