Shared writing

SHARED WRITING

Sushree MishraEducational Consultant

Shared WritingOverview of the presentation

• Shared Writing

What is shared writing?

Steps in shared writing

Role of teacher

Role of student

Time taken for shared writing and materials needed• Why is shared writing important?• Example of shared writing• How can it be used with students?• The ultimate goal of shared writing• References

What is shared writing?

Shared writing is an instructional approach to teach writing to students by writing with them. The idea is to teach writing through writing. The process of writing is demonstrated by the teacher through a ‘write aloud’ process. The teacher acts as a scribe while the students contribute ideas. In other words, the pen is always in the teacher’s hand.

Steps in shared writing

• Teacher establishes purpose of shared writing session• Teacher brainstorms ideas with a student or whole class• Teacher chooses one idea out of many with students• Teacher invites students to elaborate on the idea• Teacher and students compose the text together

-Teacher models the process of writing

-Teacher focuses on specific elements of writing

-Teacher and students revise the text together• Celebrate writing by publishing, reading aloud, sharing it

with the class

Steps in shared writing

Role of the student

Role of the teacher

Establish the purpose of writing

Student listens and participates in the talk

Teacher establishes the purpose of writing E.g.: writing a narrative piece, exercising imagination, writing poems, using descriptive words

Brainstorm ideas together

Students contribute ideas

Teacher records the ideas on a chart paper

Choose ‘a’ topic Zero down on one idea to write about

Teachers helps decide which idea to choose.

Elaborate on ideas Elaborates on the ideas

Teacher helps elaborate by asking guided questions – What else do you think you can add? What might make it sound better? etc.

Model the process of writing

Student answers teacher’s questions, gives his/her opinion on what teacher says

Teacher explicitly models the writing process. Teacher explains each decision she makes and the reasons for the same. For example, if focus is on using descriptive words, and teacher uses one word over other, she explains the reason for it. She also invites student’s opinions: Which sounds better – this word or that? Why?

Steps in shared writing

Role of the student

Role of the teacher

Model the process of writing

Student answers teacher’s questions, gives his/her opinion on what teacher says.

Re-reads the sentences before writing them down, to provide students with insights on how to compose a sentence.

Reads sentences over and over again to ensure flow of sentences. Asks students, ‘Now does it sound better. “

Provides enough wait time for students to think and respond.

If students find it challenging to respond, teacher asks guided questions to elicit responses.

Teaches different genres of writing and explicitly models the structure during this stage.

Steps in shared writing Role of the student

Role of the teacher

Revise together Student participates in the discussion with teacher/peers.

Teacher reads the text and asks the students, ‘Does the text flow well? Can I add more sentences to make it sound better? Can I add more detail?

Final piece Student reads it aloud to the teacher

Teacher reviews all the elements of writing addressed during the session.

Celebrate writing Students share it with the class through classroom newsletters, with parents, class blogs, writing journals.

Teachers provides means/ideas to the students to share their writing and provides positive reinforcement by highlighting their strengths in writing- creativity, good use of verbs, variety in sentence structure, etc.

Setting, time taken and materials used

SettingInformal

In a safe and comfortable environment

In the class or at home

Time taken 15-20 minutes per session

Materials usedMarkers, chart papers, magnets, rulers

Why is shared writing important?Regie Routman (1994) lists several benefits of utilizing

the shared writing strategy with students. Some of these include the recognition that shared writing:• Reinforces and supports reading as well as writing• Makes it possible for all students to participate• Encourages close examination of texts, words, and options of

authors• Demonstrates the conventions of writing-spelling, punctuation, and

grammar• Focuses on composing and leaves transcribing to the teacher

(quoted from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/reading-and-language-arts/skill-builder/48883.html)

Helps build motivation and increases confidence in struggling readers.

It is a step towards independent writing

Example of Shared Writing• Student’s name: Mac• Grade: 3• Teacher: Sushree• Purpose of the session: Exercising imagination to write a

free verse poem• Time taken for the session: 20 minutes• Materials used: Paper, pen• Setting: One-on-one

Source of the idea: Pg. 57, Exercising the imagination, Craft Lessons: Teaching Writing K-8, Ralph Fletcher, Joann Portalupi.

Writing a poem together• Discussed purpose of the session – writing a free verse

poem together, exercising imagination, understanding how a poem is different from prose

• Brainstormed ideas for poem together.• Zeroed in on - What if….• Chose one topic from the list Mac suggested – What if I

was a tree• Elaborated on the idea using mind map.

Elaborating on the idea chosen

What If I was a tree

Give shade to people

Make house, boat for people

Make painting for my friend

The smaller circles represent the ideas listed by Mac.

First draft

If I was a tree

I would make shade for people

I would make house for people

I would make boats for people

I would make paintings with branches

We decided to add details to this poem. We then elaborated on each idea. I asked him these questions: WHY do you want to make shade for people? WHY do you want to make houses for people? WHY do you want to make boats for people? WHY do you want to make paintings with branches?

The idea was to elicit further responses from Mac and make his thinking more visible.

Second draftIf I was a tree

I would make shade for people

So they won’t be hot anymore

And they could be happy

If I was a tree

I would make house for people

So they won’t be homeless

If I was a tree

I would make boats for people

So they could sail to ocean

If I was a tree

I would make paintings with branches

And gift it to my friend

So he could sell the painting

And get money

The lines in red represent the additions made. Then I asked Mac, ‘Do you think it is a good idea to add the line – and they could be happy’ to the other stanzas too?’ Mac said, ‘Yes, that sounds better. The repetition sounds good.’

Final draftIf I was a tree

I would make shade for people

So they won’t be homeless

And they could be happy

If I was a tree

I would make house for people

So they won’t be homeless

And they could be happy

If I was a tree

I would make boats for people

So they could sail to ocean

And they could be happy

If I was a tree

I would make paintings with branches

And gift it to my friend

So he could sell the painting

And get money

And he could be happy

Mac’s illustration – Can you guess what is happening here?

How can shared writing be used with students?

• One-on-one with struggling students• As a whole class activity• With partners, collaboration with peers• As a part of writer’s workshops• At home with parents• Making lists, making cards, greeting, morning messages

in class, classroom newsletters

The ultimate goal of shared writing is to get students motivated to write more, write better and write independently.

References• Fletcher R. and Portalupi J., Craft lessons: Teaching Writing K-8, Second

Edition, Stenhouse Publishes.• Payne C. D and Schulman M. B., Getting the most out of morning message

and other shared writing , Scholastic.• Cohen V. L. and Cowan J. E., Literacy for children in an information age:

Teaching Reading, Writing, and Thinking, First Edition, Wadsworth Publishing.

• Burkhardt R. M., Writing for real: Strategies for Engaging Adolescent Writers, Stenhouse Publishers.

• http://www.teachervision.fen.com/reading-and-language-arts/skill-builder/48883.html

• http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/LA/0783-jan01/LA0783Reading.pdf

• http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/shared-writing-30686.html

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