 Students determine the topics and form for their writing.  Students keep a notebook or folder to organize their “in progress” writing.  Class members are at different points in their writing. Some may be prewriting while others are at an editing stage.  The teacher’s role is that of a facilitator: monitoring, encouraging, conferencing, and providing help as needed.  Students seek response to their writing from response partners or response groups for the purpose of improving their writing.  Instruction is provided to various-sized groups based upon student needs.

 Students have time to orally share their written products.  The teacher meets with individual students to conference about their writing throughout the process.  The Writing Workshop follows a predictable pattern of a 5-10 minute mini-lesson on a timely writing technique, a quick status-of-the-class check, at least 30 minutes for the workshop’s main business of writing and conferring, and 5-10 minutes for the concluding group-share session.

 There is no time wasted with students waiting for others to finish. Each student continues on to the next topic and form.  Students develop independence and motivation to be writers.  Students learn to write by writing. The stages of writing (prewriting, drafting, response, revision, proofreading, and publishing) occur naturally as students work toward completion of their projects.  The more children write—and write about what really matters to them— the greater their chance of growing into able thinkers.

DescriptionTeacher’s RoleStudents’ Role The teacher and students compose a text together orally and the teacher physically writes it down. The focus is on the qualities of good writing. Leads the discussion by asking for help from the students and writes what they say Generate the content of the writing through discussion and watch the teacher compose it on the page

DescriptionTeacher’s RoleStudents’ Role The study of words-- including phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling and vocabulary. Studying how words work Guides instruction by selecting words to study and helping students begin to understand the spelling patterns and meaning of words Participate in inquiries about words, and form their own generalizations and meanings. They also discuss them with peers and transfer to reading and writing.

DescriptionTeacher’s RoleStudents’ Role A brief 7-10 minute teacher-directed mini- lesson followed by a large chunk of independent work time for students and/or partner work and then a whole class share at the end 1) Mini-lesson: teaches an explicit strategy 2) Conferences with individual students and small groups, 3) Leads a share and conclusion at the end 1) listen during the mini- lesson 2) actively practice strategies in their independent writing 3) reflect by sharing at the end or having discussions

 Minilesson (7-10)  Independent Reading or Writing (20-40) -teacher confers and teachers small groups -students may read, write, discuss Partner Work (2-10) Teaching Share (5)

Texts:  Read at independent level  Choose books and writing topics Instruction:  One on One teaching (conferences)  Small group instruction Self-Direction:  Move at own pace  Use strategies specific to person and project