Ashley Thompson

Writing Instruction 

• ​Teach Writing The Way Real Writers Write (Laurie Halse Anderson) 

  • Act like an editor - go through writing with a lens to make it better 

  • Always put a happy face on students writing - keeps them motivated and feel special 

  • Encourage students to use their OWN voice, not your voice and not a beige voice 

  • Want to make the writer (student) better, NOT the paper  - give students feedback that will enhance their writing skills 

  • Students should start with a feeling or curosirsty & some reacher for the basis of their writing 

  • Just write - don’t need to worry about grammar and spelling right away 

  • Hover instead of rushing through - allow students to work with their writing 

  • Create first, revise lated (writing is a process, not a product) 

  • You (teacher) are the bridge - show the writing process and show your own writing process 

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• Revision is Crucial 

  • Taking something that is good and making it great 

  • Students should be revising ideas and grammar to make their writing more clear

  • Allow students to re-read work and make it better (clarification and not correction)  

  • Real writers are ALWAYS revising

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• Overview of Instructional Procedures

  • ​This is a great visual that compasses many of the instructional techniques used for writing

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• Steps for Modelling Writing 

  • Choose genre and format that will best suit the teaching point

  • Explain teaching point to students 

  • Purpose of writing and format of writing 

  • Activate students’ topic knowledge through questioning 

  • Use a think aloud to MODEL the thought process

  • Think aloud and show visually what students should be doing 

  • Plan what you will write and what you will say in your think aloud

  • Example: grade 1/2 -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kWEDcQ9yuo

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• Steps for Shared Writing 

  • Use students ideas (words, sentences, phrases) to construction writing 

  • Teacher is the scribe and the students are the author 

  • Prompt students, by asking them pointed questions  to emphasis the teaching point 

  • Use think alouds to reinforce the teaching point 

• Example: grade 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9nX2laB9q0

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• Steps for Guided Writing (in small groups) 

  • Group students based on writing level, social reasons, personal interest, etc 

  • Have a specific teaching point that students will focus on

  • Teach this point in a mini-lesson 

  • Have students compose their own text, with some teacher support 

  • Have students share their writing and have them explain how/why it pertains the the teaching point 

  • Example: grade 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9nX2laB9q0

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• Steps for Independent Writing 

  • Follow writing progression (modelled, shared, guided and independent) 

  • Teach a mini-lesson the focuses on the teaching point 

  • Students will create own texts based on what they have learned in modelled, shared, guided and independent writing 

  • Have students write a variety of genres and text types 

  • Have students share drafts with teacher and peers 

  • Celebrate all levels and steps of the writing process

  • Then revise writing the make better and emphasis the teaching point 

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• Steps to Teach Narrative Story Writing 

  • Show students stories are everywhere and it all different formats 

  • Study the structure of a story (arch) 

  • Read models - students love to hear about their teachers stories 

  • Story map - model for students 

  • Quick draft - model for student (can be in shared or modeled time) 

  • Plan the pacing  - what parts will have more weight, what will be the bulk of the story 

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• • Long draft

  • Revise/workshop 

  • Edits - fix spelling and grammar 

  • Showing off - put it all together in a book 

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Differentiation

• Key Elements of Differentiated Instruction 

  • Knowing your students

  • Understanding the curriculum

  • Providing multiple pathways to learning

  • Sharing responsibility with students

  • Taking a flexible and reflective approach

 

• Alberta Education Differentiation Document (Overview) 

  • https://education.alberta.ca/media/384968/makingadifference_2010.pdf (1-22) 

 

• Extending/Enriching 

  • Initial learning opportunity should already abstract, complex and interrelated 

    • We do not want these students to just do more busy work, rather we want to extend the task so they can show a more complex understanding of the concept 

  • Use strategies like: 

    • Tiered assignments - grow in complexity

    • Use more open ended questions

    • Independent projects

    • Cluster groups of students who are at the same level, so they can work on assignments that will challenge them 

    • Increase access to diverse materials and resources  - 

    • Self - assessment  - ask the students how they found the assignment (too hard?, too easy?, etc) 

 

• Beginning/Developing 

  • Initial learning opportunity should already abstract, complex and interrelated 

    • We do not want these students to just do lease, rather we want to adjust tasks to ensure that they are cognitively appropriate 

  • Use strategies like: 

    • Small-group/one-on-one time  (e.i. guided reading time) 

    • Flexible grouping - ensure that the beginning student has a valuable job 

    • Independent learning activity (more time)

    • Technology

    • Explicit instructions - make assignments easy to follow 

    • Scaffolding support: graphic organizers, “cheat sheets,” memory prompts, lists, colour code key, outline

    • Components - songs and movement

    • Place in class (ZPD) - where is the best physical place for that particular students