Writing+Next


 * Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High School**

**By Steve Graham & Dolores Perin**
=__**Writing Proficiency Crisis**__=
 * ="Along with reading comprehension, writing skill is a predictor of academic success and a basic requirement for participation in civic life and in the global economy" (p. 3)=
 * = Report highlights teaching techniques that research suggests will help 4th - 12th grad students =
 * = Study commissioned by Carnegie Corporation - provides guidance for writing instruction =

__ Low Achieving Writers Scope of the Problem __
 * Reading and writing often draw same background knowledge
 * But writing does differ
 * Reading is a mental representation of thoughts written by someone else
 * Writers formulate own thoughts, organize them, and create written record
 * =Only 22% - 26% of students scored Proficient level across three grades: 4th, 8th, and 12th=
 * =Large numbers of adolescents need interventions=

=__Consequences__=
 * =Many jobs require employees to write documentation, presentations, memos, technical reports, and emails=
 * =Even clerical & support positions in government, construction, manufacturing, service industries=

=__Why is Writing Important?__=
 * =Most contexts of life call for some level of writing skill=
 * =Schools Setting Roles=
 * 1) =A skill that draws on use of strategies (planning, evaluating, and revising) to accomplish a variety of goals=
 * 2) =Writing is a means of extending & deepening students' knowledge; acts as a tool for learning subject matter=

**__ 11 Elements of Effective Adolescent Writing Instruction __**
 * =meta-anaylsis to compare effectiveness of each strategy=
 * =no single approach to meet all the needs of students=
 * =elements should be viewed as interlinked, rather than isolated=
 * =writing outcome served as the sole outcome measure=

**__1. Writing Strategies__ - explicitly and systematically teaching steps necessary for planning, revising, and/or editing text** > large or strong effect =
 * =0.82=
 * =example: Self-regulated Strategy Development (SRSD)=

=__2. Summarization__ - involves explicitly and systematically teaching students how to summarize texts= > large or strong effect =
 * =0.82=

=__3. Collaborative Writing__ - adolescents work together to plan, draft, revise, and edit their compositions= > positive and large =
 * =0.75=

=__4. Specific Product Goals__ - assigning students specific, reachable goals for the writing they are to complete= > positive effect, and average effect was strong =
 * =Example - identifying the purpose of the assignment is to persuade=
 * =0.70=

=__5. Word Processing__ - computers and word processors as instructional supports for writing assignments= > positive effect =
 * =produces neat & legible script=
 * =allows writer to add, delete, and move text easily & spell check=
 * =0.55=
 * general achieving students = 0.51
 * low achieving students = 0.70

=__6. Sentence Combining__ - teaching students to construct more complex, sophisticated sentences= > consistently positive & moderate in strength=
 * =0.50=
 * =compared to traditional grammar instruction=

=__7. Pre-writing__ - engages students in activities designed to help them generate or organize ideas for their composition= > positive to small effect=
 * =0.32=
 * =Activities include: gathering information through reading, developing a visual representation for ideas before writing, encouraging group & individual planning, organizing pre-writing ideas, prompting students to plan after a demonstration of how to do so, or assigning reading material=

=__8. Inquiry Activities__ - engages students in analyzing immediate, concrete data to help then develop ideas and content for a particular writing task= > effective= =__9. Process Writing Approach__ - interweaves a number of writing instructional activities in a workshop envrionment that stresses extended writing opportunities, writing for authentic audiences, personalized instruction, and cycles of writing= > enhance quality=
 * =comparing and contrasting cases or collecting and evaluating evidence=
 * =Example - Students are blindfolded and touch objects, which requires us of touch, sense, sounds, etc. Students list more precise details and respond to others. (read example)=
 * =0.32=
 * =clear goal (describe actions of people), analysis of concrete data (observe one or more peers during specific activities), use of specific strategies to conduct the analysis (retrospectively ask the person being observed the reason for a particular action), applying what was learned (assign the writing of a story incorporating insights from the inquiry process)=
 * =0.32=

=__10. Study of Models__ - provide students with opportunities to read, analyze, and emulate models of good writing=
 * **0.25 = positive, though small**

=__11. Writing for Content Learning__ - uses writing as a tool for learning content material=
 * =0.23 = impact is small, but consistent to predict some enhancement in learning as a result of writing-to-learn activities=

=__Grammar Note__ : Teaching parts of speech and structure of sentences= = =
 * =small negative effect, but statistically significant, indicating that traditional grammar instruction is unlikely to help improve the quality of students' writing=
 * =while important, alternative procedures like sentence combining are more effective=