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Writing to Learn… . Nicole Ciuca Southern Nevada Writing Project June 28, 2012. My Background. 3 rd grade teacher – Public School 4 th grade teacher – Private School – The Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain Teacher of reading, writing, word
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Writing to Learn… Nicole Ciuca Southern Nevada Writing Project June 28, 2012
My Background 3rd grade teacher – Public School 4th grade teacher – Private School – The Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain Teacher of reading, writing, word study, math, social studies, and technology
Sharing Protocol 1 Brain, 2 Brains, Share Brains 1 Brain – Write and reflect in your journal for a 2-3 Minutes 2 Brains – Share with 1 colleague for 3-4 minutes Share Brains – Whole group share
Journal Time Please respond to the following question… What does “Learning to Write” mean to you?
Possibilities The writing process 6 traits Writing genres
Agree or Disagree Please respond to the following quote… “Writing is not, nor should be, the concern of English teachers alone.”– Shadiow, 1981
Journal Time Please answer the following questions… What subjects do you teach? What other school subjects can you name?
Possibilities Reading Writing Math Social Studies Science Foreign Language Art Music Drama Physical Education/Health Technology
Journal Time Please respond to the following question… What does “Writing to Learn” mean to you?
The Dilemma How can teachers, including myself, effectively implement engaging and meaningful writing instruction within content area subjects?
Possible Assumptions Content area teachers should not OR don’t have to teach students writing. Elementary teachers do not see themselves as content area teachers. “I teach Biology not English.”
Concerns Content area teachers have so much to cover, there is no way to fit writing into the schedule. There will be more work to assess and grade. The relationship to curriculum and Common Core Standards.
Possible Solution? Writing-to-Learn
Writing to Learn Writing-to-learn activities are short, informal writing tasks that help students think through key concepts or ideas presented in a content area.
Writing to Learn Short Spontaneous Exploratory Personal Informal Unfinished, unedited, ungraded Can grow into a formal piece
Research Supports Langer and Applebee – 1987 Content area writing can assist learning in 3 ways, students will: gain relevant knowledge and experience in preparing for new activities consolidate and review what has been learned reformulate and extend ideas and experiences
Public Writing - Formal Substantial Planned Conventional Audience-centered Drafted Edited Published Assessable
Support Not Replace Writing-to-learn allows students to: identify thinking processes and write to support their thoughts write to show they understand content concepts reflect on their own learning
WTL - 3 Ways Pre-learning During learning Post-learning
Let’s Try It! Pre-Learning GETTING READY TO LEARN Gain relevant knowledge and experience in preparing for new activities Looping
Let’s Try It! Pre-Learning Looping Example – Ancient World Mummies are people that are not alive anymore. People in ancient cultures made mummies out of people out of respect. They would take out the organs, dry the body, and wrap it up. Mummies are people that are not alive anymore, they are dead. People in ancient cultures would treat the bodies for a long time which is how they get mummified. They would make the people into mummies out of respect. They would take out the different organs of the body like the stomach, lungs, and heart. I think they would take them out through the nose. One they did that, they would let the body sit to dry it out, then they would wrap it up in pieces of cloth, almost like toilet paper to keep it safe and protected.
Let’s Try It!During Learning WRITING TO LEARN • Consolidate and review what has been learned Double Journal Entry
Let’s Try It!During Learning Double Journal Entry Example – Ancient World
Let’s Try It!Post- Learning DEMONSTRATE LEARNING Reformulate and extend ideas and Experiences Word Limiters Précis Writing
Let’s Try It!Post- Learning Word Limiters Example – Ancient World Archaeologists have found hundreds of mummified bodies, preserved people who have died in ancient Cairo, Egypt.
Next Steps – Journal Time Please respond to the following question… How can you integrate Writing-to- learn within the content areas in your classroom?
Standards Content Standard 4.0 - Students read expository and persuasive texts to comprehend, interpret, and evaluate for specific purposes. Content Standard 5.0 - Students write a variety of texts using the writing process. Content Standard 6.0 - Students write a variety of texts that inform, persuade, describe, evaluate, entertain, or tell a story and that are appropriate to audience and purpose.
References Johnson, J., Holcombe, M., Simms, G. & Wilson, D. (1993). Writing to learn in a content area. The Clearing House, 66 (3), 155- 158. Daniels, H., Zemelman, S. & Steineke, N. (2007). Content area writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
!!Food for Thought!! Writing to Learn Learn Think Write