Expository Writing: The New Narrative

1. Expository Writing: The New Narrative michelle@michellestimpson.com Literacy Team

2. Workshop goals. . . The ELAR TEKS require students to “write expository texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes.” To help students move beyond writing the typical narrative texts, teachers must provide students with opportunities to write in a variety of genres…especially expository. During this workshop, participants will identify how the standards address expository writing, familiarize themselves with samples of expository mentor texts, review mini lessons to implement expository writing in their classrooms, and sample lessons on teaching expository writing.

3. Schedule Full Day Session 8:30 – 10:00 Presentation 10:00 – 10:15 Break 10:25 – 11:30 Presentation 11:30– 12:45 Lunch 12:45 – 2:00 Presentation 2:00 – 2:15 Break 2:15: – 3:15 Presentation 3:15 – 3:30 Evaluations & Certificates

4. Housekeeping • Restrooms • Cell Phones • Snacks

5. Let’s Plan a Blended Expository Text

6. Let’s Plan a Blended Expository Text

7. Texas Voices: STAAR -gazing -gazing can get out of hand.

8. Mini STAAR Update

9. Readiness Standards… • are essential for success in the current grade or course. • are important for preparedness for the next grade or course. • support college and career readiness. • necessitate in-depth instruction. • address broad and deep ideas.

10. Supporting Standards… • may be introduced in the current grade or course. • may be emphasized in a previous or subsequent year. • may be reinforced in the current grade or course. • play a role in preparing student for the next grade or course—but not a central role. • address more narrowly defined ideas than Readiness Standards.

11. Reading Genres Assessed Literary Strand • Fiction • Literary Nonfiction • Poetry • Drama • Assessed beginning at 4th grade • Media Literacy • Embedded Readiness Genre Supporting Genre Supporting Genre Supporting Genre

12. Reading Genres Assessed Informational Strand • Expository • Persuasive • Assessed beginning at 5th grade • Procedural • Embedded • Media Literacy • Embedded Readiness Genre Supporting Genre

13. What’s in a Genre?(as defined by TEA)

14. Types of Writing Assessed • Grade 4 • Personal Narrative • Expository (not “how to”) • Grade 7 • Personal Narrative with Extension (extension weaved into writing; not added at the end) • Expository • English I • Literary • Expository • English II • Expository • Persuasive • English III • Persuasive • Analytic

15. Writing in Grades 4 & 7 • Grade 4* • Two Day Writing Test • Day 1 – ½ Multiple Choice & One Composition • Day 2—½ Multiple Choice & One Composition *stand alone field test every 3 years • Grade 7** • Two Day Writing Test • Day 1—Multiple Choice & One Composition • Day 2—Two Compositions **field test embedded

16. Composition Grade 4 • Students will write two one-page compositions addressing different types of writing. • Personal Narrative: • Write about important personal experiences (TEKS−17A) • Expository: • Create brief compositions that establish a central idea in a topic sentence, contain a concluding statement, and include supporting sentences with simple facts, details, and explanations • (TEKS−18 A and i, ii, and iii)

17. Composition Grade 7 • Students will write two one-page compositions addressing different types of writing. • Personal Narrative with extension: • Write a personal narrative that has a clearly defined focus and communicates the importance of or reasons for actions and/or consequences. (TEKS−16A) • Expository: • Write a multi-paragraph essay to convey information about a topic (TEKS−17A; additional information is contained in 17A i−v)

18. Planning • Students will have the bottom of the prompt pages and two additional blank pages for drafting and brainstorming.

19. STAAR Writing • READ: A short synopsis of some kind or a quote. • THINK: The synopsis or quote generalized and reworded • WRITE: An even more focused rewording • BE SURE TO: A reminder to proof

20. 4th GradeNarrative

21. 4th Grade Expository

22. 7th GradeNarrative

23. 7th Grade Expository

24. Semi-Samples Released

25. What Was Observed from the 1s and 2s • Wrong organizational structure/form for purpose • Weak, evolving, or nonexistent thesis • Wasted space: repetition, wordiness, extraneous details or examples, looping/meandering, meaningless introductions and conclusions or introductions and conclusions that are way too long for one page. • Inclusion of too many different ideas for 1 page • General/vague/imprecise use of language or inappropriate tone for purpose • Essay poorly crafted . . . Weak Conventions

26. What Was Observed from the 3s and 4s • Strong match between structure/form and purpose • Explicit thesis • Narrow and deep development – no wasted words or space - Quality over quantity! • Introduction and conclusion short but effective • Specific use of language and app tone for purpose • Essay well crafted • Strong conventions

27. Multiple Choice Revising & Editing Grades 4 & 7 • Revision Focus • Effectiveness • Introduction & Conclusion • Organization • Progression • Development • Language/Word Choice • Sentences • Editing Focus • Correctness • Conventions

28. Multiple Choice Revising & Editing Grades 4 & 7 • Separate Revising & Editing Sections • Grade 4 • 32% Revising (9 items) • 68% Editing (19 items) • Grade 7 • 40% Revising (16 items) • 60% Editing (24 items)

29. Student Success and Students must be provided in-depth, rigorous instruction of the ELA/R TEKS implemented in fall 2009. Students must be provided instruction in all genres represented by the ELA/R TEKS. Equal weight must be given to fiction and expository genres at all grade levels. Instruction must emphasize critical-thinking skills/inferential thinking rather than isolated skills.

30. Tid Bits • Time Limits—TEA will establish a 4-hour time limit for both the STAAR EOC assessments and the STAAR grades 3–8 assessments for the 2012 spring test administration. • Dictionaries must be available to all students taking • STAAR writing assessments (including STAAR Modified and STAAR L) beginning at grade 7. • Each composition will be written on paper that has 26 lines (FYI, no doubling up or writing very small).

31. TEA Quote “A 4-hour time limit should provide sufficient time for the majority of students to complete the test. This policy will align Texas testing practices with other timed state and national assessments.” Taken from “To the Administrator Addressed” letter posted on TEA’s website, April 22, 2011

32. Victoria Young Quote “This is an equity issue; it’s a money issue. The problem (of doubling up on lines) has gotten worse and worse. Students are writing little, tiny font that you can’t even read. We adjusted the rubric to make sure that kids can get 3s and 4s within 26 lines.”

33. Tid Bits • Thesis: Having a central idea/controlling idea/thesis is essential in writing a focused and coherent expository, persuasive, or analytical piece. Personal narratives/literary pieces also need narrow focus. • At the top of the page it will say “Composition # 1, Narrative Essay” or Composition #2, Expository Essay.”

34. Victoria Young Quote “Remember that kids have to be able to think. Writing comes out of thinking. So, we are going to have kids read something. For the lower grades, it will be something pretty short.”

35. Expository and Literary Rubric Dissection

37. Review Column 1 “Limited” Highlight the most important words or phrases

38. Review Columns 2 & 3“Basic” & “Satisfactory Record key, recurring words for these score points

39. Score Point 4“Accomplished” Work with your team to summarize these three categories in 10 words or less.

40. Unpacking the TEKS

41. Writing TEKS • Identify the verbs for each grade level • Discuss how the rigor changes from grade to grade • Discuss the instructional implication • Writing Process (34) • Literary Texts • Personal (37) • Expository and Procedural Texts (37) • Persuasive Texts

49. Jim Burk said. . . “One cannot develop such intelligence by osmosis; instead, it requires deliberate instruction. Writing is often assigned, but if students are to master this complex craft, it must be taught.” (2009) Burke, Jim. Content Area Writing. New York, NY Scholastic

50. Expository defined . . . • 1. Expository text: A type of informational text that clarifies or explains something (TEKS Glossary) • Exposition is a type of oral or written discourse that is used to explain, describe, give information or inform. (www.stanford.edu) • ex·pos·i·to·ry /ɪk’spɑ:zə,tori, adjective • chiefly US, somewhat formal — used to describe writing that is done to explain something ▪ expository prose (Webster’s Dictionary) • 4. Expository texts explain something by definition, sequence, categorization, comparison-contrast, enumeration, process, problem-solution, description, or cause-effect. (www.englishcompanion.com)