Writing

Structured VS Free Writing

There is a time and place for both structured and free writing. Structured writing is intended for ELA and SLA only. This is the only time writing is edited and graded with feedback. Free writing is implemented across all other subjects in the form of reflection writing. It is not edited, nor graded. 

Language Arts Block

During the Language Arts block, there should be room for 30 minutes of formal writing each day. During this time, the teacher focuses on how students write instead of what they write. The student writes less, and usually plays it safe with vocabulary that is more familiar to the student. There is less creativity as the student is less likely to take risks on a graded project. This results i less interesting writing where spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other conventions are closely analyzed and more important. 

Math/Science/Social Studies/Electives

During the Math, Science, Social Studies, and elective classes, students are to engage in reflective writing, which more closely resembles free writing. The teacher wants the students to focus more on the content of their writing as opposed to a style or structure. Students often write more and take more risks with newer vocabulary. Student writing is more creative and interesting because spelling, punctuation, and conventions are not stressed, corrected, or graded. Students retain more with free writing. 

Interactive Notebooks VS. Reflective Journals

An interactive notebook as described by SOL is any notebook that includes pasting of worksheets, cutting and pasting, heavy images, and a lack of authentic writing. 

Reflective journals are full of authentic, student free writing where the student is reflecting on their learning in low-stakes writing opportunities. Students can create worksheets in their notebooks (like drawing a Frayer model) to aide in their learning, but this is not copied, pasted, or fill-in-the-blank. 

What about the artistic students?

It is highly recommended that students complete their writing expectation first before adding images. In science, it is completely acceptable to create diagrams along with reflective writing, but the bulk of the task should involve writing and vocabulary development. 

What about students who can't write?

Students who struggle with writing and need more scaffolding can use sentence stems or prompts. The student will still need to copy the entire stem into their notebook and continue to write the needed information to finish the stem. 

Set manageable goals for these students. Draw a "goal line" in their notebook. Once they reach the line, increase the goal by a few lines down the paper. Continue to extend their goal until they are able to write sufficiently. 

Critical Stages

While this information is written to stop at 5th grade, it applies to 5th grade and above. 

BICS stands for Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills, where a student can do things like ask for the bathroom or greet peers. 

CALP stands for Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency, or the ability to use academic language. 

In PK-1st grade, native language speakers can have academic conversations that are age-appropriate, but non-native speakers are still learning to use their basic interpersonal skills. 

In 2nd grade, native language speakers remain able to maintain academic conversations that are age-appropriate, and non-native language speakers are emerging out of the basic skills and beginning to use academic language in discussion with peers. 

In 3rd grade and higher, students should be able to engage in academic discussion in both their native and non-native languages. 

Examples Needed from Secondary

This is an example of journal writing from the 4th grade level. Students in the secondary level should be able to write a minimum of two full pages of reflection writing in 10 minutes. 

If you have sample photos from your classroom, please send them to cmunoz@tps501.org 

How long should I give them to write?

Secondary students should only need 10 minutes at the end of a lesson to write. This step is very important and should come at the end of every lesson in Math, Science, Social Studies, and Electives. 

If your students are unable to complete a sufficient amount of writing in 10 minutes, increase the time to 15 minutes until they show progress. Once students are showing progress, deduct 5 minutes from that time. 

Students should be alternating journal writing with independent practice at the end of every lesson. 

How many notebooks do my students need?

Students will need one reflection notebook for each subject in secondary. Prepare to get a second notebook for second semester. If students are writing 2 full pages in every other lesson, (because the other lessons have independent practice opportunities instead of journal writing), then by the 100th day of school, middle school students should have 50 journal entries taking up 100 pages in their notebook, and high school students - who meet less frequently - should have roughly 30 journal entries taking up 60 pages in their notebook. 

Native ENGLISH Speakers and Writing

SOL would rather see a native English speaker write ONE WORD in Spanish during Spanish time than a whole page in English. To support out native English speakers with Spanish vocabulary development, there must be writing in every subject, every day. 

Partner activities should also have writing in addition to the journal. 

Peer Editors Strategy

In the Peer editors strategy, students are doing the heavy work with each other before giving the teacher a piece of writing to grade. 

1. Assign the writing task (250-word essay, paragraph, 5-paragraph essay)

2. Students complete the initial writing assignment

3. Authors ask another student to edit their first draft 

   1. The editor will write his name on the corner of the paper

   2. The editor will mark up the paper with suggested corrections and then return the paper to the author

   3. The author rewrites his paper using the feedback

4. Authors ask a second student to edit the second draft.

   1. Editor #2 adds his or her name on the 2nd draft paper corner

   2. Editor #2 marks up the paper with suggested corrections and returns the paper to the author

   3. The author rewrites the paper using the feedback

5. Authors ask a third student to edit the paper

   1. Editor # 3 adds his or her name on the 3rd draft paper

   2. Editor #3 marks up the paper with corrections and returns the paper to the author

   3. The author rewrites the paper using the feedback

6. The author turns in all 3 drafts and the final copy.

7. The teacher grades the final draft and 

   1. Removes points from every editor for errors they should have caught.

   2. Removes points from the author for the errors caught by the three editors that were NOT corrected.

One Word Essay Strategy

In this strategy, students get to enjoy the creativity of others as there are a few select papers read out loud. 

1. Assign the wriuting task as large and structured as the teacher prefers

2. Students will make one word of the teacher's choosing the central concept of their paper. 

3. Students will complete a paper

4. The teacher will read the papers, judging for

   1. Creativity and interesting value

   2. These are not corrected

5. The teacher reads the three most interesting papers out loud

6. After reading each paper out loud, the teacher takes the paper to the student who wrote it

7. The teacher will pass out the remaining papers without mentioning names or content

Teaching the Complete Writing Process Strategy

The Language Arts teacher can also choose to teach the entire writing process following the steps outlined below and illustrated to the left.

1.  Brainstorming

   • Web

   • Thinking Maps

2. Outline

   • 3 or 4 step outline derived from brainstorming

3. Students gather research on the outline topic

4. Students write their first draft

   • 1 paragraph for each outline step

   • 3 or 4 paragraphs total

5. The authors ask at least two/three students to edit the first drafts

6. Authors incorporate editor's recommendations and turn in the final draft

7. The teacher scores papers based ONLY on what students should know

8. The teacher passes out the scored papers for students to review

9. Students will save all of their drafts and final papers in a 2" binder for the entirety of the year. 

10. The teacher assigns the complete writing process at least 6 times per semester, and 12 times per year. 

What is an example of this process?

• Starting with the brainstorm on the left of African Animals, students made a mind map of the different animals and then their characteristics. 

• The students selected one of the animals and put them in a table shown below the map. Within the table, the students will write the characteristics of that animal from their map below the animal. 

• In the next step, students will then write three sub-details for each detail they gave. 

• Each of the sub-details becomes a sentence in the paragraph. Each row becomes a paragraph about the animal. 

• The student picks the three or four rows that have the most detail to include in their paper, and then they complete it with an introduction and conclusion.