PLT Literacy Project
The Grade One teachers in our district get together on PD Days to discuss literacy and writing in Grade One. I have learned so much!
Reflections
Reflections on each of our content days.
literacy_reflections.docx | |
File Size: | 17 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Essential question
Launching the writer’s workshop format; how will this affect student learning and engagement?
research on writers workshop
Writers Workshop is student-focused approach to teaching writing. It is based on the belief that students learn to write by writing; they write regularly for extended periods of time. Students are considered to be writers and are encouraged to think of themselves as writers. They are given flexibility and choice when writing, generally focusing on a specific writing concept but on a topic of their choice. Students are encouraged to write about real-life topics that they have experience with.
The lesson format consists of a short, highly focused mini-lesson (generally a modeled writing format, approximately 10 minutes), student writing time and teacher conferencing (30 minutes), and sharing time (5 minutes).
Writers Workshop exposes children to a variety of writing genres (pattern writing, fiction narrative, non-fiction narrative, instruction/how-to writing, response, lists, story re-telling, opinion, book reviews, letters, etc.). During the mini lesson, the teacher focuses on the writing process and concepts including Organization (procedures to follow during Writers Workshop), Strategies (such as revising, sticking to a topic, etc.), Skills (writing conventions), and Author's Craft (writing for an audience, good sentence structure, word choice, etc.)
Writers Workshop provides students with a balanced writing experience.
The lesson format consists of a short, highly focused mini-lesson (generally a modeled writing format, approximately 10 minutes), student writing time and teacher conferencing (30 minutes), and sharing time (5 minutes).
Writers Workshop exposes children to a variety of writing genres (pattern writing, fiction narrative, non-fiction narrative, instruction/how-to writing, response, lists, story re-telling, opinion, book reviews, letters, etc.). During the mini lesson, the teacher focuses on the writing process and concepts including Organization (procedures to follow during Writers Workshop), Strategies (such as revising, sticking to a topic, etc.), Skills (writing conventions), and Author's Craft (writing for an audience, good sentence structure, word choice, etc.)
Writers Workshop provides students with a balanced writing experience.
Ongoing action plan
This is the overall action plan I had for launching Writers Workshop in my classroom.
ww_action_plan.docx | |
File Size: | 15 kb |
File Type: | docx |
coaching reflections
Kathy Pardell visited our classroom in February during Writers Workshop.
observation.docx | |
File Size: | 42 kb |
File Type: | docx |
evidence of learning
Samples of student writing:
These are few samples from our "How to" writing unit. This was the unit I focused on when Kathy came to observe.
These are few samples from our "How to" writing unit. This was the unit I focused on when Kathy came to observe.
A few of the students typed their "How to" writing piece to publish it.
how_to_be_a_spy.docx | |
File Size: | 12 kb |
File Type: | docx |
We are currently working on 8-part stories, using the "Look Look Look" Model (Kathy Jessup).
look_look_look_lesson_plan.docx | |
File Size: | 21 kb |
File Type: | docx |
As Writers Workshop becomes a routine in the classroom, students eventually choose their own topics and become more self-directed and willing to take risks. It is amazing to watch them blossom into good writers! This student found a book from our classroom library and worked on a non-fiction animal research piece.
Sources I found beneficial during this project:
Ray, Katie Wood & Laminack, Lester L. (2001) The Writing Workshop: Working through the Hard Parts (And They're All Hard Parts) Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English
Dorn, Linda J. & Soffo, Carla (2001) Scaffolding Young Writers: A Writers' Workshop Approach Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers
Peha, Steve Welcome to Writers' Workshop Retrieved from http://www.ttms.org/PDFs/05%20Writers%20Workshop%20v001%20(Full).pdf
Ray, Katie Wood & Laminack, Lester L. (2001) The Writing Workshop: Working through the Hard Parts (And They're All Hard Parts) Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English
Dorn, Linda J. & Soffo, Carla (2001) Scaffolding Young Writers: A Writers' Workshop Approach Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers
Peha, Steve Welcome to Writers' Workshop Retrieved from http://www.ttms.org/PDFs/05%20Writers%20Workshop%20v001%20(Full).pdf
In conclusion, implementing the Writers Workshop format into my classroom was very beneficial!