Planning and Implementing Writing Workshops
ELA Professional Day
November 8, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Essential Concepts from the Workshop
General Information
· Various Literacy Structures
(Multiple Book Reading, Readers’ Workshop, Whole Class Writing,
Writing Workshop, Literacy Workshop)
· Planning a Readers’ or Writers’ Workshop
· The Mini-Lesson – Characteristics
· Overview of Mini-lesson Topics (RW & WW)
· Teacher & Student Roles
· Assessment in the Workshop
Writers’ Workshop
· Starting Your Writers’ Workshop
· Writing Workshop Guidelines
· Writing Status-of-the-Class chart
Writing Mini-Lesson Topics & Activities (from 6+1 Traits of Writing)
· Idea Lessons
· Organization Lessons on Writing the Introduction
· Word Choice Lessons on Descriptive Language
· Voice Lessons
· Sentence Fluency Lessons
· Conventions Lessons
Appendix
§ Resources for Teaching Reading and Writing Workshops
§ Readers’ and Writers’ Workshop Planning Page
§ The 30-15-10 (Prefix, Root, Suffix List)
§ Metaphorical Graphic Organizers
§ Literature Circle Role Sheets
Reading and Writing Workshop Essential Content
General Workshop Information
1. There are 6 literacy structures: whole-group reading of one book/flex. groups, multiple books, Readers’ Workshop (students choose their own books), Whole-class writing, Writing Workshop (students choose writing topics), Literacy Workshop (blends reading and writing workshop into one routine)
2. Procedures and expectations need to be modeled and taught to the students. Including how students are to engage in group discussion.
3. Planning for a reading and writing workshop should always begin with the outcomes/indicators to be taught. Planning should then involve how the students will be assessed.
4. It’s important for teachers to gather information about their students’ reading and writing strengths/areas of need prior to a workshop. This can be done with surveys, conferences, anecdotal records, and reviewing student portfolios.
5. The teacher’s role in a workshop is to provide a positive learning environment, instruct skills/procedures, model, respond, and evaluate.
6. The student’s role in a workshop is to engage actively in reading, writing and/or discussions, accept responsibility, apply strategies, and be reflective about their growth.
The Mini-Lesson
7. Structure of the mini-lesson: Introduction, teacher modeling, students modeling and guided practice, summarizing and reflecting.
8. Follow-ups to the mini-lesson are structured with independent practice of skills taught in the mini-lesson, application
9. Mini-lessons may be done with the whole class or a small group and usually lasts from 5-20 minutes.
10. Mini-lesson topics are based on students’ needs from teacher observation during reading and/or writing.
11. Should always go back to the literature being read and/or sample writing for examples and modeling.
Readers’ Workshop
12. Readers’ Workshops can be developed around themes (survival, power, challenges, making decisions, etc.) or genre (poetry, short story, non-fiction, etc.)
13. Mini-lessons can include strategies for monitoring text, using fix-up strategies for vocabulary, analyzing literary terms, and responding to texts.
14. Teachers and students need to know their lexile levels. It should be used to select materials for workshops and should be conveyed to students to teach them how to select appropriate texts for themselves.
15. Literature Circles are small discussion groups where students can share their thoughts, questions, and conclusions about a common book. Group should be limited to 3-5 students.
Writers’ Workshop
16. The essential components of a Writing Workshop are: Time to write, Response (conference time with students), Responsibility (students taking ownership), and Literature (using vibrant texts to model and spark conversation about writing).
17. Revision is at the heart of the work done in a Writing Workshop.
18. The 6 + 1 Traits model focuses on 6 elements of writing: ideas, organization, word choice, voice, sentence fluency, and conventions. The +1 Trait is presentation.
General Information
Reading and Writing Structures
for the Classroom
There are many ways to balance literacy in the classroom. One prescribed method or structure of a classroom will not meet the needs of all students throughout the school year. However, selecting and implementing various methods or structures will work to balance English language arts instruction and enhance student learning. The following are structures for reading and writing instruction:
One Book – Whole Class, Flexible GroupsOften referred to as whole-class instruction. In reality, however, flexible groups are being used to individualize instruction. The only whole-class activity is that everyone is reading the same book.
Time / Procedures / Strengths / Hazards
10 – 15 minutes
At least 20-25 minutes
5 – 10 Minutes
Varies according to activity / 1. Activate prior knowledge
2. Begin to read the literature
· Decide on the mode of reading:
- Teacher-Supported Reading (read aloud, shared reading, guided reading)
- Cooperative Reading (partners)
- Independent Reading
· Be aware of less-able students trying to “hide” to avoid showing weakness areas.
3. Respond to the reading (usually writing)
4. Discussion or reading
- Whole-class discussion
- Literature Circles
5. Support and Extension (includes: mini-lessons, creative responses, vocab. Activities, writing, art, etc.)
- Teacher-guided lesson/activities
- Cooperative activities
- Independent activities / - Gives everyone a level playing field 9boosts confidence of leower-level readers)
- Supports discussion involving all students.
- Structure is flexible. The class does not have to be done in the described order. / - Must be balanced with the multiple-book plan to give kids appropriate books for their level.
- Need to bary modes of reading, discussion groups, and activities or all students will be limited.
- Need student choice.
- Avoid dividing students into reading levels with one novel.
Multiple Books
This framework for organizing the classroom is when several books of various levels are selected to accommodate individual reading needs.
Time / Procedures / Strengths / Hazards
10 – 15 minutes
At least 20-25 minutes
5 – 10 Minutes
Varies according to activity / 1. Introduce book choices to students.
2. Begin to read the literature
· Students/teacher decides on the mode of reading:
- Teacher-Supported Reading (read aloud, shared reading, guided reading)
- Cooperative Reading (partners)
- Independent Reading
3. Personal response and discussion
· Journals
· Literature Circles
4. Support and Extension (includes: mini-lessons, creative responses, vocabulary activities, writing, art, etc.)
· Teacher-guided lessons/activities
· Cooperative activities
· Independent activities / - Provides instructional support on student’s reading level
- Provides student choice / - Management
- Teachers don’t want to interfere with student choice (students may choose inappropriate books)
- Resources may not be adequate
Readers’ Workshop
The reading workshop is a time when the entire class is engaged in reading, responding, and sharing books with the teacher and with peers. The heart of the workshop is time to read.
Time / Procedures / Strengths / Hazards
5-10 minutes
5-10 minutes
3-5 minutes
40-60 minutes / 1. Teacher Sharing Time (shares literature to spark students’ interests and motivate them for independent reading)
2.Mini-lessons (teacher directed lesson focusing on pre-reading activities to activate prior knowledge for genre, skill or strategy.)
3. State-of-the-Class Conference (students state what they will be doing in class. Teacher records info.)
4.Reading and Responding
Choice A – Students may engage in:
- Self-selected reading (10-20 min.)
- Literature Circles (20-30 min.)
- Conferences with the teacher (20 min.)
Choice B – Students may engage in:
- Whole-class reading and responding (10-20 min.)
- Self-selected reading and responding (10-20 min.)
- Literature circles (10-20 min.)
- Conferences with the teacher, held during teacher-assigned reading or only on selected days (10 min.)
5. Student Sharing Time (5-10 min.)
- Students share what they are doing or what they have done. May be done in small groups or as a whole class. / - Provides a structured and well-balanced literacy program for a block of instructional time. / - Using all self-selected novels limits in-depth discussion of the novel for a wide-range of students.
- Students may not be adequately prepared.
Writing Structures for the Classroom
Whole-Class WritingStudents are writing for a common purpose. May include whole-class topics or genres.
Time / Procedures / Strengths / Hazards
10 – 15 minutes
5-10 minutes
15-20 minutes
30-40 minutes / 1. Whole class or large groups may work to develop a common piece. (teacher or students write text.)
2. Mini-lesson to revise or improve the class generated piece.
3. Student Writing (students may go directly to Step 4.)
4. Independent Writing / - Allows for solid modeling of writing
- Instruction is scaffolded
- Can easily be combined with writers’ workshop / - May move students too quickly or too slowly through the piece of writing.
Writing Workshop
This structure is similar to the reading workshop. It allows students time to engage in writing.
Time / Procedures / Strengths / Hazards
10 – 15 minutes
3-5 minutes
30-40 minutes
5-10 minutes / 1. Mini-lesson: Focuses on some aspect of writing or a writing skill needed by the class. (whole-class activity)
2. State-of-the-Class Conference: Use the state-of-the-class chart to record what students are doing.
3. Write and Confer: Students write. The teacher circulates and confers as needed. Scheduled conferences may also be held.
4. Group Sharing: Teachers and students share and comment on writing. (Not a show and tell session) / - Allows for individual needs to be met
- Can be combined with whole-class writing structure / - Requires a definite plan for use
- Routines need to be share with and taught to students or workshop becomes ineffective and chaotic.
Literacy Workshop
Blends the reading and writing workshop formats into one routine. This format includes four main components:
1. Teacher Sharing - getting students excited with a read aloud or something written
2. State-of-the-class conference - find out what students are doing.
3. Reading-writing-conferring - students work on a project that involves both reading and writing. Always have time for independent reading and writing as well. Reading and writing conferences take place.
4. Group Sharing – students share, talk about, and get reactions to their reading and writing projects.
This structure is a long-term goal and may not fit or develop readily for many teachers.
Adapted from: Literacy: Helping Children Construct Meaning by J. David Cooper, 1997.
Planning a Readers’ or Writers’ Workshop
1. Outcomes/Indicators to be taught – determine which indicators from the Cecil County content standards/VSC that you will be teaching and assessing during the unit.
· Include literary analysis, comprehension strategies, expectations and performance in the workshop (e.g., how you want students to respond, how to engage in discussion in a student-led literature circle), writing skills, grammar, vocabulary, etc.
· See Mini-Lesson Ideas sheet
2. Assessments –
· Develop your unit assessment of selected indicators.
· How will you assess student learning throughout the workshop? (formative/summative assessments)
3. Select a theme/genre and gather materials –
· Readers’ Workshops can focus around: Non-fiction, poetry, short stories, novels
· Writers’ Workshops can focus around: Types of writing – narrative, poetry, memoir, non-fiction
4. What will be read/what writing will be used and generated to teach your selected objectives? (See Workshop Planning Organizer – Appendix)
5. Create a general framework for the workshop/unit. Down the left column of piece of paper, list how many days you anticipate that the workshop will last. (Typically, workshops last between 2-3 and a-half weeks.)
Example:
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
· Begin with your final assessment. When will it be given? Do you want students to go back and review it/revise it once it is given? Fill this in on your unit framework.
· Plug in the objectives/lessons to be taught throughout the unit frame. (Some lessons may take more than one or two days.)
· You may want to leave a day or two as flex time to re-teach/or extend lessons as needed.
6. Other considerations:
§ Do you want your students to participate in Literature Circles (Book Discussion Groups?)
· If so, you will need to plan time to teach students the guidelines and expectations of the discussion groups, and you may need to allot time for group ice-breakers to get conversation practice in prior to discussing their shared novels.
The Mini-Lesson
Structure:
1. Introduction – Introduce the tool/skill/content. Let students know what they will learn and relate it to literature and/or their writing.
2. Teacher Modeling – model the element being taught using the literature or writing to show examples. Use think alouds as needed.
3. Student modeling and guided practice – Kids read short text (segment from novel, short story, graph/chart, poem, news article, selection from non-fiction, etc.) and practice the skill/element. Encourage students to locate other examples of what is being taught.
4. Summarizing and reflecting - helps students summarize what they have learned and talk about how and when they might use it. For example, students could meet with a partner or small group for a quick discussion. (5-10 min) , then engage in a whole-class debriefing on their learning.
Other Characteristics:
- May be done with the whole class or a small group and usually lasts from 5-15 minutes.
- Topics are based on the students’ needs from teacher observation during reading and/or writing.
- Should always go back to the literature being read and/or sample writing for examples and modeling.
Follow-up to the Mini-lesson:
1. Independent Practice – have students read or write what has been taught.
2. Application – Give students repeated opportunities to immediately use or apply what they have learned in other reading and writing experiences.
3. Reflecting – Have students reflect about use. After several opportunities to apply what was taught, encourage students to talk about how they used what they have learned.
Teacher and Student Roles