Research on Writing o A National Study of Writing Samples (1995) by The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) o Results o 4th and 8th writing samples “not very encouraging” o Practices that contributed to better writing skills of students in the sample: o process-writing strategies o more time writing (school and home) o writing assignments of medium to long lengths (more than one page) at least 2 times per month

Areas of Concern Written Expression Mercer & Mercer o Fluency - number of written words o Syntax - construction of sentences o verb tense, word order o Vocabulary o maturity and variety of words used o Structure o punctuation, grammar, capitalization o Content o accuracy, ideas, organization

The Writing Process o Process vs. product orientation o Process orientation: o Stage 1: Prewriting o Stage 2:Writing a draft o Stage 3:Making revisions o Stage 4:Sharing with an audience

Process Writing Isaacson (1990) o Process should be modeled o planning strategies e.g., outlines, maps o Process can be collaborative o involve teacher and other students e.g., peer feedback, brainstorming, editing, organization o Process can be prompted o prompt steps e.g., written prompts involving lists, codes (v., n., adj., cap.) o Process should be self-initiated and self-monitored o writing strategies or self-statements e.g., mnemonics

Teaching Writing o Semantic Mapping o Wheels for Writing o Lovitt (1997) “Tactics for Teaching” o Expressive Writing o Sequential Reinforcement Contingencies o QuIP: A Writing Strategy o Strategies for Teaching Composition Skills o Using Character Development to Improve Story Writing o Mercer and Mercer o PENS o PLEASE o COPS o TOWER o HOW

Areas of Concern Manuscript and Cursive o Manuscript o Shape o letters slanted? o Size o too large? o Space o crowded? o Alignment o height? o Line quality o too heavy? o Cursive o Shape o too narrow? o Size o uniform? o Space o uneven? o Alignment o along baseline? o Speed and ease o how fast? o Slant o back slant? See Mercer and Mercer Chapter 13

Strategies for Teaching Handwriting o Chalkboard Activities o prewriting, muscle movements, large shapes o Finger painting, writing in clay/sand o Position o feet on floor, height, hold paper nonwriting hand o Paper o manuscript: no slant, cursive: slight angle o Holding pencil o use rubber band or tape, large primary sized pencils, use of a practice golf ball o Stencils and templates for tracing o Lined paper o color-cued

Strategies (continued) o Drawing between the lines o Dot-to-dot o Tracing with reduced cues Learner (1997)