teaching writing tying it all together !? timesession 10 :00 am – 10:15 amwelcome - orientation...

Teaching Writing

Tying it all together !?

Time Session

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

10:15 am – 12:00am IntroductionHow 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 scaffoldingMore 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 .

PromptIndividual activity

Read this opening from the novel “Bleak House” …

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 ?


The Traits and the Writing Process

Prewriting Ideas, Organization, VoiceDrafting Ideas, Organization, Voice,

word Choice, Sentence FluencyRevising All traits except conventionsEditing ConventionsPublishing 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 .


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 PromptWriting 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


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.


Add a detail in each box to tell more about

the supporting sentence.





•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.


Now add three details in each box to tell more about the supporting sentence.





•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.






•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 frames2-using models3-Narrowing the idea (RAFT ) model 4- cloze procedure 5-rewriting 6- genre scaffolding7-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

teaching writing tying it all together !? timesession 10 :00 am – 10:15 amwelcome - orientation...

Documents

writing writing

process of writing

answer writing

writing classrooms

scaffold writing

minutes writing

technique of teaching

teaching writing tying