1. Home-School Connection: Promoting Writers- Opinion Writing
LC K-5: Launa Kruithof

2. How can we help our children with writing?

3. What does the research say?
“College instructors estimate that 50% of high school graduates are not prepared for college-level writing” (Achieve, Inc., 2005).
-Writing Next, 2006

4. “Teaching adolescents strategies for planning, revising, and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of students’ writing. Strategy instruction involves explicitly and systematically teaching steps necessary for planning, revising, and/or editing text (Graham, 2006). The ultimate goal is to teach students to use these strategies independently.” -Writing Next, 2006

5. Opinion Writing
CCSS W.1: “To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students need to learn to use writing as a way of offering and supporting opinions, demonstrating understanding of the subjects they are studying, and conveying real and imagined experiences and events.”

6. W.K.1- Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book.
W.1.1- Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.

7. W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.
W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure with a list of reasons.
Provide reasons that support the opinion.
Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons.
Provide a concluding statement or section.

8. W.4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
Provide reasons that are supported by facts or details.
Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).
Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

9. W.5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts or details.
Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).
Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

10. Keep a Writer’s Notebook
Collection of thoughts
Be an observer
Make lists
Quick-writes
Reviews of movies & books
Feelings
Memories

11. What can we write about? Anything! Make it authentic: Possible Topics:
Favorites
Would you rather…
Which is best
Reviews (new toy on the market)
Possible Topics:
Best ice cream flavor
Favorite show/movie/book
Should we have a pet?
Should we save animals?
Best holiday
Would you rather pizza or spaghetti for dinner?

13. -Mary Ehrenworth, Parents as Writing Partners

14. -Mary Ehrenworth, Parents as Writing Partners

15. -Mary Ehrenworth, Parents as Writing Partners

16. Focus on the ideas in the writing not the mechanics
Keep the flow of writing going
Don’t critique every error
Help them think about capitalization and punctuation
Spelling: “Say the word slowly and write the sounds you hear.”
Teach them to circle words that they are unsure about and show them how to use tools to help them.

17. Questions/ Comments? What’s next?
What would you want to see in future workshops?
Would you be interested in more workshops to write side-by-side with your child?

18. Resources National Writing Project:
Writing Next Research:
EngageNY:
Ehrenworth, M. Parents as Reading Partners. Educational Leadership. (2014).
Scholastic:
National Council of Teachers of English: