Designing Writing Assignments from A to Z Dr. Rory Donnelly Fulbright Senior Lecturer, University of Costa Rica Professor, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago

Outline What makes a writing assignment hard or easy? Scaffolding A look at two writing assignments Writing a complete writing assignment

What makes a writing assignment hard? The purpose isn’t clear There’s no clear audience Students don’t know the vocabulary or the structures they need for the writing assignment The genre is new Students don’t know how to start (or what to do next) Students don’t know grading criteria

What makes a writing assignment hard? The assignment is long There’s no feedback during the process Everything is language-based Students work alone at home Students don’t know how to go about writing the assignment

Scaffolding

How do you structure an assignment to provide scaffolding? Provide a purpose Provide an audience Activate vocabulary and structures Use familiar genres Provide models Write out the steps in the process Give grading criteria ahead of time

How else do you provide scaffolding? Keep it short Provide formative feedback Integrate the arts and visual aids Move writing into the classroom Work in groups Build the writing process into the assignment

An assignment for beginners (no scaffolding) Write 5 sentences about your bedroom. Use the prepositions you studied in class.

An assignment for beginners (with scaffolding) 1. Draw a picture of your bedroom. 2. Look at the vocabulary page 3. Look at the prepositions chart. 4. Write 5 sentences about your bedroom.

Grading Criteria Sentences describe the picture Prepositions are used accurately Sentences start with capital and end with period Each sentence contains a subject and a verb.

An assignment for low- intermediates (no scaffolding) Write a paragraph on the topic “My Favorite Beach”. Include a title and a topic sentence

An assignment for intermediates (with scaffolding) Your friend is going to visit your country for the first time. He (she) wants to go to a beach. Write a letter to your friend describing your favorite beach. Include details.

An assignment for intermediates (with scaffolding) Process: Make a list of beaches and pick one. Make a brainstorming map to plan what you will say Study the model letter for ideas and for form Write the letter. Read it to a classmate Your classmate will ask you questions. Respond to the questions. You may want to add more information. Add it in your second draft.

Example of Brainstorming Map Punto Uva not very busy many activities swimming snorkelling on the Caribbean some tourists, but not many usually hot and humid around 5 hours from San Jose

Grading Criteria Your letter is about a favorite beach It follows the letter format in the model You describe details about the beach Your brainstorming map is attached to your letter Sentences have subjects, verbs, capitals, and periods Your letter is proofread for use of “is/are” and “have/has”

Parts of a writing assignment purpose audience genre vocabulary and structures process steps grading criteria

Summary Include purpose, audience, genre, and process in each writing assignment. Give grading criteria with the assignment

Summary Activate vocabulary and target structures. Provide additional scaffolding by keeping assignments short giving formative feedback using the arts using group work, and building in the writing process