1. Jean Schumaker Bev Colombo 2014 Center for Research on Learning
Teaching the Writing Strategies in General Education Classes: Lessons Learned
Jean Schumaker
Bev Colombo
2014
Center for Research on Learning

2. Issues and Solutions
Put in issues and solutions from handout

3. Teachers Do not Understand the Big Picture

4. Information can have structure much like a house has a structure or frame.

5. Just like different kinds of houses have different kinds of structures,
Different kinds of information can have different structures.

6. Information can have different kinds of structures much like there are different kinds of houses.
Structures can be created for amorphous conglomerations of information.

7. All houses have building blocks, or materials, that are put together in different ways.
Information/language has building blocks, too.

8. The Building Blocks of Language
Subjects & Verbs, Prepositions, Infinitives
Clauses: Independent & Dependent
Sentences: Simple, Compound, Complex, & Compound-complex, Topic Sentence, Thesis Statement, Topic/Transition Sentence, Concluding Transition Sentence, Clincher Sentence
Paragraphs: Introductory, Detail, Concluding Paragraphs

9. Ways to Put Building Blocks Together
Narrative Essays
Persuasive Essays
Informative Essays

10. Growth Occurs With Practice
Just like a beginning carpenter starts with building a small item, a beginning writer starts with writing something small and easy.
They both might create something that is “clunky.”
A beginning carpenter is not expected to build a mansion.
A beginning writer is not expected to win the Pulitzer Prize.

11. Generalization and Creativity only occur after the basic skills and building blocks have been mastered.

12. Our Goals
To teach beginning writers the building blocks they need to begin to write.
To give them sufficient practice so that they can be more and more independent and creative as writers.

13. The Programs Are Too Formulaic
Connect the Common Core Standards to the building blocks and the structures
Resources:
Common Core ppt.
Common Core charts
Common Core lists

14. Too Many Practice Sentences
Proficiency in the Sentence Writing Strategy: Volume 2
Slate activities

15. Balance Lively Instruction with Insisting on Mastery
Learning stations: Some are mastery activities
“Learn by Doing” Activities used as mastery tickets
Compilation of “Learn by Doing” Activities used as mastery test

16. Teachers Insist on a Set Format
Discuss the various formats that can be used and emphasize that these formats provide room for creativity and variety
Resources:
• The Introductory Options
• The Concluding Options
• The paragraph structures
• The Subtopic Structure
• The Open Structure
• The Lead-off/Follow-up Structure

17. Teachers Do Not Score Products
Require up-to-date student notebooks
Require scoring of mastery attempts
Hold regular meetings for sharing and scoring products
Regular individual meetings for progress reports

18. Teachers Use Rubrics Instead of Score Sheets
Have a meeting where everyone scores with a rubric and everyone scores with a score sheet.
Compare the scores of a rubric to the scores derived from a score sheet.
Discuss the message the student receives with each.
Discuss the types of feedback that are possible with each.

19. Teachers Don’t Require Editing
Emphasize Process Writing Approach which requires editing.
Have the students use the Code Lists.
• Code List for Paragraphs
• Code List for Themes

20. Expectations for This Year
R evision
A ccountability
I deation
Z ero tolerance
E valuation

21. Teachers Complain about the Time that Writing Instruction Takes
Tier 2 and Tier 3 Instruction put in place
Content Enhancement used with literature to give students ideas for their themes
Make Sense Strategies used with literature to give students ideas for themes

22. Teachers Do Not Know How to Write Prompts for Writing Assignments
Example prompt:
What was your favorite short story this year?

23. Teach Teachers How to Write Prompts
Provide a prompt that at least hints about the subtopics the students should choose
Include
• The type of writing
• The length of the product
• The style to use
• Requirements: references, in-text citations, quotations

24. Teachers Are Not Sure How to Engage Students
How can we actively engage students in writing instruction and make the experience more fun and motivating?

25. Sentence Writing Strategy

26. Noun/Subject Sorting Activity
Copy on paper or cardstock,
Use a variety of colors,
Laminate,
Cut apart, and
Store in ziploks or envelopes.
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

28. Verb Sorting Activity Action Verb, p. 13
A word that shows the action of the subject of the sentence.
Examples:
Body Actions Mind Actions
walk think
run want
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

30. STAND UP SUBJECT/VERB QUIZ
Directions:
Listen to the sentence.
If the numbered word is a subject, stand up.
If it is a verb, sit down.
thinking 4. collect 7. running
forest 5. happiness 8. whistle
tickle 6. rent 9. holiday
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

31. LINKING VERB WALK-AROUND ACTIVITY
Directions:
Find two other people whose words, together
with your word, form a complete sentence
containing a linking verb.
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

32. Special School District of St. Louis County, MO
Students are Engaged!!
White boards
Response Cards
Verbal
Group, Partner, Individual
notetaking
Mary Ellen O'Hare, Instructional Facilitator

33. Special School District of St. Louis County, MO
6 Traits Carousel Walk
1. Write an SV sentence & Search & Check -“rotate”.
2. Change the SV to an SVV - Search & Check - “rotate”
3. Rewrite SVV with more powerful words - Search & Check -“rotate”
4. Change the SVV to a I,c I or I;I
5. Share
Each person stands at a blank poster with different colored markers. After each step, rotate.
Visit Kagan website to study cooperative learning structures
Mary Ellen O'Hare, Instructional Facilitator

34. Paragraph Writing Strategy
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/98

35. Topic Sentence Practice
1A & 2A
White boards
Response cards
3A – writing topic sentences

36. Topic Sentences 1A
Brenda worked for years to become a newspaper reporter. She studied hard in school, and she earned good grades. Working at night for a local paper, she learned all of the jobs that one can do on a newspaper. After Brenda graduated, she applied to several newspapers. Finally, she was hired by the “Ice Line” newspaper in Alaska.
Entering high school for the first time can be an adventure. First, the building is so large that it can be a challenge to find all of the classrooms. Second, meeting new people can lead to making new friends and dating. Next, managing the time needed to study and to participate in activities is often challenging. Beginning high school is an adventure that most people remember for the rest of their lives.

37. Topic Sentences 2A General, Clueing or Specific?
Fall is a beautiful season of the year.
Jack needed four kinds of tools to take care of his yard.
General Washington and his men prepared to cross the Delaware in several ways.
The arrival of my first paycheck changed my whole way of living.
High school activities you can join include sports teams, pep club, and student council.

38. General, Clueing or Specific?
6. A bird can use a variety of materials to build a nest.
When he looked through the microscope, he saw three microbes.
Holidays in my family are celebrated with food, music, and traditions.
Music heals the soul.
The U.S. economy has declined for several reasons.

39. Writing Topic Sentences Consensus Map
There are many kinds Kansas has many of trees. beautiful trees. In Kansas several kinds Several spectacular of trees show their trees grow in Kansas. gorgeous colors in the fall.

41. Language of Sentence Writing
Simple
Compound
Complex
Compound-complex
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

42. Teachers Do Not Know the Building Blocks Themselves

43. Type #1: Simple Sentence
A simple sentence has one independent clause
Independent Clause
A group of words that
makes a complete statement
has a subject and a verb

44. 2. Paris
4. African Safari
1. Hawaii
3. Cruise
5. Camping

45. Simple Sentence FormulasSV
The bear knocked over the tent.
SSV
John and Lisa went to a luau.
SVV
Paul saw a lion and ran back to the jeep.
SSVV
Michael and his daughter climbed the Eiffel Tower and took photos from the top.

46. What was your favorite part of the trip? Write an SV to answer.
Then turn your SV into an SSV,
SVV, and an SSVV.
Example:
- We went scuba diving. (SV)
- My friend and I went scuba diving. (SSV)
- I went scuba diving and saw a shark. (SVV)
- My friend and I went scuba diving and saw a
shark. (SSVV)

47. Enhancing an SSVV…
SSVV – The mischievous little boy and his six- year-old sister ran across the street and jumped into a giant pile of leaves.
SSVV – Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were passionate about women’s rights and spent their lives fighting for women’s right to vote.

48. The Challenge
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

49. Type #2: Compound Sentence
A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses.
Examples:
The students finished class, and they went to lunch.
Kevin did not want to hurt Kathy's feelings, so he said nothing about her mistake.
I want to see my sister soon, for she has been in Switzerland for two years.
Relate to compound sentence
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

50. Compound Sentence Formulas
I;I
I,cI

51. Coordinating Conjunction
A word that is used with a comma to join two independent clauses.
, for , but
, and , or
, nor , yet
, so
Look at meaning of each…which ones do kids use most…may have speech teacher work on meanings
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

52. Semicolons
Semicolons (;) can also be used to join the two independent clauses of a compound sentence.
Examples:
Susan loves to swim; her brother likes to dive.
Jason was highly respected; he was always such a responsible person.
The meeting was over; it was already midnight.