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EXTEND:
This instructional strategy will have students draw upon higher order thinking techniques in their use of writing templates to create an effective response to a prompt. In the early stages of learning to write and speak like a content expert, it is important for educators to provide students with a structure for writing extended responses so that students can process the content of rigorous texts without also having to struggle with the format of their response. Writing templates are like the training wheels on a bike. Once students practice enough, the training wheels can come off. But until students are ready, templates can be a very useful support structure for student writing.
PREPARATION:
Purposefully select a text that will fulfill the academic purpose.
Identify information in the text that students will definitely need to know.
Determine how students should read the text and the academic thinking skills that they must employ in order to learn from the text.
Decide on how you want students to read, think about, and write about the text.
Will students apply, analyze, evaluate, or synthesize with their writing?
Keep the purpose in mind during template creation. Be cognizant of what a respondent would say and how they would say it.
Test the template draft to make sure that no supporting text needs to be added or deleted. Also, make sure that the template will lead to the desired product.
Keep in mind that the “blanks” can expand as much as needed as students write. They are only meant to provide a structure and not indicate length of responses.
STEPS:
MODEL: Once the writing template has been designed, its appropriate use will need to be modeled with students. Emphasize that the blanks are meant to guide students’ responses, not limit them.
EXPAND BEYOND TEMPLATE: Encourage students to expand on their writing in appropriate areas, such as where they are asked for their reasoning or support of a claim.
SHARE: Once students have attempted to complete a writing template, have them share their responses with each other and ask for volunteers to read theirs aloud.
REFLECT: Facilitate a discussion on possible responses for blanks that lend themselves to expansion.
VARIATIONS:
Have students work in pairs to discuss and complete a writing template.
EXTENSIONS:
After students have had several opportunities to use writing templates, have them attempt to create their own writing template based on the prescribed purposes for reading.
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