Reading & Writing Instruction More Ideas for Supporting Our Students

Writing Ideas Integrate low-stakes individual and collaborative work. Ex. Reflections, quick writes, journals, or exit tickets. Try to limit lectures to 15 minutes. Integrate more opportunities for in-class drafting or revising (application activities). Use student writing for grammar instruction. Ex. Sentence level lesson on peer review day or essay due date. Structure peer reviews for each essay (See handout) Set aside space for discussions of time management, mindset, hope. Ex. Use essay prompts to break down tasks, select texts that exemplify these concepts, make clear connections between class activities & essays.

Conferences: Best Practices Important intervention opportunity if a student is falling behind on assignments, has academic/personal concerns, is frustrated, etc. Can be done in-class, at any point in the semester. 2 class sessions (one-on-one), during in-class activities, during revision/ drafting sessions. Keep them brief (about 5 minutes). Don’t need to read entire paper. Ask students to bring a specific question about draft or an outline/ thesis . Consider giving grade update. Offer encouragement & refer students in need to appropriate resources. Ex. Health services, DPS, Panther Pantry, Transfer Center, etc.

Just-in-time Tutorials Targeted practice on a concept students need to improve in their essays. Use smaller assignments (journal, exit ticket) as a way to check their progress. Return to concepts students are struggling with. Later in writing process (drafting or after peer review). Maybe try student-led groups small groups (3-4) on challenging topics Maybe try a “menu” of revision activities so students can individualize instruction. “Just-in-time” strategies require some flexibility. Leave a little room on the course schedule.

Reading Ideas Explicit annotation and active reading instruction (even for 1A). Close reading (See handout) Reading Apprenticeship: think-aloud/ talk-to the text, golden lines, metacognitive logs for research papers. Prime for difficult texts & start them together in class. “As you read, look for…” (Provide essential questions) Preview the text or free-write on a related concept Vary discussion methods Ex. FB page for character, “Speed dating” discussion, class led discussion leaders, role playing discussions, mock debates. Low-stakes reading quizzes Ex. Open-book. After class discussion. Synthesis and/or analysis questions.

Brainstorm: What are 2 new things you’d like to try this semester to help scaffold reading and writing? Where/ when in the semester will you try this? Share with a partner 

Sample Assignments/Prompts Sample 1A and 495 writing prompts (packets) “Teaching the College Book” handout The CA Acceleration Project (CAP) provides a number of thematic units that other professors have used successfully. Theme, course level, list of readings, and sample assignments. Examples include “Food Justice,” “Technology, “Resilience, “Leaders and Heroes,” “Monsters,” and “Whose Voice Is Heard in America.”

Possible readings/ Themes for Exit West Identity: “Leave Your Name at the Border” “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” “The Danger of a Single Story” (video) Technology: “The Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted” “Can VR Really Make You More Empathetic?” “2b or not 2b” Current global issues: “Syria, A Love Story” “Semplica Girl Diaries” (1A or 1B) “Study Finds Widespread Hunger in U.S. Colleges” Why the Thai Cave Rescue Drew So Much Attention Compared to Other Crises” Misc. essays: The Electric Typewriter Lib Guides and/or library databases