Writing Instruction

1
Writing Instruction

• Early Concepts
• Prewriting
• Writing Motivation
• Programs
• Write to Learn
• Sentence Formation

context
Compr
phono
ortho
2
Concerns before writing

• Low overall knowledge
• Lack of exposure to different genre
• Writing production concerns may interfere with
  planning, framing, and revising
• Poor strategies in planning, framing, and
  revising
• Difficulty bringing components together
  (planning, sentence formation, spelling..)

3
Connection between writing and reading

• Reading is more important than spelling and thus
  we need to split focus on phonetic patterns and
  visual memory
• We need to link reading with writing through
  carefully chosen instructional-level test from a
  variety f materials including authentic
  literature and big books.
• Have students write about what they read and
  write often
• More info? http//learningdisabilities.about.com/o
  d/learningdisabilitybasics/p/ldbasicwriting.htm

4
Prewriting Spelling

• Stage 1 Precommunicative
• Ages 3-5 scribbles letter-like forms no
  phoneme- grapheme correspondence
• Stage 2 Semiphonetic
• Ages 5-6 some sound awareness 2-3 letter
  spellings
• Stage 3 Phonetic
• Age 6 all essential sounds
• Stage 4 Transitional
• Ages 7-8 conventional alternatives vowel /
  syllable
• Stage 5 Correct spelling
• Ages 8-9 basic English orthographic system

5
Handwriting

• Readiness
• up-down, left-right hand movements tracing on
  dotted lines horizontal and vertical lines free
  hand forward and backward circles and curves
  slanted vertical lines copy simple shapes
  discern likeness of letter forms.
• Assess
• Pencil grip paper positioning sitting
  correctly handedness emotional reaction to
  writing (frustrated or or nervous) attitude
  (bored or disruptive)
• Use probe sheet
• How do we help children succeed?

6
Capitals, lower case, or both?

• How do we introduce the alphabet for
• Reading?
• Writing?
• Pros and cons of any choice

7
Vocabulary

• Which words are most important to understanding
  the text?
• How much prior knowledge will students have about
  this word?
• Is the word concept difficult enough to require
  preteaching?
• Can students determine the word out of context?
• What words can be grouped under the same concept?
• How can I make the words relevant to the student?
• Word Walls
• Individual Word Inventories
• the words between dont know have seen and
  dont know think I know I know
• Teach the word, what it means, what it doesnt
  mean and typical contexts

8
Assessing writing

• What are the common concerns?
• spelling
• sentence formation
• punctuation
• verbs
• nouns
• How does your analysis of writing help with
  future planning?

9
Prewriting Structure

• Teachers should
• Stimulate thinking Talk about the subject (Early
  concepts)
• Motivate students to want to write Focus on
  ideas to write about
• Set the purpose to writing
• Whole-to-part planning
• Compare/Contrast

10
Language Experience Approach

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vFmGdmqzPo60feature
  related
• Develops reading skills with listening, speaking,
  and writing. All you need are thoughts and words.
• Whole class or individual student
• More testimonial data on interest level. Concern
  over student thinking he or she cannot write.
• Steps
• Draw pictures to convey meaning of story
• Student tells a short story to go with picture
• Teacher writes the words of the student
• Student reads the dictated thoughts

11
Write-teach approach

• Students need the opportunities to write more.
  Journals and free writing provide motivation to
  write more. (notion the more you write the
  better you will write)
• Teach format and feedback small steps at a time
  to individual students as they write.
• Teach-write typically students write after
  teachers model and show examples and nonexamples
  in structured formats. While there is high
  success for students w/o disabilities, mixed
  results for students with disabilities.

12
Writing Programs

• Shared Writing
• Engage students in writing with the teacher
  providing full support for the mechanics of
  writing while students contribute to the process.
• Whole group prewrites, drafts, revises, and
  edits.
• Guided Writing
• Provide writers with the opportunity to practice
  a specific area of a writers craft with the
  guided support of the teacher, students and
  materials
• Show examples and nonexamples students write
  then share.
• Independent Writing
• Authentic purposes (resumes, stories, letters)

13
Contextual Think Writing

• What is it?
• Summarizing what you have learned
• Integrating new ideas with ones you understand
• Questioning the significance of what you know
• Discovering questions about what you know
• Discovering questions about what you dont
  understand
• How will it help?
• Retain material
• Improve contextual writing

14
Grahams general suggestions

• Writing should be fun and not a punishment
• Avoid excessive correction much like reading
  more writing should lead to better writing.
• Have students write everyday.
• Use pictures, journals, pen pals, letters to
  friends, college interest letters, job interest
  letters, internet, narrative, note-taking
  sound-bites

15
Initiating an SRSD approach

• One of the more effective research-supported
  approaches to writing is SRSD
• Self Regulated Strategy Development
• Read the details of SRSD and how to enact it.
• http//teachingld.org/pdf/alert17writingSSRD.pdf
• Interview with Steve Graham
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v-SAo9KKpbfs

16
Sentence formation

• Strategies
• Types of sentences
• Complete sentences
• Correct your work
• SV sentences

17
Summary

• What steps should students take before writing a
  paper?
• What should a child be able to do before teaching
  them handwriting?
• What are the purposes behind the LEA and
  write-teach approaches?