Scaffolding Writing Instruction for Struggling Older Writers: Matching the Common Core Standards Arguments, Informative Texts, and Narratives Anita L. Archer, Ph.D. archerteach@aol.com 1 2 Arguments - To convince Persuasion vs. Argument (Eye on Education)! Definition A reasoned, logical argument Demonstrating that the writer s position, belief, or conclusion is valid! Purpose Change reader s point of view Bring about some action on reader s part Ask reader to accept writer s explanation! Genre essay, letter, editorial Genre Persuasion Argument Definition Appeals to the emotions of audience Appeals to logic and reason Common Features Uses techniques such as bandwagon, plain folks, glittering generalities, name calling, and snob appeal Consists of a thesis/claim, evidence, concession/refutation, and a more formal style 3 4
Informative Text - To Explain or Inform! Definition Text That conveys information accurately! Purpose To increase reader s knowledge of subject To help reader understand a procedure or process To provide reader with enhanced understanding of concept! Genre literary analyses, reports, summaries, comparisons, instructions, manuals, memos, resumes Narratives - To Convey an Experience! Definition A written product That conveys real or imagined experiences Using time as the structure! Purpose To entertain To inform To instruct To persuade! Genre fictional stories, memoirs, anecdotes, autobiographies 5 6 Common Core State Standards! Condense and integrate the standards Make CCSS teachable Simplify without losing essence Argument - 7th grade CCSS 1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and address alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) or counterarguments with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. 7 e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. 8
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1 3 up to and including grade 7 on page 43.) 6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources 7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation. 9 10 8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. 10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. 9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. 11 12
7th Grade Writing 7th Grade Writing - Argument Tasks! Routine writing! Extended time - research projects allowing research, reflection, revision! Shorter time! Variety of tasks, audiences, purposes Purposes to convince or persuade (Argument) to inform or explain (Informative) to convey an experience (Narrative) 13 Critical Attributes (What) Introduction Introduces claims Acknowledges alternative claims/ counterarguments Organizes reasons Body Supports claims and counterarguments With logical reasoning and relevant evidence Uses transition words, phrases, clauses to create cohesion Conclusion Contains concluding statement or section That supports argument Overall Conveys a reasoned, logical argument Maintains formal style Has clear, coherent writing Avoids plagiarism Conventions Capitalization, punctuation, spelling Standard format for citations 14 Writing Process (How) Planning Research, gather information and evidence Uses multiple, credible sources Includes print and digital sources Includes evidence from literary and informational text Take notes on information Organize Organizes appropriate to task, audience, purpose Critical CCSS vocabulary! Editing A part of writing and preparing presentations concerned chiefly with improving the clarity, organization, concision, and correctness of expression relative to task, purpose, and audience; compared to revising, a smaller-scale activity often associated with surface aspects of a text Writing Revising Editing Write Conventions Rewriting Publishing/Sharing Transcribes plan into clear, coherent writing Uses technology! Revising A part of writing and preparing presentations concerned chiefly with a reconsideration and reworking of the content of a text relative to task, purpose, and audience; compared to editing, a larger-scale activity often associated with the overall content and structure of a text 15 16
Critical CCSS vocabulary! Evidence Facts, figures, details, quotations, or other sources of data and information that provide support for claims or an analysis and that can be evaluated by others; should appear in a form and be derived from a source widely accepted as appropriate to a particular discipline, as in details or quotations from a text in the study of literature and experimental results in the study of science Big Idea: Writing products dependent on foundation skills Outcome: Writing Arguments, Informational Texts, Narratives Example Foundation Skills: reading, expressive vocabulary, word usage, fluent handwriting or typing, spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, sentence formation, sentence sense, paragraph formation 17 18 Big Idea - Break down complex skills! Complex skills and strategies should be broken down into smaller (easy to obtain) instruction units.! This will promote success. Break down complex skills. Example - Common Core Standards Body of Argument Transcription 1. When given a reason and related facts and details, can write a paragraph with a topic sentence stating the reason. 2. When given a reason and related facts and details, can write a paragraph with a topic sentence stating the reason followed by sentences containing facts and details, connected with transition words and phrases. 3. When given three reasons and related facts and details, can write three paragraphs each containing a topic sentence stating the reason followed by sentences containing facts and details, connected with transition words and phrases. 19 20
Break down complex skills. Example - Common Core Standards Body of Argument Planning and Transcribing 4. When given a position on a topic, can generate reasons to support that position. 5. When given a topic, can generate a position and reasons and details to support that position. 6. When given a topic, can generate a position and reasons to support that position, and details to logically support each reason. 7. When given a topic, can generate a plan for the body of an essay (the position, the reasons, details to support each reason) and transcribe the plan into three coherent paragraphs. 21 Break down complex skills. Example - Common Core Standards Introduction 8. For previously formulated argument papers, writes an introduction that: a) grabs the attention of the reader, b) states the writer s opinion, and c) introduces reasons to support the writer s opinion. Conclusion 9. For previously formulated argument papers, writes a short conclusion wraps it up the essay by: a) summarizing the opinion and reasons, b) calling for some action to be taken, or c) explaining the outcomes of not following the writer s suggestions. Arguments (Desired Outcome) 10. When given a topic, can plan, write, and edit an argument paper that includes: a) an effective introduction, b) a well structured body with logically organized reasons and related facts and details, linked with appropriate transition words and phrases, and c) a short conclusion that wraps it up. 22 Big Idea - Provide Explicit Instruction! Practice without explicit instruction is not adequate.! Remember practice does not make perfect only permanent.! Model - I do it.! Guided Practice - We do it.! Check understanding- You do it. Big Idea - Scaffold Instruction! Scaffold Instruction, gradually fading out teacher assistance. M T W T F I do it. We do it. We do it. We do it. We do it. M T W T F You do it... You do it. You do it. 23 24
Big Idea - Provide judicious practice.! Have students write many products of focus genre to promote mastery.! After initial instruction, products can be composed in a variety of classes. Big Idea - Provide Feedback! Provide feedback in real time as you circulate and monitor. Correct, Encourage, Correct! Have students carefully check their products against the rubric.! Have students give focused feedback to their partners.! Provide feedback to students on a portion of the rubric. 25! Provide feedback on final drafts using the rubric. 26 Big Idea - Consider motivation! Consider motivation. Success (perceived probability of success) Interest (interest in the topic) Choice (narrow choice when possible) BIG IDEAS - Teach the What and How! WHAT Critical attributes Rubric Example! HOW Writing Process 27 28
WHAT! Ask yourself, what are the CRITICAL ATTRIBUTES of a wellwritten product.! Consider the Six Traits Ideas Organization Word Choice Voice Sentence Fluency Conventions! Consider the Descriptions in the Standards What! Design a simple, easy to understand RUBRIC.! Carefully examine the genre descriptions in the Common Core State Standards.! Consider introducing only a portion of the rubric initially. Focus on ideas, organization, and conventions.! Provide an EXAMPLE to illustrate the critical attributes.! (Optional) Guide students in analyzing a non-example to determine missing attributes. 29 30 WHAT Example # 1 descriptive paragraph rubric and example passage summary rubric, example and non-example HOW! Writing process Planning - Plan Writing - Write Revising - Revise Editing - Edit Rewriting - Rewrite Publishing - Publish 31 32
HOW - Plan Brainstorming Plan Plan T = Task/Topic A = Audience P = Purpose Think or Research and gather evidence! Think Students record ideas. Teacher monitors and writes ideas and names on transparency or paper (depending on technology used in the classroom).! Pair Students share ideas with partners. Teacher monitors and continues to record ideas and names on transparency or paper.! Share Teacher shares ideas with class by displaying collection of ideas/names on the screen. 33 34 HOW - Plan! Support for organization of written product Writing frames Strategies Think Sheets Frames Writing frames Use with beginning writers. Use as an accommodation for emerging writers. Use to support specialized writing. Use to support summarization. Use to emphasize use of academic language. 35 36
Frames Strategies! See examples. Example #2. Beginning writers (basic paragraph) Example #3. Accommodation for emerging writers (state report, mammal report) Example #4. Specialized writing (story problem explanation) Example # 5. Summarization narrative (story grammar) Example # 6. Summarization expository. Example #7. Academic Language Strategy for Paragraph Writing - List - Cross-out - Connect - Number ( Write) REWARDS PLUS (Sopris West) 37 38 List - Make a list of important ideas. Penquin s birth Male takes care of egg Female lays egg Female leaves Female spends winter at sea The water is very cold Male puts egg on his feet under belly Male stays on egg for two months Male doesn t eat Egg hatches Male must care for baby Cross-out - Cross out any unnecessary or weak ideas. Connect - Connect ideas that could go in one sentence. Penquin s birth Male takes care of egg Female lays egg Female leaves Female spends winter at sea The water is very cold Male puts egg on his feet under belly Male stays on egg for two months Male doesn t eat Egg hatches Male must care for baby 39 40
Number - Number the ideas in the order that they will appear in the paragraph. Write a summary. Penquin s birth 3 Male takes care of egg 1 Female lays egg 2 Female leaves Female spends winter at sea The water is very cold Male puts egg on his feet under belly 4 Male stays on egg for two months 5 Male doesn t eat Egg hatches 6 Male must care for baby The birth process of penguins is fascinating and quite different from that of other animals. The female penguin lays an egg. Soon after laying the egg, the female penguin leaves and spends the winter in the sea. Meanwhile the male must take care of the egg. For two months, he places the egg on his feet under his belly. During this time, the male penguin doesn t eat. Even after the baby penguin hatches, the male penguin continues to take care of the infant penguin. 41 42 Strategies Think Sheets! See Example #8 for summary writing Strategy Example of Strategy Use Example Summary Rubric REWARDS Plus (Sopris West) Examples! Example # 9 - Think sheet for organizing compare/contrast Example paragraph 43 44
Think Sheets! Example # 10 - Essay to convince Example Rubric Example Essay Think Sheet! Example # 11 - Essay to explain/inform Example Rubric Example Essay Think Sheet 45