Support for Utilizing the Writing to Respond Process as an Approach to Engaging Students in Interacting with Informational and Literary Text through Purposeful Reading and Writing Across Disciplines. Dr. Martha Joseph Watts 2016

 Dr. Watts is open for proposals with schools or districts.  She provides job-embedded professional development: - to help implement the WTR process - to guide Common Core implementation - to address any school needs in literacy - for classroom demonstrations in literacy - one-on-one teacher coaching - to guide departmental planning to achieve school’s SMART goals Call or for more information Visit:

Cultivating a Habit of Writing

 Develop the habit in students  Encourage responsibility  Reward consistently

 Is an approach that engages students in utilizing critical thinking skills to guide the written responses to their reading of informational and literary text  It is a process that guides students through to mastery of skills without added burden to teachers.  It can be utilized independently by students, and by parents who desire to help prepare their students with daily writing and for writing on current tests

 Interact and connect with what they read  Communicate both written and orally  Develop critical thinking skills  Formulate critical thinking questions  Develop confidence as writers  Develop a sense of responsibility and  Develop a habit of responding through writing to text and on tests

 Students who read write better than those who do not.  Students on the high school level struggle with interpreting complex text (informational text)  Students who read and write habitually develop more sophisticated vocabulary  There is a direct relationship between vocabulary development, reading, and writing performance

 Schools are seeking methods to encourage students to write beyond the classroom and the test.  The work force consistently complains about unprepared students, who lack the ability to write for the workplace.  It is evident in work places where reports must be written for compensation or legal proceedings

Step in Process College and Career Ready Standards ELA Shifts (Engage NY) Step 1 Read & Identify R1, R4, R5, L61, 6 Step 2 SummarizeR1, R2, R101,2, 3, 6 Step 3 React R3, R4, R8, R9, W1, W2, W4, W5, W8, W9, W10, SL1, SL2, SL4, SL5, L1,L2, L3, L6 1, 2, 4, 5, & 6 ShareSL1, L1,4 & 5 Test PreparationSame StandardsAll Shifts

 Writing to Respond to Text and Tests  Writing to Respond Student Wheel  Writing to Respond Educator Wheel  Mentoring Mind Critical Thinking student wheel or Sick Pick app. or Bloom’s question stems from the internet.

 Visit    Call : (340) or (321)  Pay via check, or money order to “Buddinwriters”, or via PayPal at  Books also available on amazon.com; e-books, and xlibres.com  Receive discount with me (author)  Wheels are available only with buddinwriters Take note buddin has NO “G”

 Dr. Watts is open for proposals with schools or districts.  She provides job-embedded professional development: - to help implement the WTR process - to guide Common Core implementation - to address any school needs in literacy - for classroom demonstrations in literacy - one-on-one teacher coaching - to guide departmental planning to achieve school’s SMART goals Visit:

 The Writing to Respond Process  A framework for teaching the process  How to select materials for student groups  To identify and teach prerequisite skills  How to utilize graphic organizers to facilitate the process and student groups  Align the process with the College and Career Ready Standards and the ELA shifts

 Examine models, student samples, exercises, and rubrics form the texts  Manipulate the student wheels  Manipulate the educator wheel  Make connections with daily writing and reading

MODELS AND SAMPLES  Each step is explained in the book. There are teacher models and student samples.  Student samples reflect use of several questions  Teacher models reflect single questions, and multiple question responses.  Once students understand the process they take pride in formulating and responding to their own questions. SEE PAGES FOR EXAMPLES

WRITE PARAGRAPH FORM  Students must now put all the parts together in paragraph form  Allow students to combine step one and two (identify and summarize) as one paragraph  And the reaction response, as another paragraph  Some students will develop responses into essays from the inception depending on their level in the writing process  Be sure to coach students to achieve the ideal SEE PAGES FOR EXAMPLES

 As students develop a habit of responding to text utilizing analysis, evaluative and synthesis questions, they become experts at utilizing text based evidence in responses and are better prepared for performing on new tests without anxiety

WTR RESPONSES  Analysis responses: students compare, look for motives, causes, effects, out comes etc  Evaluative responses: students defend and evaluate positions  Synthesis responses: students collect evidence from multiple sources to inform, support a position, provide a solution ALIGNMENT TO TEST  Prepare students for informative responses such as compare/contrast, and cause and effect  Prepare students for the argumentative essay (ACT)  Prepare students for synthesis responses as required on AP exams

STEPS, PROMPTS, MODELS  Part II of the book provides a formula and step by step guide for tackling test prompts  It provides exercises for practice  It presents a graphic organizer and examples for integrating evidence into writing  It provides exercises for practice on Webb’s levels 3 and 4  It provides student-friendly rubrics that align with Common Core expectations. PAGES 49-87

 While the book Writing to Respond to Text and Tests serves as a resource with step by step guide, samples, exercises and rubrics for students,  The student wheel serves as a succinct version of the book. It serves well as a guide for introducing the WTR process in non- English classrooms.  The educator wheel is the teaching guide for introducing the WTR process in classrooms.

 Dr. Watts is open for proposals with schools or districts.  She provides job-embedded professional development: - to help implement the WTR process - to guide Common Core implementation - to address any school needs in literacy - for classroom demonstrations - one-on-one teacher coaching - to guide departmental planning to achieve school’s SMART goals Call now for an appointment or for resources and receive a discount Visit:

Students:  Improve writing skills  Improve grammar and sentence structure  Are engaged and motivated  Write with sophistication  Are eager to express orally  Transfer skills to test responses

 Joseph Watts, M. (2013) Writing to Respond: Cultivating as Habit.  Joseph Watts, M. (2015) Writing to Respond Student wheel  Joseph Watts, M. (2016) Writing to Respond Educator wheel

 Dr. Watts is open for proposals with schools or districts.  She provides job-embedded professional development: - to help implement the WTR process - to guide Common Core implementation - to address any school needs in literacy - for classroom demonstrations - one-on-one teacher coaching - to guide departmental planning to achieve school’s SMART goals Call or now and receive a discount Visit