Appendix B : Stronger Clearer Each Time

PURPOSE:

To provide a structured and interactive opportunity for students to revise and refine both their ideas and their verbal and written output (Zwiers, 2014). This routine also provides a purpose for student conversation through the use of a discussion-worthy and iteration-worthy prompt. The main idea is to have students think and write individually about a question, use a structured pairing strategy to have multiple opportunities to refine and clarify their response through conversation, and then finally revise their original written response. Subsequent conversations and second drafts should naturally show evidence of incorporating or addressing new ideas and language. They should also show evidence of refinement in precision, communication, expression, examples, and reasoning about disciplinary specific concepts.

HOW IT HAPPENS:

Prompt: This routine begins by providing a thought-provoking question or prompt. The prompt should guide students to think about a concept or big idea connected to the content goal of the lesson, and should be answerable in a format that is connected with the activity’s primary disciplinary language function.

Step 1:

Free Write/First Draft: Students draft an initial response to the prompt by writing or drawing their initial thoughts in a first draft.  Students do not need to complete the entire response but should be encouraged to complete as much as they can in the alloted time. (2–3 min)

Step 2:  

Structured Pair Discussions: Next, use a structured pairing strategy to facilitate students having 2–3 discussions  with different partners. Share with students that the purpose of the strategy is to help students create stronger (with more or better evidence of disciplinary specific content understanding) and clearer (more precision, organization, and features of disciplinary language function) responses.  Students should take turns as the speaker and listener. Students should ideally explain their ideas without looking at their first draft. Repeat structured pair meetings to provide time for at least 2 different student pairs. (2-4 min for each part)

Speaker: Student shares their ideas

Listener:

(a) ask questions for clarity and reasoning

(b) press for details and examples, and

(c) give feedback that is relevant for the learning target

Step 3:

Second Draft: Finally, after meeting with 2–3 different partners, students write a second draft. This draft should incorporate borrowed ideas from partners, and refinement of initial ideas through repeated communication with partners. Students should avoid reviewing the first draft when writing the second draft. This second draft will be stronger and clearer. After students are finished, their first and second drafts can be compared. (2–3 min)

Adapted from Zwiers (2014)