SELF-SELECTED WRITING

What is self-selected writing? Just like the title suggests, self-selected writing involves the students choosing their own topic, text-type, and/or form from previously taught models. They write independently.

When do I use a self-selected writing? This type of writing encourages ownership of the writing process and allows students to write about topics of personal interest and apply their learning from prior lessons. It should be used to allow writing practice and encourage independence in your young writers.

What is the format of self-selected writing? Self-selected wrting can take many forms. Students should always go through the planning and drafting steps of the writing process with others being added when suited to the goals of the writer.

SELF-SELECTED WRITING GUIDELINES

1. Provide access to many sample mentor texts (book/exemplars) that focuses on the type of text structure you wish to encourage for practice. Encourage and establish a strong link between literature and writing experiences. Establish a literature rich environment.
2. Teach students to choose an appropriate type writing based on student their goals (see the goal sheets provided on the DASHBOARD).
3. Provide a rubric along with sample exemplars that clearly outline the expectations for good writing.
4. Provide a focused time for self-selected writing each day or week. Train students to truly be independent during this writing time.Set your expectations for self-selected writing time high. Clearly outline what the students do and what a teacher does during this time. Teach and expect students to stay in one spot, get started right away, write the whole time, underline spelling errors for later look up as they write, use classroom anchor charts for reference, etc. so their writing time will be uninterrupted. Practice each of these skills before expecting it and follow up with immediate correction when a student struggles with any part of the process. Emphasize that good writers become great writers through practice.
5. Make materials available and easily accessible by all.
6. Ensure that students always have a list of available topics/ideas to writing about. This list may be expanded over time.
7. Provide conferencing and feedback about self-selected writing on an ongoing basis, use the rubrics and goal sheets provided to direct and target the discussion for next steps goal setting and celebrate writing achievements.
8. Mini-focus lessons/demonstrations should occur during guided writing groups, whole group activities or at the beginning of an independent writing time to guide the process during self -selected writing time.