A Writing Framework for the Secondary Social Studies Classroom The PEA Strategy

Adapting the strategy to fit student needs? Generative questions: How can I get students to write more? How can I get students to use more analysis in their writing? How can I improve student organization? How can I improve the clarity of student writing?

Guiding principles – students’ needs Students will need… to write with a purpose in mind. a defined process for writing. a framework for complete writing.

How do we get from here to there?

Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) Explicit instruction of a strategy for a particular writing purpose that breaks down a larger writing task into concrete, manageable parts. Use of mnemonics to support memory retention of the strategy parts. Field-tested within an RTI framework Whole group Small group and one-to-one (Graham & Harris, 2003; Mason et al., 2011)

Research Support for SRSD Over 40 studies using the SRSD model of instruction have been reported (elementary through high school) Significant findings in four main aspects of student performance: Quality of writing Knowledge of writing Approach to writing Self-efficacy Meaningful and sustained improvements found with a variety of students including students in content areas as well as with students with learning and/or emotional/behavior difficulties (Graham & Perin, 2006)

Key Components of SRSD Instruction Gradual Release of Responsibility Model (GRRM) Stage 1: Discuss it (mnemonic parts) Stage 2: Model it (think-alouds; using examples of exemplar work) Stage 3: Memorize it (reviewing the mnemonic) Stage 4: Support it (use scaffolding; critical and longest stage) Stage 5: Independent performance (goal: “covert” self-instruction) Graham and Harris (2003)

Result: An Adaptation of SRSD The PEA strategy: Point Evidence Analysis

How did I embed the Key Components of SRSD into the “PEA” Strategy Writing Intervention?

Journals, Content, Writing

Let’s Try it… Using the highlighting strategy we are going to practice “Points” practice PEA strategy in practice

Thank you! Contact Information: Chris Sielaff, Binghamton High School sielaffc@binghamtonschools.org Erin Washburn, Binghamton University washburn@binghamton.edu