Vocabulary and Organization Builders

Handwriting. Mechanics. Getting started. Word retrieval. Organization.

Unclear purpose. Lack of Evidence. “Teachers should accept whatever struggling writers are able to write independently and then provide feedback and explicit instruction to help them elaborate on their initial efforts.” (Peterson, 2014)

 Students who struggle with writing must first have a firm understanding of what they are writing about.  Students who struggle with writing NEED strategies to help organize ideas.  Students who struggle with writing need to be taught how to show evidence by citing examples from personal experience or use of citations from texts.  Student who struggle with writing must have good writing modeled.

 “Owning a concept involves creating as many connections as possible between a new word and prior knowledge” (Santa, Havens, Franciosi, Valdes, p221) Graphic Organizer give students an opportunity to elaborate on their understandings. “Instructional strategies need to focus on the process of deriving word meanings in contrast to the product of coming up with the right meaning” (Plaut, p 29-30)

ModelMeanings Essential Characteristics: Traits that are critical to the concept. These things have to be present. Nonessential Characteristics: These are traits that can be attributed to the concept but aren’t required. They may be options but aren’t always present.

 In groups of four, take 5-10 minutes to complete the model and come up with a definition for good parenting.

“Teachers should help students understand how to draw on this lived experience, understand that they have learned things that can contribute to their writing, and also understand the limitations of personal experience” (Dean, p. 27) It is now up to the teacher to provide opportunities to elaborate….

 After viewing clips from the movie, would you change anything in your definition of good parenting Spend a few minutes on your definition

Go through your essential characteristics for good parenting. How many of those traits did Sam possess? Did Sam fall short on any of the essential characteristics? What accommodations or supports might Sam need to help parent Lucy? What about Rita, how does she fall short of being a good parent? What does she need to have or change to be a better parent?

TraitSamRita Finances Educational Background Finances Support System Time with Child Discipline

 “We have found that students who struggled to organize their thoughts, or even think of something to say, did much better when we provided them with templates” (Graff, Birkenstein, p. xi)

 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W a Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W a  CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W b Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W b  CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W f