Improving writing across the curriculum

Alana Madgwickalanamadgwick@gmail.com

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IMPROVING WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

So'o le fau i le fauTranslation: Join the hibiscus fibre to hibiscus fibre; Unity is strength.

KNOW YOUR LEARNER• Using the two pieces of

string, make the North & South Island

• Write on the post-its three places that have special meaning to you. Place the three post-its in or outside of NZ.

• In groups share each place and why it is important to you.

WHAT IS WRITING?• “Creating meaningful text for a specific

audience and purpose that has specific style and conventions”

WHAT IS WRITING?“Creating meaningful text for a specific audience and purpose that has specific style and conventions”

“WRITING FLOWS FROM A SEA OF TALK”

PRINCIPLE VS STRATEGY• What is the difference?

PRINCIPLES VS STRATEGIES

• A principle is a law or rule. In this case the rule that is based on ‘How students learn’.

• A strategy is the plan of action /method that we want students to use independently of us.

• There can be many strategies that relate to one principle.

PRINCIPLE VS STRATEGY• Teachers across different subjects can use

different strategies that exemplify the same principle. E.g activating prior knowledge is a principle. Strategies could be anticipatory reading guide, post-box, vocabulary jumble, brain-storm…

• One strategy can exemplify many principles. E.g. jigsaw reading is a strategy that helps students make links between reading and writing, develop key comprehension skills and build oral language development.

HOW CAN WE HELP SPONGEBOB?

ACTIVATE YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Let’s find out what you already know.Using a post-box activityPurpose: To activate your prior knowledge (and can also help develop summarising skills)• There are questions around the room- using your

post-its, individually answer each question, stick on the question.

• In pairs summarise the main ideas and be prepared to share back to group (You can summarise any way you like! Be creative.)

STRATEGY: CONCEPT CIRCLE

Purpose: To think critically about how these words are connected.Task:1. Discuss in your groups how your four words are connected.2. Write a sentence that uses 3 or 4 of the words.

Content / Ideas

Audi

ence

/Pu

rpos

e

Stru

ctur

e/Or

gani

satio

n

Voca

bula

ry/

Lang

uage

fe

atur

es

Think like a writer

How can I make my writing better?

MODELING: SET UP A PURPOSE FOR WRITING WITH A SPECIFIC AUDIENCE

• Watch a you-tube clip• In groups of four you will be given a

writing task• You need to present back to the whole

group your written response• After listening to everyone, you will go

back to your groups and co-construct some success criteria for your writing.

Thanks to Cindy Wynn, Team Solutions for this idea

DEMONSTRATE UNDERSTANDING OF ART WORKS FROM MAORI AND OTHER CULTURAL CONTEXTS USING ART TERMINOLOGY

• A level 1 Art (Literacy) Achievement Standard

TASK A: INVESTIGATE AND ANALYSE.Find out as much information as possible about each of the art works and collect this in your visual diary. You might find information from exhibition catalogues and websites, a gallery educator, and books about the artists.

TASK C: Present your findings using Art terminology. Consider the following questions as a starterto each of your paragraphs of your essay:

• How and why do artists represent the figure in their work?• How and why are there differences between how Maori and other artists approach to representing the figure?

SEVEN PRINCIPLES FOR EVIDENCE-BASED TEACHING (GEOFF PETTY)1. Students must see the value of learning2. Students must believe they can do it3. Challenging goals4. Feedback and dialogue on progress

towards the goal5. Establish the structure of information and

so its meaning6. Time and repetition7. Teach skills as well as content

JOIN THE SECONDARY LITERACY MAILING LISThttp://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/Literacy-Online/Community-discussions/Secondary-Literacy/Secondary-Literacy-Community-Guidelines

So'o le fau i le fauTranslation: Join the hibiscus fibre to hibiscus fibre; Unity is strength.On your petal, write one key idea that you have learnt from this session.

Glue and make a hibiscus.

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References:Writing Next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools (PDF) (Graham and Perin, 2007)

http://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/Literacy-Online/Community-discussions/Secondary-Literacy/Secondary-Literacy-Community-Guidelines.(Join the Secondary Literacy online mailing list)Petty G. 2009. Evidence-Based Teaching, Nelson Thornes London