Strategies for Successful Writing Instruction

1. Strategies for Successful Writing Instruction

2. Writing Instruction • Teach Writing~ DO NOT Assign It! • Teaching writing is an expectation of EVERY grade, not only tested grades • Each grade has 2 Writing Standards: • Composing & Revising • Editing • Emphasize expository, persuasive, & analytical writing

3. Writing Instruction • Focus on purpose and audience • Provide opportunities for students to change voice and audience • Teach peer revision/editing • Putting students in groups is NOT teaching peer editing • Do incorporate writing into every lesson • Do use writing portfolios • Do conference with students • Don’t grade every writing assignment • Don’t correct every U/M error in student papers

4. SOL Writing Cut Scores

5. SOL Pass Rates

6. Writing SOL Pass Rates

7. SOL Writing Blueprints

8. SOL Instruction Resources

9. Online Writing Web Page

10. Writing Process Downloadable Writing Process graphic

11. Online Writing Practice Tool Typing Tools Typing Tools Current Line Location ProgressBar

12. Writing Prompts Released

13. Writing Rubrics

14. Scoring with the SOL Writing Rubric • Only the EOC rubric is mode-specific • All student papers are read by two readers; their scores are added together • Composing/Written Expression score counts twice = 2/3 • Usage/Mechanics score counts once = 1/3 • If judges scores are more than 1 point apart, papers are read by a third judge

15. Prepare for SOL Writing Tests

16. Instructional Writing Checklists Available for grade 5, 8 and EOC.

17. Instruction Anchor Sets

18. SOL Progression ChartsWriting, Grammar, Reading, Research

19. Understand Scoring Scheduled to be online in early fall 2013

20. Understand Scoring

21. Writing Instruction

22. Writing to Learn • The reading journal • Generic and focused summaries • Annotations • Response papers • Synthesis papers • Discussion starter • Focused discussion • Learning log • Analyzing the process • Problem statement • Solving real problems • Pre-test warm-ups • Letters • What counts as a fact? • Believing and doubting • Analysis of events • Project notebooks • Writing journal • Freewriting & Focused FreewritingEntry Slips/Exit SlipsReader-Response WritingSentence/Passage SpringboardWriting Definitions to Empower the StudentStudent-Formulated QuestionsSummaryGroup Writing ActivitiesMicrothemesAnswer the Question!Clarification/Review Letters • The National Writing Project • http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource_topic/teaching_writing

23. Use of Content Texts • Use content text books to create: • nonfiction paired passages • reading comprehension questions • vocabulary questions • usage/mechanics questions • constructed response questions • Create TEI “thinking-enhanced questions”

24. Persuasive Writing The National Writing Project http://nwp.org

25. SOL K-12 English InstitutesFall 2013 • Registration link – Supt’s Memo #155-13 • 4 Institutes • Dates and locations: • October 3 - Wytheville • October 8 – Portsmouth • October 14 – Dulles • October 29 – Charlottesville • Registration is open to all

26. Contact Information • Virginia Department of Education Tracy Fair Robertson • English Coordinator • Tracy.Robertson@doe.virginia.gov • 804-371-7585 • Thomas Santangelo • Elementary English Specialist • Thomas.Santangelo@doe.virginia.gov • 804-225-3203 • Assessment Office • Student_assessment@doe.virginia.gov • 804-225-2102