Building Writing Fluency through Power Writing and Generative Writing February 16, 2009 9:55 – 11:20
Feb 22, 2016
Building Writing Fluency through
Power Writing and Generative Writing
February 16, 20099:55 – 11:20
Power Writing Session GoalsBy the end of this session you
will know :Two instructional strategies
to build writing fluency How to implement the
strategies quickly and improve sentence structure and syntax.
Power Writing Session GoalsBy the end of this session you
will know how to:Assess whether students can
produce meaningful units that are grammatically correct.
Implement the strategies across content areas to increase content, language, grammar, and vocabulary knowledge.
Power WritingScaffolded Writing
Instruction: Teaching with a Gradual-
Release Framework
by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey
Why Teach Power Writing?
build writing fluency
encourage students to get thoughts down on paper quickly
generate self-created material for students to revise
write on demand
District Curriculum MapsUse information and ideas from
other subject areas and personal experiences to form and express opinions and judgments
Recognize and use the standard rules of English as appropriate in formal and informal writing.
Construct effective paragraphs and texts
Apply appropriate parts of speech in written composition
Iowa Core CurriculumUses an effective writing processUses writing as a tool for learningEngages in the information
literacy process: accesses, evaluates, and communicates information and ideas
Is able to write on demand
Power Writing Objective: To build writing
fluencyActivity: Students participate in
quick, daily timed writing practice, which is repeated three times.
Level of Support: Moderate at the beginning working to small group and then independent activities.
Format: Whole class, small group, or individual student.
Power Writing Procedures
1) State a topic related to classroom activities.
2) Set timer for one minute.3) Instruct class to write as much as
they can on the topic in one minute.
4) When the timer rings, students count number of words written and circle any misspelled or grammatical errors.
Power Writing Procedures
5) Repeat these steps two more times.
6) After three cycles, students graph their best result of the day.
7) Students write personal goals i.e. By March 15, I would like to write at least 30 words per minute.
Power Writing
Let’s Try It!
Topic One
computer
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Topic Two
technology
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Topic Three
professionaldevelopment
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Power Writing
Student Work Samples
Video
Power Writing Small Group
Students need to be ready for less teacher support.
Container with topics prepared.TimerEasy access to graphsStudent leader to read topic and
set timer Follow up activity (if time
permits).
Power Writing ExtensionsPartners revise power writing.
Select one power write weekly to extend.
Revision for homework
Use as a story or picture book starter.
Power Writing Extensions
Students review for key words and create an open-verse poem – “found poem”.
Power Write Found Poem Happiness is walking
home with my mom. We spend it talking, talking, talking. I see my friends outside. All my sisters and brothers are inside the house. My mom and I are still talking. I’m happy because they care about me.
My MomWalking home
Talking, talking, talking
Friends outsideTalking, talking,
talkingSisters and brothers
insideTalking, talking, talkingThey all care about me
Power Writing in Your Classroom
Pair Share Activity◦Think of how you could implement
this into your classroom setting. (How often, how much time needed, preparation, would this work for you?)
◦Share with 1 -2 people at your table.◦Volunteers to share with whole
group.
Power Writing
Questions?
Generative Writing Session Goals
By the end of this session you will know :
An instructional strategies to build writing fluency
How to implement the strategy quickly to eliminate errors in sentence structure, subject/verb agreement, verb tense, and plurals.
Generative Writing Session Goals
By the end of this session you will know to :
Assess content, language, grammar, and vocabulary knowledge.
Implement the strategy across content areas to increase content, language, grammar, and vocabulary knowledge.
Why Teach Generative Writing?
Build sentence fluencyBuild word choiceDeepen understanding of
contentDeepen understanding of
vocabularyUse writing as a tool for
learningWrite in a variety of genres
District Curriculum Maps
Use information and ideas from other subject areas and personal experiences to form and express opinions and judgments
Recognize and use the standard rules of English as appropriate in formal and informal writing.
Construct effective paragraphs and texts
Apply appropriate parts of speech in written composition
Iowa Core CurriculumAdheres to conventions generally
established in spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage, syntax, and style
Uses writing as a tool for learningEngages in the information
literacy process: accesses, evaluates, and communicates information and ideas
Is able to write on demandCommunicates in a variety of
genres .
Generative WritingObjective: To compose written
messages based on given words.Activity: Given specific parameters,
students use their understanding of syntax and sentence structure to construct meaningful texts.
Level of Support: Moderate at the beginning working to small group and then independent activities.
Format: Whole class, small group, or individual student.
Generative Writing Procedures
Word Level – Sentence Level1) Teacher chooses words to
support curriculum.2) Students write words and
sentences following directions. 3) Words and sentences vary with
teacher chosen objective.4) Repeat new directions or extend
the writing.
Generative Writing Word Level
Providing a letter to create a word Sentence Level
Providing a word to be used Defining the word’s position in the
sentence Specifying the number of words in
a sentence Limiting the number of words in a
sentence Stating the sentence
pattern(syntax)
Generative Writing
Paragraph LevelSentence combiningTeach students to combine
sentences using conjunctions, phrase modifiers, or compound verbs and subjects.
Generative Writing
Let’s Try It!
Generative Writing Letter PlacingGenerative SentencesWord LimitingSentence Patterning
◦Parts of Speech◦Punctuation◦Elements of Style
Generative Writing
Student Work Samples
Video
Generative Writing Extensions
Syntax Surgery◦Developed by Adrienne Herrel ◦Students find and correct the
grammatical errors in their generative sentences.
◦Use small group or independently◦Write sentence on a strip of paper,
cutting apart the words, and reassembling the sentence in the correct order.
Word Pyramids◦Students expand writing vocabulary.
◦Students are given a theme or topic and asked to generate a list of related words.
◦Write words in pyramid style, beginning with a two letter word, and expanding by one additional letter in length until the student cannot generated anymore.
◦LET’S TRY IT!
Generative Writing Extensions
Small Group Explicit Instruction◦Use generative sentences in small
groups to work on missing skills in writing for your students.
◦Tape record instructions of generative sentences for students to complete in small group with a leader in charge of the recording.
◦Revise and expand generative sentences during Writer’s Workshop.
Generative Writing in Your Classroom
Pair Share Activity◦Think of how you could implement
this into your classroom setting. (How often, how much time needed, preparation, would this work for you?)
◦Share with 1 -2 people at your table.◦Volunteers to share with whole
group.
Generative Writing
Questions?