W R I T I N G M A T T E R S

A workshop of theA workshop of the Hoosier Writing ProjectHoosier Writing Project

a site of thea site of the

National Writing ProjectNational Writing Projectat IUPUIat IUPUI

Herb Budden, Co-directorHerb Budden, Co-director

GoalsGoals

Understanding Understanding and Applying and Applying

WACWAC

Things to remember:Things to remember:You are probably already doing You are probably already doing

WAC!WAC!If it makes teaching harder, you’re If it makes teaching harder, you’re

doing it wrongdoing it wrongStudent achievement will improve Student achievement will improve

using writing across the using writing across the curriculumcurriculum

Why Writing Across the Why Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)?Curriculum (WAC)?

Faculty in Faculty in all disciplinesall disciplines find that find that when students write in their classes, when students write in their classes, they learn material and improve their they learn material and improve their thinking about ideas in the courses. thinking about ideas in the courses.

Writing assigned across the Writing assigned across the curriculum curriculum helps students prepare for helps students prepare for the typical communicative tasks the typical communicative tasks they'll face on the job, no matter what they'll face on the job, no matter what the job is. the job is.

Can writing enhance Can writing enhance m e n t a l p o w e r?m e n t a l p o w e r?

If students are encouraged If students are encouraged to try a variety of thought to try a variety of thought

processes in classes they will processes in classes they will develop considerable mental develop considerable mental power. Writing is one of the power. Writing is one of the

most most effective ways to effective ways to develop thinkingdevelop thinking..

What types of writing are What types of writing are best used across the best used across the

curriculum?curriculum? Writing across the curriculum Writing across the curriculum

has been implemented at a range has been implemented at a range of schools and universities. In of schools and universities. In those schools, writing those schools, writing assignments generally fall into assignments generally fall into two categories:two categories:

Writing to Learn Writing to Learn

Writing in the DisciplinesWriting in the Disciplines

Do teachers have to be expert Do teachers have to be expert in grammar to assign writing?in grammar to assign writing? Not at all! In writing-to-learn Not at all! In writing-to-learn

tasks, the emphasis is upon tasks, the emphasis is upon the content, not the mechanics the content, not the mechanics of the writing.of the writing.

The Writing Brain

This is the part of the brain that every educator wants to activate. It is responsible for focus, reflection, decision- making, problem- solving, and most importantly the ability to be conscious of all of that activity. If a student really thinks and is aware of himself as a thinker, this section has been activated.

What do WTL & WID What do WTL & WID look like?look like?

Activity: Text Rendering theActivity: Text Rendering the Maxwell articleMaxwell articleSentenceSentencePhrasePhraseWordWord

How are the levels of How are the levels of writing and WAC writing and WAC

connected?connected?

WTL = Level 1WTL = Level 1WID = Levels 2 and 3, WID = Levels 2 and 3,

depending upon the depending upon the assignmentassignment

How much writing?How much writing?

Students should be writing EVERY Students should be writing EVERY day in EVERY class! B U T…day in EVERY class! B U T…

70% Level 170% Level 120% Level 220% Level 210% Level 310% Level 3

ActivityActivityJIGSAW the document “Strategies for JIGSAW the document “Strategies for

Using Writing as a Tool for Learning”Using Writing as a Tool for Learning”

Everyone will be in 2 groups based on Everyone will be in 2 groups based on your number, the first for Activity A, your number, the first for Activity A, the second for Activity Bthe second for Activity B

Activity “A”Activity “A”

The task for this activity is to read and The task for this activity is to read and discuss your assigned section with your discuss your assigned section with your colleagues, make notes as needed on the colleagues, make notes as needed on the provided organizer, and prepare to provided organizer, and prepare to summarize what you have learned to summarize what you have learned to others who have not read your section others who have not read your section during the next activity.during the next activity.

Jigsaw GroupsJigsaw Groups

Activity A: Like numbers gather togetherActivity A: Like numbers gather together111111111111222222222222333333333333444444444444555555555555666666666666

Activity “A” Assignments:Activity “A” Assignments:

Group #1 Items 1-8 Group #1 Items 1-8 Group #2 Items 9-16 Group #2 Items 9-16 Group #3 Items 17-24Group #3 Items 17-24 Group #4 Items 25-32Group #4 Items 25-32 Group #5 Items 33-40Group #5 Items 33-40 Group #6 Items 41-48Group #6 Items 41-48

JigsawJigsaw

Activity “B”: Unlike numbers gather:Activity “B”: Unlike numbers gather:

1 2 3 4 5 61 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 61 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 61 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 61 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 61 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 61 2 3 4 5 6

Activity “B”Activity “B”

The task for this activity is to summarize in The task for this activity is to summarize in round-robin order the assigned items for round-robin order the assigned items for the rest of the group. As you are the rest of the group. As you are summarizing for the rest of the group, you summarizing for the rest of the group, you may make value judgments on the may make value judgments on the strategies and say why or why not an strategies and say why or why not an individual strategy might be valuable. Take individual strategy might be valuable. Take notes on provided organizer as you listen.notes on provided organizer as you listen.

Activity “B”Activity “B”

““WTL Strategies to Try” Organizer—WTL Strategies to Try” Organizer— fill out individuallyfill out individually

each teacher needs to commit to trying at each teacher needs to commit to trying at least 6 strategies. We will collect the least 6 strategies. We will collect the

sheets, but make copies to return to each sheets, but make copies to return to each teacher so they may have them for teacher so they may have them for

referencereferenceWe will follow up with surveys, interviews.We will follow up with surveys, interviews.

WTLWTL

The strategies are ALL The strategies are ALL Level 1, maybe Level 2 at mostLevel 1, maybe Level 2 at most

If you want to do LEVEL 3 in your subject, If you want to do LEVEL 3 in your subject, then the target (criteria for scoring) should then the target (criteria for scoring) should be made explicit to students BEFORE they be made explicit to students BEFORE they

write!write!

Writing & GradingWriting & GradingRemember the LEVELS of writing–Remember the LEVELS of writing–LEVEL 1- LEVEL 1- no scoringno scoring of content of contentLEVEL 2- scored for content LEVEL 2- scored for content onlyonlyLEVEL 3- scored LEVEL 3- scored consistently and consistently and

analyticallyanalytically by trait across faculty by trait across faculty

What is Writing in the What is Writing in the Disciplines?Disciplines?

WID (LEVEL 3) assignments WID (LEVEL 3) assignments are typically, but not are typically, but not exclusively, formal papers exclusively, formal papers prepared over a few days, prepared over a few days, weeks or even months. weeks or even months.

What about writing What about writing conventions in my conventions in my

subject?subject? The final papers should The final papers should

adhere to format and style adhere to format and style guidelines typical of the guidelines typical of the subjects they are helping subjects they are helping students learn about.students learn about.

Remember: use the Remember: use the LEVELS to determine how LEVELS to determine how

to assess!to assess!Writing that is polished, requires Writing that is polished, requires

revisions, and is not done ‘on revisions, and is not done ‘on demand’ is Level 3 writing and demand’ is Level 3 writing and should be assessed using should be assessed using allall or or some some of the 6 Traitsof the 6 Traits——

Polished writing (Level 3) Polished writing (Level 3) needs Six Traitneeds Six Trait assessment!assessment!

If you assign more polished pieces, If you assign more polished pieces, especially those that adhere to especially those that adhere to conventions of your subject, then we conventions of your subject, then we suggest putting the burden of proofreading suggest putting the burden of proofreading squarely where it belongs--on the squarely where it belongs--on the writerwriter, , then use the 6 TRAITS assessment!then use the 6 TRAITS assessment!

All SchoolAll School Writing Writing Assessment Results Gr 10 Assessment Results Gr 10

Fall 2003Fall 2003 % OF STUDENTS SCORING % OF STUDENTS SCORING 33 OR OR

HIGHERHIGHER IN THE TRAITS IN THE TRAITS (5 PT SCALE)(5 PT SCALE)

I/CI/C O O V V WC WC SF C SF C70 70 73 73 74 74 75 75 72 77 72 77

All SchoolAll School Writing Assessment Writing Assessment Results Gr 10 Fall 2003Results Gr 10 Fall 2003

% OF STUDENTS SCORING % OF STUDENTS SCORING 44 OR HIGHEROR HIGHER IN THE IN THE

TRAITSTRAITS

I/C OI/C O V V WC SF C WC SF C30 3330 33 18 18 27 27 27 27 47 47

Planning a School-Wide Planning a School-Wide Writing PolicyWriting Policy

Meeting the Challenge to the Meeting the Challenge to the Nation…Nation…

… …Advice from NCTEAdvice from NCTE

Why establish a writing Why establish a writing policy?policy?

Schools with high levels of Schools with high levels of achievement in writing have achievement in writing have systematically implemented systematically implemented productive teaching and productive teaching and learning practices. learning practices.

What are the characteristics What are the characteristics of such a policy?of such a policy?

Administrators are committed Administrators are committed to writing and lead by exampleto writing and lead by example

Teaching writing is integral to Teaching writing is integral to instruction in all subjectsinstruction in all subjects

Writing practices are based on Writing practices are based on current and effective research current and effective research about writingabout writing

Students are given time and Students are given time and multiple opportunities to writemultiple opportunities to write

Teachers consistently evaluate Teachers consistently evaluate writing instructionwriting instruction

What practices do schools with What practices do schools with effective writing policies follow?effective writing policies follow?

Allocate adequate time and Allocate adequate time and resources to advance student resources to advance student learning by having students write learning by having students write everyday in every subjecteveryday in every subject

Help admin and teachers Help admin and teachers understand how to assess writing understand how to assess writing to enrich student learningto enrich student learning

Support teachers in gaining a Support teachers in gaining a sophisticated understanding of sophisticated understanding of writing processes and in writing processes and in selecting appropriate selecting appropriate strategies to advance every strategies to advance every student as a writerstudent as a writer

Provide insights and strategies to Provide insights and strategies to admin, families and community admin, families and community members to help them work members to help them work together to advance student together to advance student writingwriting

Commit to building a culture of Commit to building a culture of writing over time that will sustain writing over time that will sustain growth and achievement through growth and achievement through a student’s academic career and a student’s academic career and beyondbeyond

How can you get your school How can you get your school started?started?

Audit your instructional Audit your instructional practices, support practices, support structures, and assessment structures, and assessment proceduresprocedures

Provide training for all staffProvide training for all staff

Evaluate the basis of your Evaluate the basis of your writing practices. Align them writing practices. Align them with best practices from with best practices from research.research.

Allow time and opportunities Allow time and opportunities for writing and responding to for writing and responding to what is written.what is written.