WEBVTT 00:00:01.230 --> 00:00:07.960 Welcome to the overview on Teaching Students to Use the Writing Process for a Variety of 00:00:07.960 --> 00:00:09.860 Purposes. 00:00:09.860 --> 00:00:14.260 Writing well requires the writer to think carefully about the purpose for writing, plan 00:00:14.260 --> 00:00:20.089 what to say, plan how to say it, and understand what the reader needs to know. 00:00:20.089 --> 00:00:25.980 It also involves evaluating plans and text and revising them to make them better. 00:00:25.980 --> 00:00:30.019 Teachers can help students become effective writers by teaching a variety of strategies 00:00:30.019 --> 00:00:34.690 for each component of the writing process and help students apply the strategies until 00:00:34.690 --> 00:00:38.020 they are able to do so independently. 00:00:38.020 --> 00:00:43.020 The writing process is the means through which a writer composes text. 00:00:43.020 --> 00:00:47.840 Writing is not a linear process; it is flexible, and students need to learn to move easily 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:52.530 back and forth between components of the writing process. 00:00:52.530 --> 00:00:59.039 Components of the writing process include planning, drafting, sharing, evaluating, revising, 00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:04.000 editing, and finally, publishing the final product. 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:09.290 Planning involves developing goals and generating ideas, gathering information, and organizing 00:01:09.290 --> 00:01:10.950 ideas for writing. 00:01:10.950 --> 00:01:17.440 Drafting focuses on selecting the words and sentences to get a writer’s ideas on paper. 00:01:17.440 --> 00:01:22.120 Sharing is when writers show or read their ideas or drafts to others throughout the writing 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:27.130 process, and it enables students to obtain feedback and suggestions for improving their 00:01:27.130 --> 00:01:28.310 writing. 00:01:28.310 --> 00:01:34.050 Evaluating can be carried out by teachers or peers who provide feedback, or by the writers 00:01:34.050 --> 00:01:40.390 themselves as they reread their text and consider whether they are meeting their writing goals. 00:01:40.390 --> 00:01:46.530 Revising requires making content changes—like reorganizing ideas, adding or removing text, 00:01:46.530 --> 00:01:50.630 or refining word choice to clarify or enhance meaning. 00:01:50.630 --> 00:01:56.060 Editing involves making changes to make sure spelling and grammar are correct. 00:01:56.060 --> 00:02:00.500 And publishing typically occurs at the end of the writing process, as students produce 00:02:00.500 --> 00:02:04.140 a final product that is shared. 00:02:04.140 --> 00:02:09.169 Students need to learn specific strategies for each component of the writing process. 00:02:09.169 --> 00:02:13.780 Teachers should talk to students frequently about when and how to use the strategies throughout 00:02:13.780 --> 00:02:17.659 the writing process and why the strategies are helpful. 00:02:17.659 --> 00:02:22.620 Students can learn writing strategies through a gradual release of responsibility from teacher 00:02:22.620 --> 00:02:24.689 to student. 00:02:24.689 --> 00:02:28.680 Teachers need to first make sure that students have the background knowledge and skills needed 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:31.290 to use a writing strategy. 00:02:31.290 --> 00:02:35.189 Then they can describe the strategy and model its use. 00:02:35.189 --> 00:02:39.249 Teachers should also describe why students might choose to use it. 00:02:39.249 --> 00:02:45.939 Last, teachers should guide students to practice applying the strategy as they write independently. 00:02:45.939 --> 00:02:50.909 For example, a teacher can start by providing background knowledge such as, “What you 00:02:50.909 --> 00:02:55.579 write will be more interesting for others to read if you have a lot of good ideas, so 00:02:55.579 --> 00:03:02.269 you should take the time to brainstorm, or write down all your ideas before you get started.” 00:03:02.269 --> 00:03:06.629 Then the teacher can describe brainstorming by saying, “Brainstorming helps you think 00:03:06.629 --> 00:03:08.769 about what you already know. 00:03:08.769 --> 00:03:12.819 Write down as many ideas as you can think of, good or bad. 00:03:12.819 --> 00:03:15.980 You may find some ideas that you didn’t think about before.” 00:03:15.980 --> 00:03:21.010 Next, the teacher can model how to use the strategy by brainstorming some ideas on the 00:03:21.010 --> 00:03:25.450 board and asking students to add ideas to the list. 00:03:25.450 --> 00:03:29.670 Students can then begin to practice using the brainstorming strategy on their own, with 00:03:29.670 --> 00:03:34.459 assistance and reminders from the teacher as needed, such as, “Remember to brainstorm 00:03:34.459 --> 00:03:38.879 as many ideas as you can before you actually start writing your own paper. 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:42.299 Do not worry about whether you think the ideas are good or bad.” 00:03:42.299 --> 00:03:49.299 Finally, students are prepared to brainstorm on their own when they begin writing projects. 00:03:49.629 --> 00:03:54.529 Once students learn to use strategies independently, teachers should help them understand how to 00:03:54.529 --> 00:03:57.840 select and use appropriate strategies. 00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:02.519 To help students select the appropriate writing strategy, teachers could post strategies on 00:04:02.519 --> 00:04:07.389 a wall chart in the classroom, with one column listing the strategies and another column 00:04:07.389 --> 00:04:12.249 providing a list of situations in which these strategies could be used. 00:04:12.249 --> 00:04:17.440 Once students are able to use a strategy effectively and independently, they can add situations 00:04:17.440 --> 00:04:19.510 to the chart. 00:04:19.510 --> 00:04:23.410 Once students have acquired a set of strategies to carry out the components of the writing 00:04:23.410 --> 00:04:28.220 process, they need to learn how to move back and forth flexibly between different components 00:04:28.220 --> 00:04:31.890 of the writing process as they develop text. 00:04:31.890 --> 00:04:37.120 Text may need to be revised numerous times to communicate more effectively. 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:40.810 Teachers should engage students in writing activities in which the writing process does 00:04:40.810 --> 00:04:45.380 not move in a linear fashion, but rather where students are encouraged to move back and forth 00:04:45.380 --> 00:04:51.340 between the components of the writing process as their text takes shape. 00:04:51.340 --> 00:04:56.190 Students need to learn that writing is used for a variety of purposes, such as conveying 00:04:56.190 --> 00:05:02.750 information, making an argument, providing a means for self-reflection, sharing an experience, 00:05:02.750 --> 00:05:07.220 enhancing understanding of reading, or providing entertainment. 00:05:07.220 --> 00:05:11.730 Teachers should model for students the different purposes for writing and how specific genres 00:05:11.730 --> 00:05:13.940 can help them achieve their writing goals. 00:05:13.940 --> 00:05:18.800 It is important for students to understand the purpose of different genres, so that they 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:22.420 can select the genre best suited to their writing task. 00:05:22.420 --> 00:05:27.000 In teaching a particular genre, teachers should emphasize the purpose of that genre and how 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:30.970 its features are related to the purpose of the writing task. 00:05:30.970 --> 00:05:36.160 For example, the purpose of a persuasive letter is to convince the reader to agree with the 00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:36.720 writer. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:41.290 To achieve this purpose, students should think of compelling reasons to convince readers 00:05:41.290 --> 00:05:43.560 who might not agree with them. 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:48.330 They need to state those reasons clearly and support them with evidence. 00:05:48.330 --> 00:05:52.180 Teachers can provide real-world scenarios to help students understand the different 00:05:52.180 --> 00:05:56.860 purposes for writing, such as having students write a persuasive letter to convince their 00:05:56.860 --> 00:06:01.180 parents that a friend should be allowed to spend the night or a letter to the principal 00:06:01.180 --> 00:06:05.310 asking for permission to go on a special field trip. 00:06:05.310 --> 00:06:10.060 Students must learn to adjust their writing to be most effective for their intended audience. 00:06:10.060 --> 00:06:14.590 To help students understand the role of audience in writing, it is important to design writing 00:06:14.590 --> 00:06:18.970 activities that naturally lend themselves to different audiences. 00:06:18.970 --> 00:06:24.110 For example, teachers and students can generate a list of potential audiences for a given 00:06:24.110 --> 00:06:26.060 writing assignment. 00:06:26.060 --> 00:06:30.370 Then students can choose the audience that best fits their writing topic. 00:06:30.370 --> 00:06:34.780 They can practice adjusting their tone and word choice to suit their audience by writing 00:06:34.780 --> 00:06:38.780 and rewriting the same piece for different audiences. 00:06:38.780 --> 00:06:42.740 Students could write instructions for how to play a favorite game for a friend who also 00:06:42.740 --> 00:06:44.590 plays the game. 00:06:44.590 --> 00:06:49.090 Then they could rewrite the same instructions for the school principal, who might be unfamiliar 00:06:49.090 --> 00:06:50.180 with the game. 00:06:50.180 --> 00:06:57.020 This would require students to adjust their tone and word choice to suit the chosen audience. 00:06:57.020 --> 00:07:01.060 Students can learn to adopt the features of good writing in their own pieces by being 00:07:01.060 --> 00:07:07.330 exposed to exemplary texts, also called mentor texts, from a variety of sources, including 00:07:07.330 --> 00:07:13.550 published or professional texts, books, and textbooks; the teacher’s own writing; and 00:07:13.550 --> 00:07:15.330 peer samples. 00:07:15.330 --> 00:07:19.400 Teachers should select texts that support the instructional goals of the lesson, are 00:07:19.400 --> 00:07:23.890 appropriate for the students’ reading levels and abilities, and provide exemplary models 00:07:23.890 --> 00:07:26.490 of what students will write. 00:07:26.490 --> 00:07:31.140 Teachers should read exemplary texts aloud or have students read exemplary texts, paying 00:07:31.140 --> 00:07:35.560 attention to word choice, structure, or other style elements. 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:40.200 The class can discuss how each text demonstrates characteristics of effective writing in that 00:07:40.200 --> 00:07:41.990 genre. 00:07:41.990 --> 00:07:46.900 Students can then practice using these characteristics in their own writing. 00:07:46.900 --> 00:07:52.120 Students must also learn to use techniques that are specific to a purpose of writing. 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:57.000 Techniques can help students frame their writing for a specific purpose. 00:07:57.000 --> 00:08:01.620 Techniques should be taught explicitly and directly through a gradual release of responsibility 00:08:01.620 --> 00:08:07.680 from teacher to student until students are able to apply the techniques independently. 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:12.920 For example, students in younger grades can imagine using their five senses to describe 00:08:12.920 --> 00:08:19.920 the sensory details of a piece of writing: What did I see, hear, touch, smell, and taste? 00:08:20.960 --> 00:08:27.960 In grades 2–6, students can complete a KWL chart to gather appropriate information: what 00:08:28.060 --> 00:08:32.360 I Know, what I Want to know, and what I Learned. 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:37.240 In older grades, students can practice the TREE technique as they write: they Tell what 00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:42.219 they believe with a topic sentence, provide three or more Reasons for why they believe 00:08:42.219 --> 00:08:47.959 this, wrap it up with an Ending, and Examine to make sure they have explained each of their 00:08:47.959 --> 00:08:49.430 reasons. 00:08:49.430 --> 00:08:54.470 To learn more about Teaching Students to Use the Writing Process for a Variety of Purposes, 00:08:54.470 --> 00:08:58.359 please explore the additional resources on the Doing What Works website.