Ways to Encourage Writing at School and Home

• We can encourage your child to write by modeling writing as adults. I will show them that I go through the same process they do when they write.
• Encourage writing at home by giving your child a journal to write in and express his/her thoughts. They can feel ownership with the journal and feel free to write and draw.
• I will promote writing in the classroom by providing opportunities for students to publish their work. They may share with a classmate, the class, post on a bulletin board, publish in a class book, and many other ways. It’s exciting to share a finished product you are proud of.
• I teach the children how to respond to their classmates’ writing in a positive manner. They are taught the “sandwich theory” or “Oreo cookie.” They should provide a positive response, a suggestion, and another positive response. The students should encourage and help each other.
• The writing center in the classroom is their own to use to express themselves. There is an abundance of accessible materials that the students do not have to ask for permission to use.

Five Text Types

We will be reading and writing a variety of materials in our classroom this year that fall under five different text types.
Narrative: story
A narrative text has a plot, character, setting, point of view, and theme.
They also have a distinctive beginning, middle, and end.
Expository: informational, true, factual
An expository text gives us information about a topic.
Technical: directions for how to do something
A technical text provides steps, pictures, and materials like in recipes and instruction manuals.
Persuasive: belief or side of an issue
A persuasive text includes letters to the editor or topics like nature, health, and safety.
Poetry: short text that tells about something or someone using vivid language to create an image.

Description and Purpose of Writing Center

The purpose of having a writing center is to promote writing in a positive writer-friendly environment. The students will always have access to their writing center. The desks are arranged in small groups for collaboration but there is also a small group table available within the writing center. Students are encouraged to show respect for each other by writing quietly or quietly listening to provided (instrumental) music with the available tape/cd players. Many writers’ tools are available in an organized fashion: paper, pens, markers, pencils, stapler, tape, dictionary, thesaurus, blank books, journals, etc. There are two computers where students may research a topic or type their writing for publishing. There are posters with synonyms for common words and other posters that promote writing. All of the students have their own writing folders where they keep their work. Also, there is a mailbox available for the students to write to me and I will respond to their letters. This is their center to explore the possibilities of writing to express and share.

Elements of Writing Workshop

A writing workshop is an organized way of setting up the classroom to encourage students to write. There are several elements to consider of conducting a writing workshop.

Time: I want the students to have a chance to write at least 3 times a week for 35 minutes.

Space: The desks are arranged in small groups for collaboration. We have a writing corner that includes access to any materials that writers may need.

Mini-lessons:
During these short lessons, I will teach children about writing while giving specific instruction that may include procedural lessons, literary lessons, or strategies/skills for writing.
Procedural (possible examples)
• How to choose a topic
• How to be ready for a teacher/student conference
• What to do if you can’t spell a word
• How to be a peer editor
Literary (possible examples)
• Fiction and non-fiction (fact)
• Figurative language
• Point of view of the writer
• Author/poet/illustrator studies
Strategies/Skills (possible examples)
• Tips for reading aloud
• Revision and editing strategies
• Story mapping, outlining, webbing
• Using transitional words

Writing time: I will provide structure at first in how long they write and where they need to be in the classroom. During writing time, they are encouraged to write for the whole time allotted and I will also be doing mini-conferences with the students.

Read aloud time: Students are allowed to share their writing in the writers' chair.

Stages of the Writing Process

There is a specific process when we follow when we formally write that is made up of five steps: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.

Prewriting:
Topic – The first step to prewriting is choosing a topic. In our classroom, it is the student writer’s responsibility to choose a topic for the most part. I want to allow as much freedom as possible. There are several options available to help them with choosing a topic. Each student will keep a writing folder with a list of possible topics for the future. They may also take a “tour of the classroom” to look at what other kids are writing about to possibly spark an idea. There is a “topic box” that is for students to draw from to possibly stir an idea. Students are encouraged to drop a good topic into the box.
Purpose – After students choose a topic, they must also decide their purpose for writing. Why are they writing?
Audience – Who are they writing to? This is important because they may choose words based on who the audience is.
Form – How are they going to say the message? They may choose to write a letter, poem, story, or research report form.
Gathering and Organizing – Before jumping write into writing, students will pre-write to gather their thoughts about their topic. They can also research a topic before beginning. The idea is to figure out what they know so they can include the information in their writing. They may do this by drawing, clustering, talking, reading, role-playing, or quick-writing.

Drafting:
After figuring out what they might want to include, the next step is to get their ideas down on paper or write a “draft.” They are not to necessarily worry about spelling, grammar, punctuation, or organization. The students are to write on every other line during this stage. I ask that the students use pen so I can see all of their ideas. They will not worry about erasing unwanted information. After a completed rough draft, I will stamp their paper with “rough draft” so that we keep their writing straight.

Revising:
Let’s take another look at what we wrote. During this stage, students look back over their work and determine if what they wrote makes sense. The ideal time to revise is 72 hours but sometimes we will come back to their writing the next day.
The students will:
• Reread rough draft
• Share in writing group or with a partner
• Make any revisions which may include moving, adding, or deleting
• Conference with the teacher about their writing

Editing:
This is where the little things count! They will edit for spelling, punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and handwriting. Editing is done out of consideration for the reader.

Publishing:
Publishing does not necessarily mean put the writing in a book. Publishing is the means of sharing their work with others. We might include an art project with a story or poem and post them on a bulletin board, laminate construction paper to make a book, create a class book, assemble a class magazine, or upload writing on a blog or website. The possibilities for sharing work are endless!

Six Areas of Language Arts in the Classroom

The areas of language arts are divided into two categories:
Receptive skills – reading, listening, viewing
Expressive skills – writing, speaking, visual representing

Reading – taking in a message by looking at written words
I will be reading aloud to the class when teaching or during read aloud time. Students will be reading a variety of texts independently, in small groups, and whole class.

Listening – hearing speech of others
I will be giving the majority of my instruction through speaking so it’s very important that the students are listening. They will also be listening to each other in any cooperative groups, class discussion, or a read aloud. Students will be listening carefully by looking at the speaker, showing appropriate body language, and refraining from talking.

Viewing – viewing symbols, graphics, pictures
Students will use symbols, art, or pictures to comprehend a text or interpret meaning.

Writing – expressing an idea through written word
Students will write for a variety of topics, audiences, purposes, and forms.

Speaking – sharing an idea through spoken word
Students will have many opportunities to collaborate and cooperatively work with others. We will also have class meetings to discuss any issues or thoughts about our classroom community. Students will raise a hand or use a talking stick before speaking out to the class.

Visual Representing – creating a message through symbols, graphics, pictures
I will use visual representation in my instruction for visual learners. Students will be given opportunities to visual represent with their writing.