Home-School Connection: Promoting Writers- Opinion Writing LC K-5: Launa Kruithof

How can we help our children with writing?

What does the research say? “College instructors estimate that 50% of high school graduates are not prepared for college-level writing” (Achieve, Inc., 2005). -Writing Next, 2006

“Teaching adolescents strategies for planning, revising, and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of students’ writing. Strategy instruction involves explicitly and systematically teaching steps necessary for planning, revising, and/or editing text (Graham, 2006). The ultimate goal is to teach students to use these strategies independently.” -Writing Next, 2006

Opinion Writing CCSS W.1: “To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students need to learn to use writing as a way of offering and supporting opinions, demonstrating understanding of the subjects they are studying, and conveying real and imagined experiences and events.”

W.K.1- Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book. W.1.1- Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.

W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section. W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure with a list of reasons. Provide reasons that support the opinion. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons. Provide a concluding statement or section.

W.4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose. Provide reasons that are supported by facts or details. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition). Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

W.5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose. Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts or details. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically). Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

Keep a Writer’s Notebook Collection of thoughts Be an observer Make lists Quick-writes Reviews of movies & books Feelings Memories

What can we write about? Anything! Make it authentic: Possible Topics: Favorites Would you rather… Which is best Reviews (new toy on the market) Possible Topics: Best ice cream flavor Favorite show/movie/book Should we have a pet? Should we save animals? Best holiday Would you rather pizza or spaghetti for dinner?

-Mary Ehrenworth, Parents as Writing Partners

-Mary Ehrenworth, Parents as Writing Partners

-Mary Ehrenworth, Parents as Writing Partners

Focus on the ideas in the writing not the mechanics Keep the flow of writing going Don’t critique every error Help them think about capitalization and punctuation Spelling: “Say the word slowly and write the sounds you hear.” Teach them to circle words that they are unsure about and show them how to use tools to help them.

Questions/ Comments? What’s next? What would you want to see in future workshops? Would you be interested in more workshops to write side-by-side with your child?

Resources National Writing Project: http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/doc/resources/encourage_writing.csp Writing Next Research: https://www.carnegie.org/media/filer_public/3c/f5/3cf58727-34f4-4140-a014-723a00ac56f7/ccny_report_2007_writing.pdf EngageNY: https://www.engageny.org/resource/new-york-state-p-12-common-core-learning-standards-for-english-language-arts-and-literacy Ehrenworth, M. Parents as Reading Partners. Educational Leadership. (2014). http://readingandwritingproject.com/public/themes/rwproject/resources/docs/Ed_Leadership_Parents_as_Writing_Partners_1.pdf Scholastic: http://www.scholastic.com/parents/ National Council of Teachers of English: http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/howtohelpenglish