The Collins Writing Program

1. The Collins Writing Program An Overview Melissa C. Willis 7th Grade English Handley Middle School

2. What the program does: • The Collins Writing Program presents a model for writing-across-the-curriculum and writing to learn. Founder Dr. John Collins draws from extensive research and twenty years experience working with teachers and students to create a practical program that requires students to engage in curriculum content as they improve writing, thinking, listening, and speaking skills.

3. Focus Correction Areas • Known as FCAs • Focus correcting is a selective approach to correcting and grading your writing. • Each type will normally have three FCAs that the teacher will look at for grading purposes.

4. The Program: • Consists of Five Types of Writing • Assignments fall on a continuum from Type One to Type Five. They build on each other. • Each type has a different purpose and must be used appropriately to communicate clearly to students what is expected. • For all types, skip lines.

5. Type One: Capture Ideas • Gets ideas on paper – Brainstorming • Has a time limit and requires a minimum number of items. Questions / Guesses are permitted. • Bell Ringers are Type One Assignments. • Type One will be used in all classes as Bell Ringers.

6. Type Two: Respond Correctly • Shows writer’s understanding – Quiz • Has correct answers to specific questions • Graded as a quiz. • Quizzes are Type Two Assignments. • These will be done in your Composition Notebooks along with Type Ones.

7. Type Three: Edit for FCAs • First Draft of an essay and meets three FCAs • Written on Type Three formatted paper for easy revision. • Read aloud in a one-foot voice and reviewed for criteria. • Revision and editing are done on the original. • One Draft

8. Type Four: Peer Edit for FCAs • Read out loud and critiqued by peer editor. • Peer editor works with writer to edit and revise and ensure that FCAs are met. • Two drafts: Original and Revised

9. Type Five: Publish • Publishable quality • Multiple drafts to ensure FCAs are met • Final draft is submitted for grading by the teacher.

10. How will this improve my writing? • Collins Writing Program will give you a step-by-step process to follow in order to ensure all FCAs are met. • You will go through the same process with every essay. • You will learn how to write, edit, and correct your own work.