Mastering the top teaching strategies for writing instruction is quite simple, with a few small tips.
Quite often, teaching students how to be excellent writers is a huge task. Time is always a primary issue, along with the added difficulty of differentiating instruction. While the writing process is complex and cumbersome to teach, I have found two critical strategies for maintaining successful writing instruction. These simple teaching strategies for writing will keep your class soaring.
The first step in mastering the top teaching strategies for writing is to model every step.
Too often, educators ask students to complete too much within a small amount of time. Once the writing is complete, we ask ourselves, “why are my writing scores so low? Why aren’t my students performing better?” Most likely, some vital elements are missing from the instruction. Let me claim; the two MUST have strategies are increased modeling and utilizing the gradual release method.
Like any other subject, students require massive modeling. Within each block of your day, you most likely have writing embedded. The writing tasks may range from letter formation, complete sentences, short answer responses, summary paragraphs to full essays. Each of these and others provide an excellent opportunity to model the writing while making sure to include your “teacher think” aloud. Yes, the act of verbalizing EVERY thought and decision while you are writing.
Another step to mastering strategies for teaching writing is by using the gradual release model.
Not surprising, but often overlooked, the second writing strategy is to give your students small amounts of responsibility at a time. Also known as the gradual Release Method. To explain, I will use a summary paragraph as an example. After sufficiently building background, vocabulary discussion, graphic organizers completed, provided ample collaborative discussions, and reviewing the prompt, you usually find yourself tempted to say, “now write!” Well, don’t. (That’s all I can tell, don’t.)
Instead, I suggest first providing the students with a completed outline of the summary paragraph.
Click here to grab your FREE copy of a Summary Paragraph graphic organizer to use with your students tomorrow!
As a friendly reminder, please remember the two must-have writing strategies. Yes, you will need to model and write the complete summary paragraph.
The next step in the gradual release process is to provide the topic sentence, detail or two, and the concluding sentence. It will be the students’ responsibility to fill in at least one of the detail areas. It is important to note that each class will have its version of the gradual release model.
As always, remembering the essential strategy of modeling, you will again model the writing, including the “teacher talk.”
For each writing opportunity, you will expect a little more of the students. Students are provided with an abundance of modeling and gradually taking on more writing responsibilities throughout the process. In no time at all, your students will be producing more writing at a higher level. Dare I say, “write on!”
If you are looking for resources to support your writing instruction, you may find them in my Teachers Pay Teacher Store- The Teaching Q, or by clicking on the photo here!
Melissa
