Improving Sts' writing skills

Helping Students
Become Better Writers

Grades 7-12
Sue Anderson
Nebraska Department of Education
[email protected]
Topics
Why Writing Matters in School and Beyond

How Students Become Better Writers

Best Instructional Practices for Improving Student Writing

Connections Between Writing, Learning and Thinking
Facilitates making connections, describing processes, raising questions and finding answers.


Facilitates assimilation of information through the recording of new information.



Promotes accommodation of information as it is constructed into new meaning.


Time invested in writing can and should enhance understandings in all content areas.
Danielson, L. The Improvement of Student Writing: What the Research Says. Journal of School Improvement, NCA Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (Spring 2000).
Why Writing Matters

Writing is associated with…
Improved Math Scores
Improved Social Studies Scores
Improved Science Scores
Reeves, Douglas B. (2003). Building on Success: Case Studies in Collaborative Success in Omaha.
Why Writing Matters

Writing Across the Curriculum
Students benefit three ways:

• better understanding of the content

• practice a technique that aids in retention

• they begin to write better


-Walker, 1988; Kurtiss, 1985
Reasons Students Should Write
Writing improves reading comprehension

Writing improves achievement in other academic areas

Writing contributes to a sense of connection and personal efficacy

Reeves, Douglas B. 2002. Reason to Write: Help Your Child Succeed in School and in Life Through Better Reasoning
and Clear Communication. Kaplan: New York
Why Writing Matters
Preparation for Success in the Workplace


Writing:
A Ticket to Work…Or a Ticket Out
- A Survey of Business Leaders


Report of The National Commission on Writing for America’s Families,
Schools and Colleges – September 2004
Survey Findings

80 percent of companies with greatest growth potential – assess writing during hiring
Half of all companies take writing into account when making promotion decisions
Whatever the form of communication, these skills are expected:
Accuracy
Clarity
Correctness
Survey Findings
More than half of responding companies report they “frequently” or “almost always” produce
technical reports
formal reports
memos and correspondence
“…the most worthwhile goals of writing…
Writing
to think
to move another person
to create something that will be remembered
to develop a unique personal voice
to develop and maintain a spirit of unrelenting curiosity
to be wholly comfortable with the act/process of writing”
- Vicki Spandel, The 9 Rights of Every Writer, 2005
“Writing is how students
connect the dots in their knowledge.”

- The Neglected “R”: The Need for a Writing Revolution. The National Commission on Writing in America’s Schools and Colleges (2003)
Why Writing Matters
Literacy for Life
Writing is a way to understand what we know
Writing is an act of discovery
Writing is learning
Writing competence builds confidence

Topics
Why Writing Matters in School and Beyond

Best Instructional Practices for Improving Student Writing

How Students Become Better Writers



What makes better learners?
Marzano, Pickering and Pollock. (2001) Classroom Instruction That Works: Research Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, Virginia. ASCD.
Identifying similarities and differences
Summarizing and note taking
Reinforcing effort and providing recognition
Homework and practice
Nonlinguistic representations
Cooperative learning
Setting objectives and providing feedback
Generating and testing hypotheses
Questions cues, and advance organizers
Improvement of Student Writing: What the Research Says
In General:
Provide a language rich environment.
Increase the frequency and amount of writing.
Use writing across the curriculum in both instruction and assessment.
Provide models.
Use a sequenced, yet individually flexible writing process.

From Danielson, L. (Spring 2000). The Improvement of Student Writing: What the Research Says Journal of School Improvement, NCA Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement
Effective Writing Instruction
Students learn by reading and discussing samples of writing
Students learn from seeing writing modeled
Sharing writing is important
Revising the work of others has great instructional benefit
Writing frequently is important
Writing is a reflective process
Essential Writing Classroom Elements
Safe Environment
Unconditional acceptance (Avery 1999)
Optimal learning occurs when learners are challenged without feeling threatened (Lyons 2003;Kohn 1999; Goleman 1995)
Teacher as Close Observer
Trust


Essential Writing Classroom Elements
Student Talk
Verbal language and conceptual thought develop simultaneously (Vygotsky,1986)

New Doors for Learning
Allow students to use a variety of literacies to explore and share their learning – art, music, drama

Essential Writing Classroom Elements

Authentic Experiences

Small Group Activities

Reflective Self-Assessment
Daniels, Harvey & Marilyn Bizer. 1998. Methods That Matter: Six Structure for Best Practice Classrooms
Writing Instruction EVERY Student Needs

Access to the tools for writing
Editing checklists
Word wall/lists
Dictionaries/thesauruses
Publishing materials
Technology

A predictable structure










Classroom Structures
for Best Instructional Practices
Integrated Units
Workshops
Authentic Experiences
Small Group Activities
Reflective Student Self-Assessment
Daniels, Harvey & Marilyn Bizer. 1998. Methods That Matter: Six Structure for Best Practice Classrooms
Topics
Why Writing Matters in School and Beyond

Best Instructional Practices for Improving Student Writing

How Students Become Better Writers



How Students Become
Better Writers
Utilize the Writing Process
Make Time for Writing
Encourage Student to Share Their Writing
Connect Writing with Reading
Connect Assessment to Revision of Writing
Teach the Qualities of Good Writing
Utilize the Writing Process
Prewriting
generating ideas
mental rehearsal for writing
Drafting
Revising
Sharing Writing with Others
Editing
Publishing Emig, 1971
From Danielson, L. (Spring 2000). The Improvement of Student Writing: What the Research Says
Journal of School Improvement, NCA Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement
The Writing Process

Not every piece of writing needs to be taken to the final stage of publication.

Not every piece of writing needs to be assessed.


From Danielson, L. (Spring 2000). The Improvement of Student Writing: What the Research Says Journal of School Improvement, NCA Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement
The Writing Process
Listen to/read the short essay by Sandra Cisneros, “My Name,” in The House on Mango Street.

Think about your name
Are you named after someone? Who?
Do you know this person very well?
What do you like about your name?
Does your name have a special meaning?
Do you have a nickname or some some other name by which you are known?

Now write about your name.
Let’s Write About…
The Writing Process






Make Time for Writing
3-5 blocks of 50 minutes or more per week

Ask yourself:
What lessons or other activities
could the writer’s workshop replace?
Adapted from Fletcher,R. and Portalupi, J. (2001) Writing Workshop the Essential Guide. Portsmouth, NH, Heinemann
Listen to/read the short essay by Sandra Cisneros, “My Name,” in The House on Mango Street.

Think about your name
Are named after someone? Who?
Do you know this person very well?
What do you like about your name?
Does your name have a special meaning?
Do you have a nickname or some some other name
by which you are known?


Let’s Write About…

Now write about your name.
Let’s Write About…
What might 50-60 minutes of writing time look like?

Adapted from Fletcher,R. and Portalupi, J. (2001) Writing Workshop the Essential Guide. Portsmouth, NH, Heinemann
short lesson related to a single topic (e.g. use of quotation marks, transition words,sentence structure, etc.)
In pairs or small groups or in conferences with teacher
Pre-writing, drafting, revising
The Writing Process
Encourage Students to Share Their Writing
Sharing with a Partner

Small Group Sharing

Conferencing with Teacher
The Writing Process
Connect Writing with Reading
Writing about texts for reading can enhance comprehension
Using texts selected for reading as models for writing is effective
Processes for reading and writing are similar and tend to reinforce each other
The Writing Process
What Qualities
Do Teachers Look for in Student Writing?




Connect Assessment with Revision
Ideas
Organization
Voice
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions/Presentation
Content, details, clarity, focus
Structure, transitions, sequencing
Style, tone, expression
Precise language, vocabulary,
Sentence structure, length, readability
Mechanical correctness/How the writing looks on the page
Traits of Writing

Could you add more details? (Ideas/Content)
How do you want to organize your ideas? (Organization)
How can you show the reader there is a person “behind your words”? (Voice)

Can you add more vivid, descriptive words? (Word Choice)
Are all your sentences alike? (Sentence Fluency)
Writing About ...
Sentence
Fluency
How Do Writers Revise Their Writing?
The Writing Process



Teach the Qualities of Good Writing





Lesson Planning to Include Writing


Unit of Study:
Lesson Title:
Activities:
Reading
Writing
Other

Assessment:
Writing Process
Pre-writing
Drafting
Conferencing
Revision
Editing
Publishing
Traits of Writing


What Does Effective Writing Instruction
Look Like in the Classroom?
Writing for Understanding Process
Select an enduring understanding or BIG IDEA that students should demonstrate in their written product

Develop a focusing question that will enable students to approach the BIG IDEA in a specific, manageable way

Build a working knowledge of the content
Writing for Understanding Process
Help students process the knowledge, capturing it in notes so they can use it in their writing.

Help students structure their writing so that their THINKING is clear.

Use the writing process (draft, confer, revise) to help students produce a written product that is focused, organized, and developed to show understanding of the BIG IDEA.
What’s Often Missing in Most Student Writing?
Students have not built a working knowledge of the content
Developing vocabulary/terminology
Teaching students how to comprehend text
Refining understanding through discussion Students have not built a working knowledge of the content
Students do not know how to capture and process knowledge
Note taking
Summarizing

What makes better learners?
Marzano, Pickering and Pollock. (2001) Classroom Instruction That Works: Research Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, Virginia. ASCD.
Identifying similarities and differences
Summarizing and note taking
Reinforcing effort and providing recognition
Homework and practice
Nonlinguistic representations
Cooperative learning
Setting objectives and providing feedback
Generating and testing hypotheses
Questions cues, and advance organizers
Writing
Assigning vs. Teaching
Teacher selected topics


Audience/topic may not be specified

Much teacher time spent grading
Students create topics that matter to them

Audience and purpose are clearly specified

Teacher time spent teaching skills/strategies
Few strategies provided to complete writing tasks

Students not aware of their own improvement

Rewriting generally limited to editing vs. revision

Students given strategies/models for writing

Students reflect on significant growth

Revision/resubmission is encouraged

Writing
Assigning vs. Teaching

Students are required to write without much forethought

Students and teachers are bored by what students write

Students use a variety of pre-writing activities

Enthusiasm for student writing leads to publishing
Writing
Assigning vs. Teaching
Topics
Why Writing Matters in School and Beyond

How Students Become Better Writers

Best Instructional Practices for Improving Student Writing

The power of teacher comment in response to student writing
“As a writing teacher, it is my experience that if I praise a student’s strengths, the weaknesses will eventually fall away. If I focus on the weaknesses, the strengths, too, may wobble and even vanish.”

-Julia Cameron, Right to Write
“If students are to make knowledge their own, they must struggle with the details, wrestle with the facts, and rework raw information and dimly understood concepts into language they can communicate to someone else.
In short, if students are to learn, they must write.”










- The Neglected “R”: The Need for a Writing Revolution. The National Commission on Writing in America’s Schools and Colleges (2003)