The Writing Workshop

1. The Writing Workshop A Framework for Instruction

2. 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

3. “Pearson and Gallagher use four stages that guide students towards independence: • 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

4. Components of the Writing Workshop

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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