What is Writing across the Curriculum? Writing across the curriculum (WAC) is an approach that attempts to weave writing into ALL content areas and increase.

What is Writing across the What is Writing across the Curriculum?Curriculum?

• Writing across the curriculum Writing across the curriculum (WAC) is an approach that (WAC) is an approach that attempts to weave writing into ALL attempts to weave writing into ALL content areas and increase the content areas and increase the frequency of student writing.frequency of student writing.

Two approachesTwo approaches

1.1. Learning to write: formal papers Learning to write: formal papers prepared over a few weeks or prepared over a few weeks or even monthseven months

2.2. Writing to learn: Short, Writing to learn: Short, impromptu, informal writing tasks impromptu, informal writing tasks that help students think through that help students think through key concepts presented in classkey concepts presented in class

RESEARCHRESEARCH

• Research indicates students need Research indicates students need “substantial time devoted to “substantial time devoted to writing and multiple opportunities writing and multiple opportunities to write across the school day” to write across the school day” (Egawa 1998).(Egawa 1998).

““Through writing, EVERY student has Through writing, EVERY student has an opportunity to respond, to an opportunity to respond, to participate, to learn ACTIVELY participate, to learn ACTIVELY rather than passively and to think rather than passively and to think independently” (Allen 1992).independently” (Allen 1992).

“ “ Students learn by writing. Studies Students learn by writing. Studies show that writing increases recall and show that writing increases recall and understanding of information. When understanding of information. When students organize their ideas through students organize their ideas through writing, the information makes more writing, the information makes more sense to them” (Fortescue 1994).sense to them” (Fortescue 1994).

The National Commission on Writing The National Commission on Writing confirms an “impressive positive confirms an “impressive positive correlation between the frequency correlation between the frequency of informative writing assessments of informative writing assessments and academic achievement in and academic achievement in every subject area.” (2003)every subject area.” (2003)

Benefits to teachersBenefits to teachers

Helps you:Helps you:• Monitor student progressMonitor student progress• Gain a sense of student confusion about Gain a sense of student confusion about

key ideaskey ideas• See gaps in instruction and learningSee gaps in instruction and learning• Pinpoint strengths and weaknessesPinpoint strengths and weaknesses• Adjust instructionAdjust instruction

GOALS: PERRY LOCAL GOALS: PERRY LOCAL SCHOOLSSCHOOLS

• 100% graduation for all students100% graduation for all students

• Prepare ALL students to be Prepare ALL students to be successful in post secondary successful in post secondary education and/or the workforceeducation and/or the workforce

What do college What do college professors have to say ?professors have to say ?

• College instructors estimate that College instructors estimate that 50 percent of college students are 50 percent of college students are not adequately prepared to do not adequately prepared to do college-level math or writing. college-level math or writing. (Achieve, Inc., 2005)(Achieve, Inc., 2005)

• Nearly 70 percent of humanities Nearly 70 percent of humanities and social science professors are and social science professors are dissatisfied with the quality of dissatisfied with the quality of students’ writing. (Achieve, Inc., students’ writing. (Achieve, Inc., 2005)2005)

• Only 6 percent of professors say Only 6 percent of professors say students are very well prepared in students are very well prepared in writing. (Achieve, Inc, 2005)writing. (Achieve, Inc, 2005)

• The two areas that instructors most The two areas that instructors most wish high schools would do a better wish high schools would do a better job preparing their students for are job preparing their students for are writing and mathematics. (Achieve, writing and mathematics. (Achieve, Inc. 2005)Inc. 2005)

What are employers What are employers saying?saying?

• Writing is the essential skill Writing is the essential skill students need as they enter adult students need as they enter adult life. Society is concerned with life. Society is concerned with OUTPUT, what people can do with OUTPUT, what people can do with information once they have information once they have acquired it. Writing is OUTPUT. acquired it. Writing is OUTPUT. (Peha, 2003)(Peha, 2003)

• The research indicates that the The research indicates that the preparation gaps cut across a preparation gaps cut across a range of core skill and range of core skill and knowledge areas – most knowledge areas – most notably work habits, ability to notably work habits, ability to read and understand read and understand complicated materials, and complicated materials, and math, science and math, science and writing writing skillsskills. (Achieve, Inc. 2005). (Achieve, Inc. 2005)

• For those going into the workforce, For those going into the workforce, the expectation is that they can the expectation is that they can write clearly for a variety of write clearly for a variety of purposes…since communication purposes…since communication skills are increasingly important in skills are increasingly important in all areas of employment. (Vermont all areas of employment. (Vermont Business Roundtable, 1995)Business Roundtable, 1995)

• In a 2002 survey of 251 employers, In a 2002 survey of 251 employers, 73% reported that graduates’ 73% reported that graduates’ writing skills were “poor” or “fair”. writing skills were “poor” or “fair”. (Public Agenda, 2002)(Public Agenda, 2002)

Whose responsibility?Whose responsibility?

• When content area teachers When content area teachers incorporate writing in all areas of incorporate writing in all areas of the curriculum…students benefit in the curriculum…students benefit in three ways:three ways:

1)1) Students have a resource for Students have a resource for better understanding contentbetter understanding content

2)2) Students practice a technique Students practice a technique which aids retentionwhich aids retention

3)3) Students begin to write better.Students begin to write better.

(Walker, 1988; Kurfiss, 1985)(Walker, 1988; Kurfiss, 1985)

• ““Content teachers, your responsibility is Content teachers, your responsibility is two-fold: to teach skills unique to the two-fold: to teach skills unique to the subject matter and to teach students subject matter and to teach students how to use reading and writing to learn how to use reading and writing to learn subject matter content” (2003, 3).subject matter content” (2003, 3).

• You undoubtedly already implement You undoubtedly already implement WAC to some degreeWAC to some degree

The Question is:The Question is:

How can you using writing in your How can you using writing in your classroom more INTENTIONALLY?classroom more INTENTIONALLY?

Discussion starters for Discussion starters for your study groupsyour study groups

• WHENWHEN is it best to use these is it best to use these strategies in a class period?strategies in a class period?

• WHATWHAT types of writing activities will types of writing activities will work best in our content area?work best in our content area?

• WHATWHAT will students write on? will students write on?

• HOWHOW will we grade or provide will we grade or provide feedback?feedback?

• HOWHOW will we use the writing? will we use the writing?

• HOWHOW do we manage the do we manage the paperwork?paperwork?

HOWHOW do we keep this SIMPLE and do we keep this SIMPLE and• ONGOINGONGOING• INTENTIONALINTENTIONAL• BENEFICIALBENEFICIAL• MANAGABLEMANAGABLE

The goal of instruction should be The goal of instruction should be “to help students learn content “to help students learn content while developing the literacy and while developing the literacy and thinking skills necessary to become thinking skills necessary to become independent, lifelong learners” independent, lifelong learners” (Stephens and brown, 2000, 2).(Stephens and brown, 2000, 2).