Transcript Why is WAC important?

What is Writing across
the Curriculum?
• Writing across the curriculum
(WAC) is an approach that
attempts to weave writing into
ALL content areas and increase
the frequency of student writing.
Two approaches
1. Learning to write: formal
papers prepared over a few
weeks or even months
2. Writing to learn: Short,
impromptu, informal writing
tasks that help students think
through key concepts
presented in class
RESEARCH
• Research indicates students
need “substantial time devoted
to writing and multiple
opportunities to write across the
school day” (Egawa 1998).
“Through writing, EVERY student
has an opportunity to respond,
to participate, to learn
ACTIVELY rather than passively
and to think independently”
(Allen 1992).
“ Students learn by writing. Studies
show that writing increases recall
and understanding of information.
When students organize their ideas
through writing, the information
makes more sense to them”
(Fortescue 1994).
The National Commission on
Writing confirms an “impressive
positive correlation between the
frequency of informative writing
assessments and academic
achievement in every subject
area.” (2003)
Benefits to teachers
Helps you:
• Monitor student progress
• Gain a sense of student confusion
about key ideas
• See gaps in instruction and learning
• Pinpoint strengths and weaknesses
• Adjust instruction
GOALS: PERRY LOCAL
SCHOOLS
• 100% graduation for all students
• Prepare ALL students to be
successful in post secondary
education and/or the workforce
What do college
professors have to say ?
• College instructors estimate
that 50 percent of college
students are not adequately
prepared to do college-level
math or writing. (Achieve, Inc.,
2005)
• Nearly 70 percent of humanities
and social science professors
are dissatisfied with the quality
of students’ writing. (Achieve,
Inc., 2005)
• Only 6 percent of professors say
students are very well prepared
in writing. (Achieve, Inc, 2005)
• The two areas that instructors
most wish high schools would
do a better job preparing their
students for are writing and
mathematics. (Achieve, Inc.
2005)
What are employers
saying?
• Writing is the essential skill
students need as they enter
adult life. Society is concerned
with OUTPUT, what people can
do with information once they
have acquired it. Writing is
OUTPUT. (Peha, 2003)
• The research indicates that the
preparation gaps cut across a
range of core skill and
knowledge areas – most notably
work habits, ability to read and
understand complicated
materials, and math, science
and writing skills. (Achieve, Inc.
2005)
• For those going into the
workforce, the expectation is
that they can write clearly for a
variety of purposes…since
communication skills are
increasingly important in all
areas of employment. (Vermont
Business Roundtable, 1995)
• In a 2002 survey of 251
employers, 73% reported that
graduates’ writing skills were
“poor” or “fair”. (Public Agenda,
2002)
Whose responsibility?
• When content area teachers
incorporate writing in all areas
of the curriculum…students
benefit in three ways:
1) Students have a resource for
better understanding content
2) Students practice a technique
which aids retention
3) Students begin to write better.
(Walker, 1988; Kurfiss, 1985)
• “Content teachers, your
responsibility is two-fold: to teach
skills unique to the subject matter
and to teach students how to use
reading and writing to learn subject
matter content” (2003, 3).
• You undoubtedly already implement
WAC to some degree
The Question is:
How can you use writing in your
classroom more
INTENTIONALLY?
Discussion starters for
your study groups
• WHEN is it best to use these
strategies in a class period?
• WHAT types of writing activities
will work best in our content
area?
• WHAT will students write on?
• HOW will we grade or provide
feedback?
• HOW will we use the writing?
• HOW do we manage the
paperwork?
•
•
•
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HOW do we keep this SIMPLE
and
ONGOING
INTENTIONAL
BENEFICIAL
MANAGABLE
The goal of instruction should be
“to help students learn content
while developing the literacy
and thinking skills necessary to
become independent, lifelong
learners” (Stephens and brown,
2000, 2).