Transcript The Writing Workshop - Tri-County Regional School Board

A Framework for Instruction
Rationale
 “Learning to write, like learning to read, is a process;
students grow in competence gradually over time; their
learning is continuous, recursive, and lifelong”

Teaching In Action: Grades Primary-3
 “The purpose of any instruction is to guide students toward
independent use of the strategy, skill, or procedure.
Learners benefit from a combination of observation,
demonstration, and ample opportunity to practise the skill
with a supportive ‘expert’. This gradual release of
responsibility model examines the teacher/student role
and the degree of involvement of each”

Teaching In Action: Grades 4-6
 “Pearson and Gallagher use four stages that guide
students towards independence:
1.
2.
3.
4.
teacher modelling, demonstration, and explanation
shared experience, where students assume some
responsibility for the task, with a relatively high level
of support from the teacher
guided experience, in which the student assumes more
responsibility, with a smaller amount of support from
the teacher (tasks are structured so there is every
possibility of student success)
independence”

Teaching In Action: Grades 4-6
Components of the Writing
Workshop
The Mini-lesson or Focus Lesson
 This is a direct lesson about a particular skill,
procedure, strategy, concept, or aspect of
language usage with a short instructional focus
 It may be done in whole-class format, or may
be targeted to a small-group or an individual,
based on information collected from
assessments
 It is supportive of students and connected to
student work and outcomes
 Most of all, it is short and focused
 Students listen to and/or view mentor texts (a
read aloud) that the teacher has chosen to
demonstrate the skill, trait, etc. that is the
focus
 They have the opportunity to ask and answer
questions
 The teacher shares her thinking (think aloud)
modelling strategy use and establishes a focus
for independent practise
 These lessons must be carefully planned based
on the needs of the students, not just the next
step in a program
Shared Writing
 This is a purposeful opportunity to teach
specifics about the way written language works
 It’s a time when teachers and students compose
text together
 The teacher scribes, often thinking aloud about
the writing (craft, process)
 The students listen, read, and write with
engagement, and discuss the text in small
groups or with the whole class
 The teacher displays writing to individuals,
groups, or the whole class
 He shapes student language to the
instructional purpose, assessing individuals
and groups to determine next steps
 The teacher and the students provide
descriptive feedback using appropriate
language (traits, form, genre…)
 Texts created can be returned to as needed
Guided Writing
 In the elementary grades, guided writing time
is likely to be the largest portion of the writing
workshop
 It’s a focused, dedicated block of time in which
students develop strategies, skills and
techniques
 This is the practise, between modelled writing
and independent writing
 Students select, with teacher assistance,
writing to work on, and build stamina with
writing
 Students are working at writing, often within a
small group with similar needs or goals
 Discussions take place with a specific
instructional focus in mind
 The teacher provides sample texts, organizers,
checklists, rubrics, and other tools to assist
writers
 It’s an opportunity for teachers to support
students who are struggling and to provide
enrichment for more proficient writers
Independent Writing
 This is a focused block of time during Writing
Workshop
 It is the foundation for assessment, both for
and especially of learning
 Student choice must play a large role
 Students compose and construct at their own
level
 Daily blocks of time for writing practice,
building stamina, are necessary
 In the elementary grades, some students will be
writing independently while others receive
more guidance
 Students are engaging in sustained, authentic
writing at all stages of the process (planning,
drafting, revising, and editing)
 They should be encouraged to apply the traits
to the best of their ability
 There should be an absence of worksheets, or
other commercially produced materials
 The teacher and students together plan for
publication rituals