Written Composition Instruction TE 846 Learning Module 8.

Written Composition InstructionWritten Composition Instruction

TE 846TE 846

Learning Module 8Learning Module 8

What are Attributes of Effective Writing What are Attributes of Effective Writing Instruction?Instruction?

a predictable routine that permits each student to become comfortable with the writing a predictable routine that permits each student to become comfortable with the writing process and move through the process over a sustained period of time at his/her own process and move through the process over a sustained period of time at his/her own raterate

a focus on authentic writing tasks and meaningful writing experiences for personal and a focus on authentic writing tasks and meaningful writing experiences for personal and collective expression, reflection, inquiry, discovery, and social changecollective expression, reflection, inquiry, discovery, and social change

a common language for shared expectations and feedback regarding writing quality (e.g., a common language for shared expectations and feedback regarding writing quality (e.g., traits)traits)

lessons designed to help students master craft elements (e.g., text structure, character lessons designed to help students master craft elements (e.g., text structure, character development), writing skills (e.g., spelling, punctuation), and process strategies (e.g., development), writing skills (e.g., spelling, punctuation), and process strategies (e.g., planning and revising tactics)planning and revising tactics)

procedural supports such as conferences, planning forms and charts, checklists for procedural supports such as conferences, planning forms and charts, checklists for revision/editing, and computer tools for removing transcription barriersrevision/editing, and computer tools for removing transcription barriers

a sense of community in which: (a) risks are supported; (b) children and teachers are a sense of community in which: (a) risks are supported; (b) children and teachers are viewed as writers; (c) personal ownership is expected; and (d) collaboration is a viewed as writers; (c) personal ownership is expected; and (d) collaboration is a cornerstone of the programcornerstone of the program

integration of writing instruction with reading instruction and content area instruction integration of writing instruction with reading instruction and content area instruction (e.g., use of touchstone texts to guide genre study, use of common themes across the (e.g., use of touchstone texts to guide genre study, use of common themes across the curriculum, maintaining learning notebooks in math and science classes)curriculum, maintaining learning notebooks in math and science classes)

a cadre of trained volunteers to respond to, encourage, coach, and celebrate children’s a cadre of trained volunteers to respond to, encourage, coach, and celebrate children’s writing, which helps classroom teachers give more feedback and potentially individualize writing, which helps classroom teachers give more feedback and potentially individualize their instructiontheir instruction

resident writers and guest authors who share their expertise, struggles, and successes resident writers and guest authors who share their expertise, struggles, and successes so that children and teachers have positive role models and develop a broader sense of so that children and teachers have positive role models and develop a broader sense of writing as craftwriting as craft

opportunities for teachers to upgrade and expand their own conceptions of writing, the opportunities for teachers to upgrade and expand their own conceptions of writing, the writing process, and how children learn to write, primarily through professional writing process, and how children learn to write, primarily through professional development activities, but also through being an active member of a writing community development activities, but also through being an active member of a writing community (e.g., National Writing Project)(e.g., National Writing Project)

What are Attributes of Quality Writing Workshop?What are Attributes of Quality Writing Workshop?

STUDENT WORK:STUDENT WORK: there are frequent opportunities for students to regulate their writing behaviors, the writing there are frequent opportunities for students to regulate their writing behaviors, the writing

environment, and the use of resourcesenvironment, and the use of resources daily writing occurs at school and home with students working on a wide range of daily writing occurs at school and home with students working on a wide range of

composing tasks for multiple authentic audiences and purposescomposing tasks for multiple authentic audiences and purposes students select their own writing topics or may modify teacher assignments, which are students select their own writing topics or may modify teacher assignments, which are

compatible with students’ interestscompatible with students’ interests students work through the writing process at their own pacestudents work through the writing process at their own pace students present work in progress as well as completed papers to other students in and out students present work in progress as well as completed papers to other students in and out

of the classroom to receive praise and feedbackof the classroom to receive praise and feedback students’ written work is prominently displayed in the classroom and throughout the schoolstudents’ written work is prominently displayed in the classroom and throughout the school

INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH:INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH: teachers intentionally adjust their instructional emphasis on meaning, form, and process to teachers intentionally adjust their instructional emphasis on meaning, form, and process to

meet individual students’ needs meet individual students’ needs instruction covers a broad range of knowledge, skills, and strategies, including writing instruction covers a broad range of knowledge, skills, and strategies, including writing

conventions, sentence and text structure, the functions and forms of writing, and planning conventions, sentence and text structure, the functions and forms of writing, and planning and revisingand revising

teachers overtly model the writing process, writing strategies and skills, and positive teachers overtly model the writing process, writing strategies and skills, and positive attitudes toward writing during teacher-directed mini-lessons attitudes toward writing during teacher-directed mini-lessons

follow-up instruction is provided to ensure mastery of target knowledge, skills, and follow-up instruction is provided to ensure mastery of target knowledge, skills, and strategiesstrategies

ROUTINES:ROUTINES: a predictable routine typically entails a mini-lesson, then an individual progress check, a predictable routine typically entails a mini-lesson, then an individual progress check,

followed by independent writing and conferencing, and finally group sharingfollowed by independent writing and conferencing, and finally group sharing regular student-teacher conferences are scheduled to discuss progress, establish writing regular student-teacher conferences are scheduled to discuss progress, establish writing

goals and self-evaluation criteria, and provide individualized feedback, all in the context of goals and self-evaluation criteria, and provide individualized feedback, all in the context of high expectationshigh expectations

cooperative arrangements are established where students help one another plan, draft, cooperative arrangements are established where students help one another plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish their written workrevise, edit, and publish their written work

teachers arrange for periodic conferences and frequent communication with families to teachers arrange for periodic conferences and frequent communication with families to discuss the writing program and students’ progressdiscuss the writing program and students’ progress

How to Teach WritingHow to Teach Writing

Writing Process (e.g., Writers' Workshop)Writing Process (e.g., Writers' Workshop)

composing processes (planning, drafting, revising/editing, and publishing) are composing processes (planning, drafting, revising/editing, and publishing) are overlapping and recursive overlapping and recursive

to the degree that lower-level processes (e.g., text transcription, spelling) are automatized, to the degree that lower-level processes (e.g., text transcription, spelling) are automatized, more cognitive resources can be devoted to meaning construction more cognitive resources can be devoted to meaning construction

students should be given time every day (close to one hour) for sustained writing and students should be given time every day (close to one hour) for sustained writing and should be encouraged to work on a piece over several sessions should be encouraged to work on a piece over several sessions

writing journals are a staple writing journals are a staple model the writing process and strategic thinking for students model the writing process and strategic thinking for students establish authentic purposes and real audiences for writing establish authentic purposes and real audiences for writing use mini-lessons, individual conferences, and teachable moments to teach specific skills use mini-lessons, individual conferences, and teachable moments to teach specific skills

as the need arises and within the context of current writing activities as the need arises and within the context of current writing activities a sense of community should be established bya sense of community should be established by

arranging the environment so that minimal teacher direction is needed for students to arranging the environment so that minimal teacher direction is needed for students to engage in writing activitiesengage in writing activities

de-emphasizing the role of the teacher as expertde-emphasizing the role of the teacher as expert ensuring that students feel that they can take risks ensuring that students feel that they can take risks

permit students to select their own topics, but model and encourage writing on more permit students to select their own topics, but model and encourage writing on more challenging topics or using more sophisticated text structures that require information challenging topics or using more sophisticated text structures that require information gathering gathering

the teacher should not be the sole audience; peer collaboration and sharing/publishing the teacher should not be the sole audience; peer collaboration and sharing/publishing are used to help students incorporate the feedback and writing styles of others into their are used to help students incorporate the feedback and writing styles of others into their writing writing

encourage students to continue to plan as they draft encourage students to continue to plan as they draft students should focus on content rather than form when drafting students should focus on content rather than form when drafting revising for clarity and coherence should precede editing for mechanics revising for clarity and coherence should precede editing for mechanics

Explicit Skills and Strategies InstructionExplicit Skills and Strategies Instruction explicitly teach rhetorical knowledge explicitly teach rhetorical knowledge explicitly teach transcription skills such as handwriting and spellingexplicitly teach transcription skills such as handwriting and spelling

handwriting instruction should emphasizehandwriting instruction should emphasizecorrect graspcorrect grasppaper positioningpaper positioningletter formation and spacingletter formation and spacingcomparing a letter with other letters, tracing letters, copying letters, comparing a letter with other letters, tracing letters, copying letters, and writing letters from memoryand writing letters from memoryjudicious review and feedback once a letter form is acquiredjudicious review and feedback once a letter form is acquiredself-monitoring and evaluation of performanceself-monitoring and evaluation of performance

spelling instruction should emphasizespelling instruction should emphasize words that are already used and misspelled by childrenwords that are already used and misspelled by children those words most likely to be used in their writingthose words most likely to be used in their writing common orthographic patternscommon orthographic patterns word study techniquesword study techniques application of spelling knowledge through analogyapplication of spelling knowledge through analogy proofingproofing external aidsexternal aids weekly pretests and posttests of spelling lists that include pattern weekly pretests and posttests of spelling lists that include pattern

words, self-selected words, and frequently misspelled wordswords, self-selected words, and frequently misspelled words study of only those words that are missed on pretests study of only those words that are missed on pretests

explicitly teach composing strategies and self-regulation of writing behaviors, explicitly teach composing strategies and self-regulation of writing behaviors, attitudes, and processes attitudes, and processes

use procedural facilitators such as planning guides and checklists for revising use procedural facilitators such as planning guides and checklists for revising and editing and editing

A Metascript of Instructional Stages in Self-A Metascript of Instructional Stages in Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD)Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD)

WEB RESOURCE

1. 1. Activate & Develop Background KnowledgeActivate & Develop Background Knowledge discuss the characteristics of good writingdiscuss the characteristics of good writing teach text structure for genre to be developedteach text structure for genre to be developed

2. Discuss It2. Discuss It review current writing performance based on review current writing performance based on

assessment dataassessment data discuss present attitudes and beliefs about discuss present attitudes and beliefs about

writing and ineffective techniqueswriting and ineffective techniques introduce the strategy to be taught and introduce the strategy to be taught and

discuss its benefits and applications discuss its benefits and applications

3. Model It 3. Model It model strategy steps and self‑regulation model strategy steps and self‑regulation

procedures across varied tasksprocedures across varied tasks discuss ways that strategy steps may need to discuss ways that strategy steps may need to

be modified for varied tasks, settings, or goalsbe modified for varied tasks, settings, or goals collaboratively develop self‑talk, self-collaboratively develop self‑talk, self-

monitoring, and self‑reinforcement proceduresmonitoring, and self‑reinforcement procedures

4. Memorize It4. Memorize It have students memorize strategy steps, have students memorize strategy steps,

mnemonics, and self‑talkmnemonics, and self‑talk

5. Support It 5. Support It collaboratively practice using the strategy collaboratively practice using the strategy

steps and self‑regulation procedures steps and self‑regulation procedures collaboratively establish challenging but collaboratively establish challenging but

attainable writing goalsattainable writing goals gradually fade support as students gain gradually fade support as students gain

competencecompetence discuss generalization and maintenance; discuss generalization and maintenance;

assign homework for generalizationassign homework for generalization

6. Independent Performance6. Independent Performance fade overt self‑regulation proceduresfade overt self‑regulation procedures embed in process writing frameworkembed in process writing framework

Components of Self‑RegulationComponents of Self‑Regulation

Goal SettingGoal Setting enhances attention, motivation, and effortenhances attention, motivation, and effort facilitates strategic behaviorfacilitates strategic behavior prompts self‑evaluationprompts self‑evaluation goals should be challenging, specific, proximal, goals should be challenging, specific, proximal,

and, if possible, self‑selectedand, if possible, self‑selected goals can focus on a process or an aspect of the goals can focus on a process or an aspect of the

product (for product goals, quality and quantity product (for product goals, quality and quantity goals can be established) goals can be established)

Self‑talk (instructions or questions)Self‑talk (instructions or questions) help orient attention to relevant information, help orient attention to relevant information,

organize thoughts, plan actions, and execute organize thoughts, plan actions, and execute behaviorsbehaviors

help cope with anxiety, frustration, self‑doubt, help cope with anxiety, frustration, self‑doubt, and impulsivityand impulsivity

provide self‑affirmation and encouragementprovide self‑affirmation and encouragement

Self‑evaluationSelf‑evaluation comprised of self‑monitoring and self‑recordingcomprised of self‑monitoring and self‑recording can self‑assess attention, strategy use, and can self‑assess attention, strategy use, and

performanceperformance most effective for performance deficitsmost effective for performance deficits

Self‑reinforcementSelf‑reinforcement requires self‑evaluation in relation to a requires self‑evaluation in relation to a

performance standardperformance standard just as powerful as external inducementsjust as powerful as external inducements

Environmental ManagementEnvironmental Management arranging work environment to maximize arranging work environment to maximize

productivity (e.g., seeking a quiet work space, productivity (e.g., seeking a quiet work space, having all necessary materials, playing soothing having all necessary materials, playing soothing music)music)

Some Tips on Promoting Strategy Some Tips on Promoting Strategy Maintenance and GeneralizationMaintenance and Generalization

Strategy instruction must be prolonged, Strategy instruction must be prolonged, covering implementation across tasks, covering implementation across tasks, settings, and peoplesettings, and people

Make the expectation for continued use in Make the expectation for continued use in many contexts explicitmany contexts explicit

Solicit students’ ideas about the conditions Solicit students’ ideas about the conditions under which a strategy might be deployed under which a strategy might be deployed and what modifications might be necessaryand what modifications might be necessary

Use other school personnel as confederates Use other school personnel as confederates (i.e., have them prompt and reinforce (i.e., have them prompt and reinforce strategy use and report on students’ efforts; strategy use and report on students’ efforts; have students report back as well)have students report back as well)

Always relate task performance to strategy use (e.g., Always relate task performance to strategy use (e.g., discuss performance before versus after strategy discuss performance before versus after strategy instruction; have students evaluate pretest/posttest instruction; have students evaluate pretest/posttest writing samples written by others who learned the writing samples written by others who learned the strategy) strategy)

Plan instructional booster sessionsPlan instructional booster sessions Have students teach the strategy to othersHave students teach the strategy to others Have students create a transportable binder in which Have students create a transportable binder in which

cue sheets or procedural facilitators are inserted and cue sheets or procedural facilitators are inserted and indexed indexed

Encourage students to personalize the strategy after Encourage students to personalize the strategy after they have mastered the original stepsthey have mastered the original steps

Authorize students who excel at particular strategies Authorize students who excel at particular strategies (or knowledge or skills) to be experts and serve as a (or knowledge or skills) to be experts and serve as a resource for fellow studentsresource for fellow students

What is Revising?What is Revising?

Re-seeing goals, ideas, and textRe-seeing goals, ideas, and text Dissonance location and resolutionDissonance location and resolution Occurs throughout the writing processOccurs throughout the writing process Metaphor of pruning and graftingMetaphor of pruning and grafting

Why is Revising So Difficult?Why is Revising So Difficult? Make inaccurate presuppositions regarding Make inaccurate presuppositions regarding

shared understanding shared understanding Focus on localized and superficial issues rather Focus on localized and superficial issues rather

than discourse-level issuesthan discourse-level issues Miss inaccuracies and confusing spots and/or do Miss inaccuracies and confusing spots and/or do

not know what to change when a problem is not know what to change when a problem is detecteddetected

Feel too wedded to text already producedFeel too wedded to text already produced Difficulty managing revising along with other Difficulty managing revising along with other

cognitive, linguistic, physical, and motivational cognitive, linguistic, physical, and motivational operationsoperations

Little instruction is devoted to helping students Little instruction is devoted to helping students reviserevise

Teachers give limited helpful feedback on Teachers give limited helpful feedback on paperspapers

How Can We Foster Effective How Can We Foster Effective Revising?Revising?

Examination of touchstone texts and comparing Examination of touchstone texts and comparing these with weak exemplarsthese with weak exemplars

Activities to develop genre and topic knowledgeActivities to develop genre and topic knowledge Extensive modelingExtensive modeling Word-processing softwareWord-processing software Checklists (e.g., COLA, SEARCH)Checklists (e.g., COLA, SEARCH) Peer and teacher conferencing (e.g., PQP)Peer and teacher conferencing (e.g., PQP) Tactical procedures (e.g., goal setting, flash-Tactical procedures (e.g., goal setting, flash-

drafting, CDO) drafting, CDO) Snapshots and thoughtshots to explode the Snapshots and thoughtshots to explode the

momentmoment

Adapted from De La Paz & Graham, 1999