22,99 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Bildung
- Sprache: Englisch
Set up your writing block quickly and easily with a simple, research-based framework Schools need their writing instruction simplified. Most classrooms share writing time with another subject, making it difficult for students to receive the direct writing instruction they need. Between the lack of time, increased gaps in writing skills, and inconsistent writing curriculum, teachers are struggling to bring their students up to grade level. Simplify Your Writing Instruction provides you with a classroom-tested framework that helps you set up your writing block within the limited time and resources you have. Step by step, this practical guide shows you how to amplify your students' writing skills, employ simple feedback opportunities and interventions, streamline your lessons, use simple differentiation techniques to help reach students of all ability levels, and more. Author April Smith is a former teacher who has trained more than 50,000 K-12 educators on best practices for writing instruction. While in the classroom, she learned that having simple and consistent systems in place is critical. Accordingly, none of the tasks and strategies will require you to create or prep anything complicated or time-consuming. In Simplify Your Writing Instruction, you will find easy-to-use checklists, implementation tasks, customizable templates, student writing samples, helpful tables and charts, and a simple spreadsheet that you can use to plan your lessons and modify your teaching to meet the needs of each writer. Be confident and supported in your writing instruction. Simplify Your Writing Instruction will teach you how to: * Implement the Simple Pre-Assessment Process in your classroom * Encourage authentic writing practice at home * Differentiate your lessons to reach your Special Education, ELL, and Gifted students * Integrate grammar naturally and optimize student output after each lesson * Split the writing process into efficient and effective 10- to 15-minute mini-lessons * Make writing a priority by incorporating writing application into other subjects * Use a simple pre-assessment to get a better overall picture of what your students can do * Utilize more complex strategies such as small group work and conferring Packed with expert advice and easy-to-follow strategies, Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework for a Better Writing Block is a must-have resource for all K-12 educators and teachers in training.
Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:
Seitenzahl: 313
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
Ähnliche
Table of Contents
COVER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT
DEDICATION
INTRODUCTION
PART ONE: THE FUNDAMENTALS
CHAPTER 1: Common Struggles
TIME
VARYING STUDENT ABILITY LEVELS
LACK OF TRAINING AND CURRICULUM
ADDRESSING THESE STRUGGLES
CHAPTER 2: What Really Matters
HAVING SIMPLE SYSTEMS IN PLACE
UTILIZING DATA
UNCOMPLICATED “BITE‐SIZED” LESSONS
FILLING IN GAPS USING DIFFERENTIATION
PROVIDING FEEDBACK AND SUPPORT
CHAPTER 3: Make Writing a Priority
MY STORY
WHAT I LEARNED
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
PART TWO: THE FIRST THREE WEEKS
CHAPTER 4: The Power of Informal Pre‐Assessment
WHY PRE‐ASSESS AT ALL IF TIME IS AN ISSUE?
WHAT PRE‐ASSESSMENT SHOULD LOOK LIKE
THE PURPOSE BEHIND USING MULTIPLE PROMPTS
CHAPTER 5: Make Observations and Record Important Data
WHAT IS ACTIONABLE DATA?
THE RECORDING PROCESS
RECORDING IMPORTANT WHOLE GROUP SKILLS
“BIG PICTURE” SKILLS: INTEREST AND WRITING STAMINA
SENTENCE AND PARAGRAPH WRITING
COMPLEXITY OF IDEAS
TECHNOLOGY KNOWLEDGE
OTHER WHOLE GROUP CATEGORIES
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY WHOLE GROUP INSTRUCTION
WHOLE GROUP GRAMMAR KNOCK‐OUT LIST
THE ORDER MATTERS
RECORDING INDIVIDUAL SKILLS
SETTING GOALS AND RECORDING SUCCESS
CHAPTER 6: Build a Foundation
INTEREST AND ATTITUDE
ADDRESSING YOUR OWN WRITING BAGGAGE
CULTIVATING A POSITIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
WRITING STAMINA
DAYS 3–5: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
SENTENCE AND PARAGRAPH WRITING
PARAGRAPH WRITING INTERVENTION
IDEA GENERATION
FINAL THOUGHTS
CHAPTER 7: Use Pre‐Assessment Data to Modify Future Lessons
MODIFY EXPECTATIONS
FRONTLOAD OR RETEACH
USE TOOLS
BANISHING FEELINGS OF BEING OVERWHELMED
PART THREE: A SIMPLE FRAMEWORK FOR YOUR WRITING INSTRUCTION
CHAPTER 8: Prepare Your Classroom
WRITING BLOCK SCHEDULE
WHOLE GROUP MINI‐LESSON
INDEPENDENT STUDENT WRITING TIME
CLOSURE
MEETING PLACE AND STUDENT WORK AREAS
CLASSROOM PROCEDURES
CHAPTER 9: Start Your First Writing Unit with EfficientMini‐Lessons
PLANNING MINI‐LESSONS
THE IMPORTANCE OF “BITE‐SIZED” MINI‐LESSONS
BIRD'S‐EYE VIEW PLANNING
DAILY PLANNING
UNIT: PERSONAL NARRATIVE WRITING – DAY 3 EXAMPLE LESSON PLAN
THE SECRET SAUCE: A WELL‐PLANNED TEACHER MODEL
IMPLEMENTING MINI‐LESSONS
INDEPENDENT WRITING TIME
TRANSITIONING FROM MINI‐LESSON TO INDEPENDENT WRITING TIME
REINFORCING SKILLS DURING INDEPENDENT WRITING TIME
CHAPTER 10: Prepare for Early Finishers and Students Who Are Stuck
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE STUCK
STUDENTS FALLING BEHIND
CHAPTER 11: Incorporate Grammar
CHOOSING WHICH GRAMMAR CONCEPTS TO TEACH
INCORPORATING GRAMMAR SKILLS INTO A LESSON
UTILIZING DIRECT GRAMMAR INSTRUCTION
WHAT DIRECT GRAMMAR INSTRUCTION LOOKS LIKE
WAYS TO APPLY NEWLY ACQUIRED GRAMMAR SKILLS IN CONTEXT
WHAT TO DO IF STUDENTS STILL DON'T GET IT
OTHER WAYS TO FIT IN GRAMMAR PRACTICE
PART FOUR: MEETING INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
CHAPTER 12: Support Students through Small Group Instruction
PLANNING SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION
SETTING GOALS AND RECORDING GROWTH
CHAPTER 13: Provide Individualized Feedback through Writing Conferences
A PROCESS THAT WORKS
CHAPTER 14: Integrate Peer Feedback Systems
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEER FEEDBACK
TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO CONDUCT PEER FEEDBACK SESSIONS
CHAPTER 15: Support Students with Learning Disabilities
HOW LEARNING DISABILITIES AFFECT WRITING ABILITY
CHAPTER 16: Support English Language Learners
SENTENCE FRAMES
VOCABULARY TOOLS
CHAPTER 17: Grade with a Student‐Centered Approach
MASTERY‐BASED GRADING
STANDARDS‐BASED GRADING
GRADING TOOLS
SCORING WITH RUBRICS
APPENDIX: REPRODUCIBLE PAGES
LETTER HOME: WRITING SUPPORT
How Can You Help?
Tips for Making It Meaningful:
PRE‐ASSESSMENT SPREADSHEET EXAMPLE: WHOLE GROUP (FILE A1)
PRE‐ASSESSMENT SPREADSHEET EXAMPLE: GRAMMAR KNOCKOUT LIST (FILE A2)
PRE‐ASSESSMENT SPREADSHEET EXAMPLE: INDIVIDUAL STRUGGLES (FILE A3)
PRE‐ASSESSMENT SPREADSHEET EXAMPLE: STUDENT GOALS (FILE A4)
FAMOUS AUTHORS' REJECTION PASSAGE (FILE D6.0)
SMALL GROUP PLANNING PAGES: SKILL PLANNER
SMALL GROUP PLANNING PAGES: DAILY ORGANIZER
SMALL GROUP PLANNING PAGES: STUDENT GOAL PAGE
SMALL GROUP PLANNING PAGES: SKILLS I'M WORKING ON
PRE‐CONFERENCE FORM
COMMON STUDENT GOALS & STRATEGIES FOR INFORMATIONAL/OPINION WRITING
COMMON STUDENT GOALS & STRATEGIES FOR NARRATIVE WRITING
PEER FEEDBACK FORM
OPINION WRITING: BELOW BASIC 4TH‐GRADE EXEMPLAR
OPINION WRITING: BASIC 4TH‐GRADE EXEMPLAR
OPINION WRITING: PROFICIENT 4TH‐GRADE EXEMPLAR
OPINION WRITING: ADVANCED 4TH‐GRADE EXEMPLAR
STUDENT‐FRIENDLY OPINION RUBRIC
WRITING RUBRIC SCORING GUIDE
SAMPLE SCORING – 4TH GRADE
SAMPLE SCORING – 6TH GRADE
SAMPLE SCORING – 7TH GRADE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
HOW TO ACCESS THE DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES
WORKS CITED
INDEX
LEARN MORE ABOUT SIMPLIFY WRITING®
END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
List of Tables
Chapter 5
Table 5.1
Table 5.2
Table 5.3
Chapter 11
Table 11.1
Chapter 12
Table 12.1
Table 12.2
Guide
Cover Page
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Introduction
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
Appendix: Reproducible Pages
About the Author
Acknowledgments
How to Access the Downloadable Resources
Works Cited
Index
Learn More About Simplify Writing®
Wiley End User License Agreement
Pages
iii
iv
v
xi
xii
xiii
1
3
5
6
7
8
9
11
12
13
15
16
17
19
21
23
25
26
27
28
29
31
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
71
72
73
75
77
79
80
81
82
83
85
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
129
131
133
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
149
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
171
173
174
175
176
177
179
180
181
182
183
185
186
187
188
189
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
215
217
218
219
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
233
234
Simplify Your Writing Instruction
A FRAMEWORK FOR A STUDENT‐CENTERED WRITING BLOCK
April Smith
Copyright © 2024 Jossey‐Bass Publishing. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
Except as expressly noted below, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per‐copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750‐8400, fax (978) 750‐4470, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748‐6011, fax (201) 748‐6008, or online at www.wiley.com/go/permission.
Certain pages from this book (except those for which reprint permission must be obtained from the primary sources) are designed for educational/training purposes and may be reproduced. These pages are designated by the appearance of copyright notices at the foot of the page. This free permission is restricted to limited customization of these materials for your organization and the paper reproduction of the materials for educational/training events. It does not allow for systematic or large‐scale reproduction, distribution (more than 100 copies per page, per year), transmission, electronic reproduction or inclusion in any publications offered for sale or used for commercial purposes—none of which may be done without prior written permission of the Publisher.
Trademarks: Wiley and the Wiley logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762‐2974, outside the United States at (317) 572‐3993 or fax (317) 572‐4002.
If you believe you've found a mistake in this book, please bring it to our attention by emailing our reader support team at [email protected] with the subject line “Possible Book Errata Submission.”
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats. For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at www.wiley.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data is Available:
ISBN 9781394171576 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781394171583 (ePDF)
ISBN 9781394171590 (ePUB)
Illustrator: Christy Smith
Font design: KG fonts
COVER DESIGN: PAUL MCCARTHY
COVER ART: © SHUTTERSTOCK | ARTYWAY
To my budding writers, Kira & Oliver
INTRODUCTION
The overwhelming amount of information we filter through each day as teachers is truly incredible. We receive new information from each of our students throughout the day, email back and forth with colleagues and parents, and participate in weekly meetings and training. The internet offers additional information and opportunities for collaboration with teachers around the world. Even when we're not actively working, we're taking in a large number of ideas through online groups and teachers we see in our social media feeds.
With all these resources and ideas at our fingertips, we have a constant stream of ideas for our classrooms. If you're anything like me, you've felt exhausted by the process of trying to piece together ideas into one system that works for your students. It took me years of research and testing ideas in my own classroom before I was able to truly streamline my writing instruction in a way that tailored it to what my students really needed from me. I realized that the best focus of my time during writing instruction was an equal amount of data collection, direct instruction, and support.
When I finally got my writing instruction system down, people started to notice. Other teachers in my building asked me what I was doing, and a few inquired about how I was able to fit in any writing time at all. Up until that point, I thought I was the only one who struggled with teaching writing. After sharing with teachers in my building, and ultimately working with new teachers through district writing training, I realized there are many teachers who are in constant search of a simple system for writing instruction that works for their classroom.
Without a focused system in place for writing time, both teachers and students can become overwhelmed with the process. Writing is not a solvable problem you can answer in a few minutes. It takes time to discuss, research, and plan even a short writing piece. This can often make writing a frustrating and tedious activity for everyone if it's not broken into manageable pieces. This barrier creates an environment that doesn't foster growth. It doesn't leave much room for the teacher to help students fill in their individual gaps in learning, nor does it allow time for the student to apply new skills.
When feelings of being overwhelmed arise, we tend to either overcompensate by adding more to our writing block, or we push it aside for later. However, we can't push aside something this important. Teaching students to write equips them with fundamental skills that are essential for success in almost all aspects of life. It is not only about getting words on paper by the end of their writing time. The skills we model during the writing block also help them develop critical thinking, communication, and creativity skills that support all other subject areas in your classroom. We also can't add more to our block because it adds to our feelings of being overwhelmed.
There is a desperate need for us to bring the focus back on basic writing skills, but putting the research behind writing instruction into a system that works in a real classroom is a challenge. This is why I decided to write this book with a heavy focus on simple and efficient differentiation. We need ways to reach all our students that don't require us to create 30 different lessons. This book includes simple processes for you to put into place in your classroom, building a student‐centered writing block one step at a time.
Before we move into the process, it's important to note that the tools and strategies in this book have been tested with students in second grade and above. Some methods in this book do work well in K–1 classrooms, but the system was not created for these grade levels.
Another important thing to keep in mind as you work through this book is that this is a year‐long process. You should not try to put every system in place all at once. We teach students small skills that build upon each other, and we give them time to practice before progressing to the next skill. You should approach this process the same way. Some teachers may find themselves trying small group in the second month, while others aren't comfortable until they've had an entire quarter to practice the mini‐lesson and writing block procedures. Implement this system at your own pace.
Many organizers are included with this book, but it's unlikely that you'll use them all. In each section, I encourage you to use only the ones that are appropriate for the writing type you're working on and meet the needs of your students. Apart from the pre‐assessment, which is a non‐negotiable, don't use something if you or your students don't need it. This process is all about helping students fill in learning gaps and find success with writing in a simple way.
The link icon () means there is a downloadable resource available that goes with the chapter. You can create a free account and access these resources by visiting: https://www.simplifywriting.com/book-resources.
PART ONETHE FUNDAMENTALS
CHAPTER 1Common Struggles
When I was a new teacher struggling with writing instruction, I felt like it was my fault because I struggled with writing in school myself. I was embarrassed to admit that I didn't really know how to teach writing. I went to a great teacher preparation program and was passionate about teaching, so why were my students struggling to even write a paragraph?
It took me years to realize that I was not alone in my struggle to teach writing. Now, I receive multiple emails daily from teachers who found my website while searching for solutions. It's important to understand the reasons we have these struggles so that we can create a plan that addresses or works around them.
TIME
Why do we struggle so much to fit writing time in? In many schools, the focus on math and reading has left limited time for other subjects. We continue to extend the math and reading blocks to keep up with expanding standards and state testing. Because students can write in every subject, it's easy to say, “We can incorporate writing into the other subjects, so there's no need for a dedicated time.” Even many textbook companies are producing English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum that incorporates reading and writing, but the writing seems like an afterthought.
When I opened up our ELA textbooks my first year, it seemed very straightforward. My students would read and answer questions, and then they would write about what they read. I couldn't understand why my students were struggling to write. It was years later when I realized that our ELA curriculum only included the application of writing, with no lessons for me to actually teach the skills they needed to do this writing.
Several years later, I was exposed to my first actual writing curriculum. It made sense to take the time to teach them how to write. But that was the real issue – time. I had hour‐long writing lessons in my hands, but a 90‐minute ELA block with reading curriculum that took at least that long. The solution, I was told, was to teach writing when I could fit it in and incorporate more writing application into all the other subject areas. That left me again without consistent time for actual writing lessons.
Although integration is a great time‐saver and is important for students to apply their writing skills, it doesn't always leave room for the direct instruction they need. When students are only receiving sporadic writing lessons, they don't become confident writers. When you mix this with complex content vocabulary and technical information, it's a recipe for disaster for our struggling students. Studies strongly support having a dedicated writing time where students can receive adequate practice and instruction in writing. Writing skills are sorely lacking in many schools because there is no explicit writing instruction (Graham, 2019).
The systems in this book have been used in many classrooms where time was limited, including my own. Through a lot of trial and error, I learned that I could teach writing with limited time, but I absolutely needed a dedicated writing block where I taught a short whole group lesson and students applied what they learned in their own writing immediately after. Only then were my students able to apply those new skills to reading, math, science, and social studies.
So, how much time do you need? It really depends on the individual situation, but I have some common schedules that I suggest. If you can do 45 minutes a day of writing, that is fantastic. More realistically, a lot of teachers I work with do 30 minutes a day or 45 minutes three times a week. My middle school teachers with only 50 minutes a day to teach ELA often block out time for two full writing units each quarter, and then they teach reading standards while having students apply their newly acquired writing skills the rest of the time. We'll discuss schedule and the writing block in Part III so that you can create something that works for your unique situation.
VARYING STUDENT ABILITY LEVELS
By far, the most difficult task teachers have is teaching grade‐level standards when our students are all at completely different levels. Your classroom is made up of below, at, and above grade‐level students. You probably have students with learning disabilities, second language learners, and gifted students.
I have upper‐elementary and middle school teachers contact me on a daily basis asking what to do with a handful of students who can't write a sentence or a paragraph, which is a challenge when their on‐level writing lessons are focused on multiparagraph pieces. This situation is all too common in our classrooms. This is why I decided to write this book with a focus on simple and efficient differentiation that any teacher can implement.
The word differentiation can cause a panic for many teachers. With limited time and resources, it's hard enough to fit in one whole group lesson. Adding different types of lessons and strategies for different learners can seem impossible. Differentiation is not individualized learning in the sense that a different lesson needs to be made for every student. Instead, it offers multiple types of learning when working with students in whole group, small group, and individually during writing conferences. Differentiation, done correctly, means making proactive modifications to your regular units that meet the needs of your students (Tomlinson, 2017).
The strategies built into each part of this book are what will address your students' need for more support. You will still have students at varying ability levels, but you'll have the tools you need to differentiate for all of them. You'll learn how to naturally differentiate your lessons to reach your special education, English Language Learner (ELL), gifted students, and everyone in between.
My biggest challenge teaching students with different writing abilities and goals is preparing and organizing lessons that are at their instructional level. The grade‐level curriculum provided did not meet the individual needs of my students. The lower grade levels did not teach the correct content, and the higher grade levels did not include the foundational writing skills my students were missing. I was constantly searching for strategies, mini‐lessons, and activities for my students. I also had to have additional activities prepared for my paras who were running small groups and working 1:1 with students.
– Holli Duncan, Special Education Teacher
LACK OF TRAINING AND CURRICULUM
Many new teachers find themselves ill‐equipped to effectively teach writing to their students due to a lack of comprehensive instruction during their college years. While teacher education programs may cover the basics of writing instruction, they often fail to provide in‐depth training on the intricacies of teaching writing as a complex and multifaceted skill. As a result, many teachers feel unprepared to address the diverse needs of their students, including different writing genres, individual writing processes, and strategies for providing meaningful feedback.
After teachers graduate from their respective programs, they continue to receive general training sessions from their school district. I think that most of us can agree that writing is not an easy subject to teach, yet most schools don't provide in‐depth professional development that supports teachers in this endeavor. This isn't to say that school administrators don't want their teachers or students to succeed in writing. They are limited by time and resources just like teachers are. This often leads to quick trainings on one novel strategy that they can add to what they're already doing. For many teachers, there is no complete system for writing instruction provided, leaving them confused and discouraged about why what they're doing isn't working in the classroom.
We also have a lot of inconsistency when it comes to writing curriculum. Some schools have ELA curriculum with a heavy focus on reading and no explicit writing skill instruction. Other schools implement do‐it‐yourself (DIY) strategies by collecting lessons from workbooks and the internet. There are some schools that have quality writing curriculum with no training on how to use it. For teachers who do not know how to teach writing, having a poor curriculum, or none at all, can be extremely stressful.
My biggest struggle was coming in as a new ELA teacher with no curriculum. I had to piecemeal several things to create a lesson. Nothing was cohesive, and I had no time for my family – for my own children – because I was always lesson planning or grading. I also had no idea how to teach writing. Writing is something that came naturally to me, but teaching how to write is a completely different ball game.
– Frauline Walker, 6th‐Grade Teacher
So, what is a “quality” writing curriculum? Most importantly, it must include structured writing mini‐lessons that consider the limited time teachers have to teach writing and the varying ability levels of their writers. While having structured lessons, the flexibility in how and when the lessons are delivered is key to properly differentiate. If you don't have a curriculum like this, don't panic. This book will provide you with the tools to make the modifications you need for success.
If you feel like lack of training or curriculum is a big issue in your school, consider bringing in other teachers and administrators by starting a book study with this book. Chances are, there are many other teachers in your building who struggle with teaching writing.
ADDRESSING THESE STRUGGLES
I've given training on my systems to over 50,000 teachers, which has allowed me the opportunity to see how it works in a lot of different classrooms. I've learned that there is no one system or program that works exactly the same way in every classroom. I joke that I “differentiate to help teachers differentiate.” This is why you'll see different options and modifications listed in each chapter. These systems need to be tailored to your constraints and what your current group of students need.
In future chapters, we will lay the foundation for streamlining your lessons while incorporating simple differentiation techniques to help reach students of all ability levels. Putting these basic foundations in place (in a way that works for your class) is key in addressing the struggles we have discussed in this chapter. Once you feel like you have these down, you can move on to more complex strategies like small group and conferring.
Before moving forward, I strongly recommend you either use a notebook or a document on your computer, tablet, or cell phone to take notes on key takeaways and your tasks going forward. Throughout the book, journal boxes are included where I ask you to stop and set an intention or goal. You may also want to go back to reread this journal and the corresponding section of the book as you implement each part and prepare for the next step.
CHAPTER 2What Really Matters
There's an overwhelming amount of information about writing instruction online and in print. It can be incredibly difficult to figure out where to start, what things to do (or not do), and what you can actually fit into your tight schedule. I once observed a teacher who had completely different systems in place each time I came in. It was hectic, to say the least. When things didn't work for her students, she'd change absolutely everything in hopes that the next idea she saw on Pinterest would stick. Not only did it add a lot of prep time she didn't have, but it was confusing and frustrating her students. We don't need fancy or creative activities to teach writing. We need to focus on a few key things that really matter.
HAVING SIMPLE SYSTEMS IN PLACE
When it comes to the organization and management of your writing block, simple and efficient systems are important. Nothing in this book requires you to create or prep anything time‐consuming. You may think, “April, this is basic common sense,” a few times throughout the book. That's because we don't need anything complicated in our writing blocks. We're going to cut out a lot of unnecessary activities from our lessons and focus more on what engages our students and meets their individual needs.
UTILIZING DATA
I'll admit that, at one time, I would cringe any time I heard the word data in a meeting. Every year, it seemed like we had more and more testing to gather data on our students. I personally felt a disconnect between gathering data and actually utilizing it. When we gave pre‐assessments at the beginning of the year, I would get back a list of overall scores. The most I could gather from this data was which kids may struggle in a subject overall. I couldn't pinpoint the exact learning gaps that they had.
Do not feel discouraged by the word data and skip the systems in Part II of the book. If you have negative connotations for the word, replace it with “information gathering” instead. There is a difference between collecting scores and meaningful information gathering. I don't have much use for a single test score assigned to a student in my class, but I do have a use for specific information like Bobby struggles with paragraph structure and my class as a group has poor writing stamina.
The next part of this book is all about gathering and recording data in a meaningful way. It is much easier to set up your students for success when you know up front exactly what gaps they have in their writing skills. We often miss the mark with data‐led instruction because we don't have the right pre‐assessment or a good system to use the data we gather. I'm going to provide you with a simple, engaging pre‐assessment, and I'm going to walk you through exactly how to evaluate learning gaps and organize the data to actually put it into use. You'll have one simple spreadsheet with data to use as you plan your lessons and modify instruction to meet the needs of each writer.
UNCOMPLICATED “BITE‐SIZED” LESSONS
When we struggle with time, we often try to cram as many skills as possible into each lesson. This leads to a lot of stress and confusion for us and our students. Chapter 9 discusses how to split the writing process into efficient and effective 10‐ to 15‐minute mini‐lessons. This chapter also covers what to do next to optimize student output after each lesson, as well as a few strategies you may be doing during your lessons that you can cut out. You’ll also learn what elements you should include to engage all of your students during your whole group lesson.
FILLING IN GAPS USING DIFFERENTIATION
Differentiation is the “secret sauce” to help fill in the gaps and see growth from your writers. However, it can be a struggle to differentiate without needing more time for planning, preparation, and implementation. Throughout the book, I teach you the easiest ways to modify content for your students, including natural differentiation opportunities you can build into your whole group lessons. It's all about working smarter, not harder, when it comes to meeting varying student needs.
PROVIDING FEEDBACK AND SUPPORT
Our students need consistent feedback to improve upon their writing, but we don't exactly have time to confer one‐on‐one with each student every week. In Part IV, I offer a few simple systems to try in your classroom to make feedback simple and more authentic. Not only will this amplify your students' writing skills, but it will teach them real‐world skills they can use to gain new ideas and improve upon their work for decades to come.
I find that I am in the minority when I say I LOVE teaching writing. However, that doesn't mean that the instruction is without its challenges. I have tried to focus more on working with small groups, and individuals during conferences in a more differentiated model. I still struggle with what to focus on during these conferences, without having a “fix everything” mindset. I remember hearing to never take the pencil from the student, or it becomes YOUR writing piece. I continually remind myself of this when feeling like I might not be getting my conference point across. Breathe deeply; hands off the student pencil!
– Wendy Farris, 3rd‐Grade Teacher
With limited time, most teachers can't even imagine being able to use small group instruction during the writing block. I offer ways to help fill in the individual learning gaps your students have with intentional, well‐organized small group lessons. This only works once you have the other systems in place in your writing block, but it's well worth the wait.
Throughout this book, I provide the simple strategies you need to put these five items into place. However, none of this can happen without you deciding to make writing a priority in your classroom. In the next chapter, I discuss the simple steps you should take to create your consistent, dedicated writing block.
CHAPTER 3Make Writing a Priority
Having a dedicated writing block is essential for teaching students the skills they need to become proficient writers. It allows for explicit learning time by providing the necessary time to focus on specific writing techniques, strategies, and skills. Without this time, there’s no opportunity to provide direct instruction, model good writing, and provide opportunities for students to practice and apply what they've learned.
Second, having a dedicated writing block helps establish a routine that leads to better overall writing output. Routines help create smooth transitions between activities and therefore allow fewer opportunities for disruptions to occur (Burden, 2003). Routines are most effective when they are consistent, explicit, and teach students in a direct and systematic way. By setting aside a specific time each day to write, writers can develop a routine that allows them to be more productive and efficient in their writing.
This dedicated time also provides an opportunity for you to give individualized feedback, which is crucial for student growth and development. This time can also be used to provide differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all students and help them to achieve their full potential as writers. None of this can be done when writing is integrated into a block of time where writing instruction is not the focus.
MY STORY
Five years into my teaching career, I was still struggling to fit writing into my ELA block. I was departmentalized for the first time, and the short periods made it impossible for me to steal time from another subject area like I had in prior years. I had time‐consuming reading curriculum and a binder of random writing materials to refer to for writing. I had zero training on how to teach writing. I checked off every struggle that is listed in Chapter 1.
I knew I needed to make a change. If I continued to simply cram in a writing unit whenever I had time, my students were going to leave my class without the ability to write more than a paragraph. So, I decided that I was going to teach a full writing unit each month.
This led to me carving out one week every month to focus solely on writing. I was teaching the entire writing process in five days. It helped, but not as significantly as I had expected. My students showed better organization when writing, but they still struggled with revision, editing, and elaboration. We were all rushed. After three weeks passed, and we moved on to the next unit, it was like we were starting over at square one. I realized that my students needed more consistent instruction and practice time.
I decided to take a more drastic step and carve out an actual writing block in my classroom. In my 90‐minute ELA block, I decided that I would try to incorporate writing for 30 minutes, five times a week.
WHAT I LEARNED
I learned so much from my new dedicated writing block. At first, I learned that it’s difficult to teach a lesson and have student practice time in 30 minutes without having some key procedures in place. I tightened up my writing block using the strategies that are discussed in Chapter 9. Then, I learned that my students were at drastically different ability levels. It took me a couple of months to really figure out what each student needed (see Part II of this book to avoid this lengthy learning process).
After six months of my dedicated writing block, our lessons were running efficiently. I was starting to find joy in teaching writing, and my students seemed to feel the same way. I even started to reuse some of our writing lessons and organizers when writing during our reading block. Before I started teaching students how to write, they were struggling to write about their reading. I realized that integration of writing into the other subject areas is crucial, but it can never be standalone. Direct writing instruction is a necessity.
