Teaching Writing Tying it all together!? Presented by: Annette Hendry

Reaction? “We waste valuable time and energy fussing about the “trait” camp versus the “writing process” camp versus the “writing workshop” camp. We're all trying to do the same thing: help students learn to write well. When these three powerful ideas coexist in writing classrooms, both students and teachers win.” -Culham

The Writing Process What is the writing process? What are the steps in the writing process?

What is the writing process? A way of looking at writing instruction that shifts the emphasis from the finished product to what writers think and do as they write

What are the steps in the writing process? Prewriting Drafting Revising Editing Publishing

Prewriting Choosing a topic Gathering and organizing ideas Considering the audience Identifying the purpose Choosing a genre

Drafting Writing a rough draft Emphasizing content rather than mechanics Stamina and volume are important here

Revising Rereading for refining and clarifying Make changes “Adding and subtracting time”

Editing Proofreading to locate errors Correcting mechanical errors

Publishing Publishing writing in an appropriate form Sharing finished writing with an appropriate audience

Points to remember! The writing process is not a linear process – but recursive; with labeling of the steps being useful for identifying and discussing writing activities.

What about the Six Traits? The new standards document evaluates writing based on the six traits.

What are the six traits? Ideas Organization Word Choice Voice Sentence Fluency Conventions + Presentation

“How does knowing the writing process help me teach the traits?”

Writing Workshop? “So I understand about the Writing Process and how it fits with the traits….. Now what about the Writer’s Workshop?”

What is “Writer’s Workshop”? A organizational structure for allowing the writing process to happen in the classroom setting. It replicates the practices of professional writers as they take a piece of writing from conception to publication.

“The traits are the language of writing workshop.” “The six traits represent a language that empowers students and teachers to communicate about qualities of writing.” Ruth Culham

Writer’s Workshop Minilesson “Work Time” Sharing

Writer’s Workshop Minilesson- Modelled Writing\Direct Teaching “Work Time” Students write independently Teacher conferences with individuals and/or small groups (“Guided Writing”) Sharing Reinforces or makes the teaching point again

Minilesson components Connection Teaching Demonstration Explicitly tell and show an example Inquiry Guided practice Active Engagement Link

Using your Minilesson planning sheet and a lesson from Lucy Calkins Resource jot some notes for each component of the minilesson. “What is happening during each component?”

Use Book 2 of your Units set to search for instances where the traits are covered. Pick any of the other units you wish to also look for instances where the traits are covered.

Ruth Culham: “Think of the traits not as a set of discrete lessons to be taught each day, but a way of thinking, shaping responses to writing, and talking about the writing. The traits are the writing process at the revision and editing stages. They don’t stand alone in the writer’s world; they shouldn’t be taught in isolation; they shouldn’t be portioned out by grade level.”

What about the standards documents? Summative assessment Formative assessment to drive instruction

Standards identify: The end of grade level of achievement for: Writing strategies and behaviors Traits Highlight a key word or phrase for each bullet for: 1.Strategies and behaviours 2.Traits

Research shows writers need: Time to write Choices Feedback\response Models of fine writing

“ Success in writing directly relates to the amount of writing and rewriting a person does.” -Lucy Calkins

References Culham, R. (2005) 6+1 Traits of writing the complete guide for the primary grades. New York: Scholastic Culham, R. (2003) 6+1 Traits of writing the complete guide for Grades 3 and Up. New York: Scholastic Calkins, L. et al (2003) Units of Study for Primary Writing: A Yearlong Curriculum, Portsmouth: Heinemann, Calkins, L. et al (2006) Units of Study for Grades 3-5, Portsmouth: Heinemann, Graham, S. (Ed) (2007) Best Practices in Writing Instruction, New York: The Guilford Press /posters/ideas.pdf