I use In-class Timed Writing Prompts often. These are Type Three assignments that ask you to focus on one important area of writing about a text. They will take 50 minutes. Most times, you will have an outline ready for the prompt. Sometimes, the timed writing will be the final draft. Other times, you will use this writing as a draft and make changes.

Writing in class forces students to work independently. It forces students to be flexible and organized in their writing. It forces students to read the material carefully and thoughtfully. It forces students students to develop quick thinking about a topic and synthesize on-the-spot. It also forces students to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses in a first draft.

I, of course, believe in editing and drafting and following "process writing" steps; however, I emphasize the Formal Outline in a hand-written form at home, and then, the editing and drafting process in the timed writing in class. Students must edit and draft in class. This is the most efficient way I have found of teaching students a very explicit way of editing in a limited time. It is a lifelong, real world, SAT-prep skill.

Here are the Five Types of Writing as outlined by the Collins Education Associates:

TYPE ONE: CAPTURE IDEAS

Type One writing gets ideas on paper — it's brainstorming. Type One is timed and requires a minimum number of items or lines to be generated. Questions and/or guesses are permitted.

· One draft

· Outcomes are evaluated with a check (√) or minus (-)

TYPE TWO: RESPOND CORRECTLY

Type Two writing shows that the writer knows something about a topic or has thought about the topic. It is a correct answer to a specific question.

· One draft

· Graded as a quiz or written response to literature

TYPE THREE: EDIT FOR FOCUS CORRECTION AREAS

Type Three writing has substantive content and meets up to three specific standards called Focus Correction Areas (FCAs). Revision and editing are done on the original.

· One draft (saved)

· Read out loud and reviewed to see if the draft completes the assignment, is easy to read, and meets standards set for the focus correction areas.

TYPE FOUR: EDIT FOR FOCUS CORRECTION AREAS

Type Four writing is Type Three writing that is read aloud by someone else.

· Two drafts (saved)

· Writing is critiqued by a peer and revised by the author

TYPE FIVE: PUBLISHED OR FINAL DRAFTS

Type Five writing is error free and of publishable quality.

· Multiple drafts (saved)

· Published work