Private: Teaching Reading: 3-5 Workshop

Professional Development > Private: Teaching Reading: 3-5 Workshop > 4. Writing > 4.1 Before You Watch | Writing

Writing Before You Watch | Writing

Session Preparation

To prepare for this workshop session, you will review the key terms, identify the strategies that you already use, review the key terms, and then read two articles on effective writing instruction.

Key Terms:

Notebook

What Do You Do?

Writing is critical to understanding the content and concepts of the intermediate-grade curriculum. Consider the ways you ask your students to write each day to demonstrate their understanding and personal response to the curriculum. Take notes on the Writing Instruction Chart (PDF), outlining how your students write in different subject areas and what strategies you use to help students improve in each area. You may want to include an additional curriculum area. Some examples are provided. If you are taking this workshop for credit, save your chart for your Literacy Practices Portfolio.

Think about these questions before completing the chart:

How do you integrate reading and writing?
How do you connect your writing assignments with your students’ experiences?
What challenges do your students face in completing writing tasks?

Assignment

Examine the Literature

Print out two copies of the Examine the Literature Response Chart (PDF). Then read each article listed below, recording your ideas on the charts during and after reading. When you have finished, save your charts to submit as an assignment.

Struggling Readers Get Hooked on Writing (PDF)
In this article, Derek Furr suggests ways to support struggling writers as they write reports.

Furr, Derek. “Struggling Readers Get Hooked on Writing.” The Reading Teacher 56, no. 6 (2003): 518-525.

Children’s Books as Models to Teach Writing Skills (PDF)
This article describes how teachers can use children’s books to model the writing skills they are teaching.

McElveen, S. A., and C. C. Dierking. “Children’s Books as Models to Teach Writing Skills.” The Reading Teacher 54, no. 4 (2000-2001): 362-364.

Series Directory

Private: Teaching Reading: 3-5 Workshop

Credits

Produced by WGBH Educational Foundation. 2006.

Closed Captioning
ISBN: 1-57680-815-7

Related Materials

Sections

4.1 Before You Watch | Writing

4.2 Analyze the Video | Writing

Watch the video, "Writing," taking notes as you watch. After you watch, jot down your answers to the questions below. If you prefer to watch the video in segments, pause the video when you see the next chapter heading.

4.3 Extend Your Knowledge | Writing

4.4 Put It Into Practice | Writing

4.5 Reflect on Your Learning | Writing

Supplementary: Writing Instruction Chart

Handout

Supplementary: Examine the Literature Response Chart

Handout

Supplementary: Struggling Readers Get Hooked on Writing

Handout

Supplementary: Children's Books as Models to Teach Writing Skills

Handout

Supplementary: Using Exemplary Writing Chart

Worksheet

Supplementary: Supporting Struggling Writers

Worksheet

Workshops

Workshop 1 Creating Contexts for Learning

This session examines how classroom organization, routines, and grouping practices can enhance literacy skills in the middle grades. Literacy expert Jeanne Paratore discusses teaching strategies that foster reading and writing skills. Classroom examples illustrate the research.

Workshop 2 Fluency and Word Study

This session focuses on how students in the middle grades develop vocabulary and reading fluency. Literacy expert Richard Allington discusses specific teaching strategies that help build fluency and vocabulary, illustrated by classroom examples.

Workshop 3 Building Comprehension

Comprehending text is one of the main goals of reading. In this session, literacy expert Nell Duke discusses what good readers do and strategies teachers can use to help students build comprehension skills. Classroom footage provides examples of comprehension strategies.

Workshop 4 Writing

This workshop examines the relationship between reading and writing in the middle grades. Literacy expert Nadeen Ruiz discusses the connections, conventions, and inventions that provide a framework for teaching writing, illustrated by classroom examples.

Workshop 5 New Literacies of the Internet

This workshop focuses on the evolving use of networked technology in education. Literacy expert Donald Leu discusses strategies that help students effectively read, write, and communicate on the Internet. Classroom examples illustrate strategies for using Internet resources in the classroom.

Workshop 6 Teaching English Language Learners

Changing classroom demographics call for a range or teaching strategies. In this session, literacy expert Robert Jim�nez discusses strategies teachers can use to create a successful learning environment for all students, while supporting English language learners. Classroom examples illustrate the research.

Workshop 7 Teaching Diverse Learners

In this session, literacy expert Dorothy Strickland discusses how teachers can meet the diverse needs of readers and writers in their classrooms. Classroom examples and teaching strategies address different aspects of diversity, including culture, language, background, ability, and learning approaches.

Workshop 8 Assessment and Accountability

This session explores assessment, standards, and outcomes. Literacy expert Kathy Au discusses the strategies teachers can use to assess students' understanding in reading and writing. Classroom examples illustrate how students can participate in their own assessment.