Introduction to the Writing Process A Workshop for Teacher Aides

1. Topics: Overview of the writing process Writer’s Workshop model Where do I need help? (board) Informal to formal language Complete Sentence Construction Zone Spelling Suggestions Story summary Trait-based writing instruction Reading comprehension strategies Word Walls Introduction to the Writing ProcessA Workshop for Teacher Aides Presented by Amy Benjamin www.amybenjamin.com Any of the visuals in today’s presentation are available to you on the “Recent Presentations” link of the above website.

2. The visuals in today’s presentation are available at: www.AmyBenjamin.com/media.html

3. Questions, Issues, Concerns, Interests for today: Strategies for writing complete sentences for motivating children to want to write Generating creative writing: making children’s ideas more interesting “I don’t know what to write.” “I write the way I speak.” Focus: Staying on task Knowing how to summarize Spelling Grammar Formulating effective writing tasks

4. Effective vs. Ineffective writing tasks Ineffective: Write a report about elephants Pick a state and write a report about it Effective: Combines and specifies the topic so that it is not “cut and paste-able” (involves some original thinking) Effective: Blends the child’s experience and knowledge with new knowledge that he or she must acquire in order to do the writing task Effective writing task: Uses a carefully chosen task verb that the child understands Explain, describe, persuade, convince, compare, tell about, summarize Effective writing tasks: Call upon children to write in various genres for various audiences (reports, letters, lists, skits, poems, stories, persuasives)

5. Three Major Purposes for Writing (and Reading) P: Persuasion: Persuade your parents to buy you another Webkin Persuade the principal to allow you to have Webkin Awareness Day in school I: Information: All About Webkins The Parents’ Guide to Webkin World The History of Webkins E: Entertainment A Tale of Two Webkins The Scarlet Webkin S: Social communication IM ur BFF about Webkins Elephants Cars Dinosaurs Sports Video games Webkinz

6. Crafting a writing task: (Sentence 1: Set the scene) Your teacher has asked you to recommend a field trip for the class. (Sentence 2: Set the task: purpose and audience) Write a letter to your teacher explaining your reasons why the class should take a field trip to the Bronx Zoo. (Sentence 3: set out specifics) In your letter, be sure to give at least two reasons why this trip would be educational and fun. Other suggestions: Word bank of about 10 words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) Information source (book, website, conversation with adult) One or two sentence frames

7. Word Bank: THE…. CAN… VERY…

8. Sentence Frames: I think____________________because________________. If__________________, then_____________________.

9. THE WRITING PROCESS: Pre-writing experience: (non-sentence form) Drafting Revising Publication Editing Point of intervention for surface error correction Point of intervention for substantial language improvement

10. Writer’s Workshop Model Students have open flexible time (usually about forty minutes each day, three or four days a week) for writing. Students design their own writing program, with help from the teacher. Topics, form, and format are chosen by the student. Students draft several pieces, and then choose one of their drafts to take through the remaining phases of the writing process (…revision, editing, publication) Revision: Peer readers respond to the draft Editing: With teacher assistance Publication: Copied neatly or typewritten; illustrated; displayed or published in a book; student sits in the “Author’s Chair” and reads his or her piece to an audience How is your writing class similar to/different from this model? What might you like to adapt? Based on Lucy Calkins’ model from The Art of Teaching Writing

11. Where do I need help? Answering the question Organizing my ideas Getting Started; Writing the introduction Development Vocabulary Writing the Conclusion Capitalizing Using punctuation Spelling Writing neatly and clearly

12. Where do I need help? Getting Started: What do I do first? Answering the question Putting it in order What more can I say? Vocabulary How do I end? Capitalizing Using punctuation Spelling Writing neatly and clearly

13. Where do I need help? Check ONE: Doing what the question asks me to do and staying on the topic_____ Beginning___________ Thinking of enough things to say_______ Putting my ideas in order___________ Writing complete sentences__________; End punctuation for each sentence_____ Using interesting words____________ Capital letters for the start of each sentence____________ Ending_____________

14. Students struggle with going from speech to writing, and then from informal to formal style.

15. Informal and Formal English

16. Handout: Page 11 Informal and Formal briefcase dress shoes sit-down restaurant football on the team lunch cooking, baking, roasting backpack flip-flops McDonald’s frisbee on the lawn snack zapping/nuking

17. Informal and formal English got, gotta hafta gonna wanna lemme woulda, shoulda, coulda cuz have, have to going to want to let me would have, should have, could have because

18. Informal and formal English E-language: OMG LOL BRB JK IDK IDC WTF U R 2 G2G B Well,

19. Problem-Solver: Student writing When my students (mistakenly) write this: and I want them (instead) to write this: Here is what I might suggest: “House rule” And…And…And Then…Then…Then Vary their sentence beginnings Begin every sentence with a DIFFERENT word (no repeats) Use “Well,…” only when you have quotation marks (in a story) Well,…. Begin sentence with and, but, so Once a week: You may begin one sentence with and, but, so once a week (for emphasis) If a sentence begins with because, then that sentence must have two parts. BECAUSE part GUESS WHAT? part Sentence fragment that begins with because… Complete sentence

20. Spelling Steps: • Look at the word. See the letters in it and think about what • the word means • 2. Say the word. Hear the vowel and consonant sounds. • 3. Think about the word. How is each sound spelled? Look for • any prefixes, suffixes, or word parts that • tell you the meaning. • 4. Find groups of letters that go together in the word. • 5. Write the word in the air with your arm straight out. • 6. Close your eyes and see the word in your mind’s eye. • 7. Write the word just by remembering how it looked. Form the • letters carefully as you write. • 8. Check the word. Did you spell it correctly? If not, notice what • part you got wrong. Start over. say close your eyes look think find air-write 6 2 3 5 1 4 write check 7 8

21. Homophones: The Substitution System There √Their They’re The substitution for THEIR is HIS: Their His house is next to our house.. The Wilsons keep dog inside a fence. their his All students should be respectful to bus drivers . their his

22. Homophones: The Substitution System √There Their They’re The substitution for THERE is HERE: There Here is a big truck parked outside our house. Please put the candy over there Here We expected some friends to meet us at six o’clock. there Here

23. Homophones: The Substitution System There Their √They’re The substitution for THEY’RE is THEY ARE: They are They’re moving into the house next door.. They are I saw that training a new puppy. they’re Sometimes, not happy. they’re They are

24. Homophones: The Substitution System √Your You’re If you can substitute HIS, use YOUR: Your His mother is calling you on your cell phone. Get to know the children in your his class. Introduce me to friends. your his ITS/IT’s works the same way. YOUR: substitute HIS

25. Now entering THE SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION ZONE

26. Can you add a “Stick-on” question? Isn’t it? Aren’t we? Don’t you? Declarative Sentences Can you turn it into a yes/no question? Can you put It is true that…. in front of it? Complete Sentence (or “I intend to prove that…” or “They believed the idea that…”) Predicate “wheel”: What about it? Subject “wheel”: Who or what?

27. A complete sentence can be turned into a yes/no question: • You used to work at Sears. • You’ve never worked at Sears. • I’ve seen you before. • That cute little light green house with the dark green shutters in the middle of town is for sale by owner. • Your cousins, the couple with the triplets, live in New Jersey. • You don’t live in New Jersey. • This is a great movie. • Ron Howard directs terrific movies. • All Americans of voting age should vote. When you used to work at Sears. Because you used to work at Sears If all Americans of voting age would vote. A movie directed by Ron Howard.

28. Match the“Stick-On” Questions Haven’t I? Doesn’t he? Aren’t I? Didn’t you? Don’t they? Shouldn’t they? Don’t I? Isn’t it? Isn’t it? Do you? Have you? • You used to work at Sears. • You’ve never worked at Sears. • I’ve seen you before. • That cute little light green house with the dark green shutters in the middle of town is for sale by owner. • Your cousins, the couple with the triplets, live in New Jersey. • You don’t live in New Jersey. • This is a great movie. • Ron Howard directs terrific movies. • I think. • Therefore I am. • All Americans of voting age should vote.

29. A sentence has a SUBJECT and a PREDICATE, like a bicycle has two wheels (see next slide) Subordinating conjunctions: AAAWWUBBIS: although, as, after while, when until because, before if since Phrase: part of a sentence Out of the words, students make phrases; Out of the phrases, students make sentences; Out of the sentences, students make subordinate clauses; Out of the subordinate clauses, students make complex sentences Sentence: You can put the words “IT IS TRUE THAT…” in front of words that make a sentence; To create a complex sentence: The “basket” (subordinate clause) can be placed on the back of the bike (no comma necessary) or on the front of the bike (needs a comma).

30. Gardening is my favorite weekend activity because I like worms. , Because I like worms gardening is my favorite activity. What about it? (predicate wheel) Who or what? (subject wheel) M Gardening is my favorite activity on a rainy day because I like worms. (add modifiers: When? Where? Why? How? To What Extent?)

31. The Sentence-Making Kit Fold a 5 x 8 index card in half, width-wise: 1. 2. 3. 4. Write your four cues that will help you recognize a complete sentence: 1. It is true that… 2. The bicycle: Who or what? What about it? (2 wheels) 3. Can you turn it into a yes/no question? 4. Can you add a “stick-on” (tag) question to the end of it?

32. The Sentence-Making Kit On the inside of the card: AAAWWUBBIS: although, as, after while, when until because, before if, since If a sentence begins with any of these words, it must have two parts. Place a comma between the two parts if one of these words begins the sentence. These words, plus the comma, may join two sentences. Writers sometimes begin sentences with these words if they are doing so for emphasis. ,and ,but ,so Use as many ACTION VERBS as possible. Flip the switch into formal English: a lot = a great many or a great deal gonna= going to wanna= want to hafta= have to get,got = become, became, receive received, obtain, obtained gotta: must These words will help you give detail in your sentences: Try beginning some of your sentences with these words: Use words and groups of words that answer the ADVERB QUESTIONS: When? Where? Why? How? To what extent? How often? IN FOR ON WITH AT

33. The Sentence-Making Kit On the back of the card: Substitutions for homophones and spelling problems: their = his there = here they’re = they are your = his you’re = you are its = his it’s = it is; it has woman = man women = women I before E except after C Or when sounded as A As in neighbor or sleigh

34. The Sentence-Making Kit On the back of the card: The CVC rule When you hear: shun You should write: tion, sion When you hear shul You should write: cial (special) Short vowel goes with CK

35. Story Summary Somebody wanted something but, so….

36. Story Summary so… wanted Somebody but

37. so… wanted Somebody but , , What went wrong? What got in the way? How did it all work out? Who? Where? When? Why? Story Summary II

38. Story Summary II So… wanted Somebody but What went wrong? What got in the way? How did it all work out? Who? Where? When? Why? Conflict Obstacle Main character Setting Resolution Motivation

39. Kinds of Information Verb structures: What is its action? What is its nature? Noun Phrases: Who? What? THE…. CAN… Adverb structures: Where? When? Why? In what manner? How often? THE________TRUCK is VERY_____________ Adjective Structures Which one? What kind? How many?

40. Trait-Based Writing Instruction Trait 1: Ideas, Meaning, Addressing the Task Trait 2: Organization Trait 3: Voice Trait 4: Word Choice Trait 5: Sentence fluency Trait 6: Conventions (Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation, Capitalization, Format)

41. Trait 1: Ideas, Meaning, Addressing the TaskPrompt: Write a letter to your principal expressing youropinion about a letter to parents that would recommendthat children not be allowed to watch television on school days. High: Dear Mrs. Ramariz, I’m writing to you because you are going to be writing on a letter that bans children from watching television on school days, and I’m hoping that you will change your mind. Watching TV teaches kids about different places. We can watch the news to see what is happening around the world, or we can watch shows like Zoom and Backyard Jungle. These shows teach you how to have fun with art, science, and reading. Some people think that television is too violent or scary for kids, but I disagree. It should be up to parents to know if a show is okay for a child. They know their kids and can choose what TV is appropriate for them. Please don’t write a letter banning television for kids. Let’s work together to make sure kids are watching good shows. From a future voter, Max Low: Dear Mrs. Ramiriz, I’m writing to you because this is a bad idea. Kids like television. We couldn’t just play outside all the time. It’s cold here in Yonkers. I have to wear really warm clothes and boots. And it gets dark early so we can’t go sledding very much. If you write this letter then we won’t know the price of gas. You should write a letter about gas prices . My dad hardly has any money left after buying gas for our car. You could write about that. My friends and I think that is a better letter. Thank you for your time, Frank B.

42. Trait 2: OrganizationPrompt: Write a story about a family adventure. High: I remember the time my grandmother moved to Texas. Uncle Ted, her son, got a job there so my grandmother moved from Mount Vernon to be with him. He’d wrecked his mnotorcycle and broke his leg in 3 places. The doctor put pins in his leg which made him hobble and have a hard time getting around. I think Uncle Ted really appreciated my grandmother’s help hwile he was getting better: Before my grandmother moved I helped her pack and she gave me and my mom some family treasure. The trip was hard for my grandmother’s pets. On the drive to San Antonio, Mo, her dog got sick. They had to stop in St. Louis to find a vet. She gave the dog some medicine to cure his carsickness, and she told my grandmother to stop and let Mo walk outside as much as she could. This made the trip longer. The cat yowled a lot, too. My grandmother was happy when she finally arrived in San Antonio! My grandmother’s new house is really great. It has a pool with a diving board and a big fenced yard. Things are going really well for her now that she’s in Texas. Low: Remember the time we moved to Texas? We were packing things into boxes and we went down there to pick up some stuff. My uncles moved with us, too, but the main reason we were moving was because my dad got a job. On the way over, Mo, our dog, got sick, and we had to find a vet and get some medicine. The cat yowled a couple of times and thaen was quiet. The rest of the trip was uneventful. Right now my uncles and Grandma live in a house in San Antonio. It has a pool and one diving board. They are very happy in their new home. We moved back.

43. Trait 3: VoicePrompt: Write a report about an animal that interest you. Explain in detail theinteresting feature of this animal and try to get your reader to share yourinterest in it. High:Fascinating Facts About Emperor Penguins Penguins don’t have to rent a tuxedo, they are born with one. But this colorful outfit is more than cute. It camouflages them from predators on the land and in the sea. Penguins are shaped like torpedoes, so when they walk, they wobble. Penguins are about three to four feet high and about two feet wide. Some are fatter than others, just like people. When a penguin egg is ready to hatch, the father, not the mother, keeps it warm in a special pouch on his feet while the mom goes away to eat as much as she wants. The father doesn’t get to eat at all until the mom comes back right before the egg hatches. Poor dad. He must get hungry waiting for the penguin chick to be born. Penguins have busy social lives. They hang out all day together talking in their special penguin language and flapping their flippers. When penguin colonies gather, it can be as loud as a rock concert. It’s too bad you can’t have a penguin for a pet, but who wants to live in the freezer? Low: Penguins Penguins are black and white and that keeps them from being seen by predators on the land and sea. They are shaped like a cone. Some penguins are fat and some are skinny. Penguin fathers help hatch the eggs by keeping them warm on their feet. The mothers don’t do as much as the fathers to get ready for the penguin to be born. Penguins live in groups called colonies and they make a lot of noise when they are together. People don’t have penguins as pets because they have to live in cold places like Antarctica. Zoos are places you can find penguins.l

44. Trait 4: Word ChoicePrompt: Using descriptive language, try to get your reader to visualize night in the forest. High: Night in the Forest The moon shimmers over the forest as silvery streaks of light shine through the towering pines. Chipmunks and mice scamper to their homes on the forest floor. In the distance, the owls cry out, “Whooo-whoo,” and the brook gurgles noisily over the rocks. A foggy mist blankets the woods, while the wind blows gently through the trees. In the darkness, wildflowers fold in their petals, and twigs on the ground crackle as a deer walks to the brook for a drink. Then the deer goes back to its home in the heart of the forest. Morning is coming. Low: Night in the Forest The moon can be seen through the tall trees. Small animals go back to their homes. You can hear owls and the water in the background. It’s foggy and the wind makes noise, so it’s hard to see and hear. The flowers are closed for the night. The deer get a drink before they go back to their forest homes. Morning is coming.

45. Trait 5: Sentence FluencyPrompt: Persuade your reader that the school day should end at 5:00. High: 5:00 School Days Think of how much more your could learn if school was longer. What if school didn’t get out until 5:00? The teachers would have extra time to teach important classes like math and we’d have more time to read our favorite books. Kids would have more recess and lunch time, too. I’d have more chances to be Fire Chief and Safety Patrol leader. In a longer school day, you could watch three movies and have time left over for riddles and jokes. Fun! P.E. and band classes could be twice as long and that would be good for both subjects. I think a 5:00 school day is an excellent idea for both teachers and students. Low: 5:00 School Days I think school days should last until 5:00 so we can learn more. Then the teachers could teach us more. Then we would be able to have a longer math period. Then we’d be able to have a longer recess time. Then we would be able to have a longer lunch time. I’d be able to be a Fire Chief and Safety Patrol leader longer. We will get to see three movies a day. Then we’d be able to do more book reports in two days. We’d be able to do P.E. longer. Then we’d be able to have band twice as long. We be able to do more riddles and jokes in class. That’s why I want school to last until 5:00.

46. Trait 6: Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation, CapitalizationPrompt: Some people are frustrated by rainy days. Help your reader make thebest of rainy days. Low: A Rainy Day A Rainy Day is fun when you think of gaimes to play. I play Freaze Tag and I play hide in sink. Whitch my sister. I play Freeze Tag wtth my family to its fun to play Freaze Tag. Whenit’s a drzly dark rainy Day. It Do not have to be boring. It can be injoyable. You can play Games and if you have a sister or brother you can play hide in sink all Over the hous. Game like Freaze Tag and hide in sink. Is gaimes that you can play Iniside on a rainy Day. some peple think rainy days are boring. but not me. I love to play gaimes on rainy days they make the day Flie bye. High: A Rainy Day A rainy day is fun when you think of indoor games to play. I play Hide and Seek all over the house with my sister. I also play Freeze Tag with my family. It’s fun to play Freeze Tag when it’s a drizzly, dark, rainy day. A rainy day does not have to be boring. It can be enjoyable. You can play board games if you have a sister or brother. I like to play Trouble and Scrabble. You can play charades and sing songs, too. some people think rainy days are boring. But not me. I love to play games on rainy days. They make the day fly by.

47. Strategies Think of reading as a process: Before During After

48. Strategies Think of reading as a process: Before: Preview: Establish expectations Meet new words Extract main ideas

49. Strategies • Think of reading as a process: • Before: • Activate Prior Knowledge: • Knowledge through facts • Knowledge through experience • Knowledge through imagination

50. Strategies Think of reading as a process: Before: Establish a purpose for reading: What am I looking for?