1. Narrative Writing: Techniques for Elementary Teachers
Writing Academy
July 28, 2010

2. How do you feel about writing?
Using your thumbs up cards, answer the following questions by holding your card:
- Up
- Down
- In between

3. How do you feel about writing?
I like to write.

4. How do you feel about writing?
I consider myself a good writer.

5. How do you feel about writing?
I like to teach writing
to my students.

6. How do you feel about writing?
I teach writing in class
on a regular basis.

7. How do you feel about writing?
I feel confident teaching writing to students.

8. How do you feel about writing?
I don’t think that I haven’t reached a point in time where I don’t feel not confident that I can’t not teach writing...

9. When we leave here today, we will have a better understanding of...
Writing instruction
School-wide program
Preparation for TCAP
At-risk student writing
Future of the narrative assessment ??

10. Writing Instruction: Two pieces of the puzzle
School-wide Writing Program
Preparing for the TCAP Writing Assessment

11. School-wide writing program
When should writing instruction start?
Writing instruction begins in 5th grade
Writing instruction REALLY begins in Pre-K and Kindergarten

12. School-wide writing program
Why should we have a school-wide writing program?
- creating confident writers is a developmental process
- shared responsibility

13. School-wide writing program
What does it look like?

14. School-wide writing program K - 4
Checklist
- Developed by Christine Love Thompson
In a nutshell:
5 skills per year
Each grade level builds upon previous skills
Point system
By 4th grade, students should reach 40 points
= score of 4 (proficiency)

15. School-wide writing program K - 4
Every 2-6 weeks
Every 6-9 weeks
Process vs. Product
rough draft
graded draft
corrected draft
snapshot of ability
where we’ll see the most growth
interventions

16. Application of the Checklist
School-wide Writing Program
Process Writing: Is it...?
Prewriting
Are we done writing yet?
Writing
The missing piece
Rewriting

17. Application of the Checklist
School-wide Writing Program
Process Writing: Connection to Six Traits
Prewriting
Ideas
Drafting
Organization, Voice
Revising
Word Choice, Sentence Fluency
Editing
Conventions
Publishing
Presentation

18. Application of the Checklist
School-wide Writing Program
Teaching the Traits through picture books
Northern Nevada Writing Project
writingfix.com

19. Preparing for the TCAP Assessment 5th Grade
Writing Assessment
Think back to the role of K-4
40 = 4(proficient)
What is the instructional role of 5th grade?

20. Preparing for the TCAP Assessment 5th Grade
Writing Assessment
Now we’re thinking
How can we get there?

21. Preparing for the TCAP Assessment 5th Grade
Writing Assessment
Show your voice
Figurative language
First-person
Syntactic variety
Juicy vocabulary
Conclude your story
REREAD and revise
Pre-write
Start with a BANG!
Restate prompt in your introduction
Organize your writing
Past tense
Limit conversation
Audience

22. Preparing for the TCAP Assessment 5th Grade
Writing Assessment
Now didn’t that just turn out perfectly?
All students have the same writing ability.
There’s no need to differentiate.
If you follow this plan, all of your writing dreams will come true.
Comments, anyone?

23. Preparing for the TCAP Assessment Struggling Writers
Writing Assessment
Refer back to your “thumbs up” card.
I consider myself a good writer.

24. Preparing for the TCAP Assessment Struggling Writers
Writing Assessment
Writing framework option
Skills-based writing program
Writers’ Workshop
Lunch and Learn
Goal: Score a 4 or more...

25. Treasure Map to a 4

26. The Future of TCAP Writing Assessment?
NAEP
National Assessment of
Educational Progress
Gives states information on the performance of their students compared to students in other states and the nation as a whole

27. NAEP Writing Assessment
Who takes NAEP?
A sample of students at grades 4, 8, and 12
All 50 states represented
Students selected represent the geographic, racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of each state’s student body

28. The Future of TCAP Writing?
Possible changes coming down the road:
Writing form: not necessarily a narrative
To persuade
To explain
To convey experience, real or imagined
Student prompt choice
Use of graphics to enhance the prompt

29. The Future of TCAP Writing?
Don’t panic!
What this tells us:
Importance of teaching writing as a developmental process
Importance of exposure to variety of texts
Ample opportunity for modeled instruction and individual practice
Importance of feedback

30. Let’s take a break and come back together to learn all about the mysteries of the state scoring process