3 Lesson - Module 3
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• Module Overview
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Module 3
Developing Skills Through Explicit Instruction
– Read More
• Topics
– 1.0 What is Writing?
– 2.0 Who are the Early Writers?
– 3.0 Teaching and Assessing Writing Effectively
• Activities and Assignments
– Pre-Lesson Activity
– Activity 1
– Activity 2
– Activity 3
– Activity 4
– Assignment 9
• Checklists and Worksheets
– Home Language Observation Form
– Classroom Talk Observation Form
– Lesson Plan Form
• Introduction
• Learning Objectives
• Pre-Lesson Activity
• Topics
– 1.0 What is Writing?
– 2.0 Who are the Early Writers?
– 3.0 Teaching and Assessing Writing Effectively
• Assignment
• References
This courseware is made possible by the generous support of the American People through
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this
courseware are the sole responsibility of the Foundation for Information Technology
Education and Development (FIT-ED) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or
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Lesson 3
Teaching Writing
Welcome to the third lesson of Module 3!
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Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Discuss how writing develops among children;
2. Describe the features of effective writing instruction; and
3. Teach writing to K-3 students.
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Pre-Lesson Activity
Read the statements below and indicate whether you agree or disagree. These statements
will help you reflect on your attitudes towards the teaching of writing in K-3 classrooms.
After completing the lesson, you might want to review your answers to each statement to
find out if there are changes in your perceptions and attitudes.
1. Immersing students in storybooks, poems, and songs can help them become better
writers.
Agree Disagree
2. Writing should be taught only after children have become competent readers.
Agree Disagree
3. Children should see writing as a meaningful experience of communicating with others.
Agree Disagree
4. Writing instruction should be direct and explicit.
Agree Disagree
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1.0 What is Writing?
Writing is the ability to communicate ideas for different purposes using written language. It
may come in different forms such as lists, recipes, notes, posters, signages, memos, online
posts, blogs, letters, headlines, diary entries, and term papers. Whether it is done to inform,
persuade, entertain, or express feelings, writing is a means for people of all ages to convey
messages that are important to them (Carden & Godly-Sugrue, 2005).
Do Activity 1 to reflect more about the importance of writing in our daily lives.
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Activity 1
List at least three writing activities you did this past week. Identify the form and purpose of
each writing activity.
ACTIVITY FORM OF WRITING PURPOSE
1. Case Study Expository writing describe an
individual situation
2. Reflection Descriptive writing elicit informed opinions
Essay Descriptive writing
discussion of my
own clear argument
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Writing is an important aspect of literacy development just like reading is. The relationship
between reading and writing has been recognized by researchers and educators all over
the world. According to Abadiano & Turner (2002), children learn more about writing by
reading and vice versa.
Despite the importance of writing in literacy development, it has not received as much
attention as reading and other skills. Most teachers teach writing only after children have
become competent readers. And writing instruction is usually focused on perfecting the
strokes rather than the intended message. This has negative effects on children’s writing
performance. A study in Chicago (Bassett, Devine, Percy and Rueth, 2001), revealed that
first and third graders’ poor writing performance was due to the following factors:
• a. lack of early exposure to writing
• b. their writing experiences lacked meaning
• c. reading and writing were taught separately
• d. reading and math were the focus of the school curriculum
• e. lack of a formal writing program and teacher training in this area
• f. limited time spent on writing due to other curricular demands
In this lesson, we will focus on learning to improve writing instruction in our classrooms.
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2.0 Who are the Early Writers?
As we learned in Lesson 1 Module 1, knowing our learners is necessary for us to be able to
provide them with instruction that is meaningful and developmentally appropriate. The
teacher's understanding of children's writing development will not only guide them in
planning appropriate writing instruction but also enable them to evaluate their students'
progress.
How do children develop as writers? The International School of Azerbaijan (TISA) has
identified six stages in the development of writing skills in children:
• Pre-conventional Stage
• Emerging Stage
• Developing Stage
• Beginning Stage
• Expanding Stage
Pre-conventional Stage (Ages 3-5)
At the pre-conventional stage, children rely on their pictures to show meaning. They often
pretend to write by using scribble writing. They sometimes make random letters and
numbers to represent words. Some children add "words" to their pictures to share
meaning. They often tell stories about their pictures.
Emerging Stage (Ages 4–6)
In the emerging stage of writing skills development, children begin to see themselves as
writers. Some children begin to label their pictures with a few letters. They may write their
name and some familiar words in a way that others can read. Some may write just the
beginning or the beginning and ending sounds they hear. At this stage, children often write
everything in upper case letters. They may pretend to read their own writing, often
elaborating to embellish their stories.
Developing Stage (Ages 5–7)
Children at the developing stage write names and familiar words. They begin to write one
or two short sentences, such as "MI DG PLS" ("My dog plays."). These developing writers
use beginning, middle, and ending sounds to make words. For example, the word 'learn'
might be written as "LRn." This developmental reliance on the sounds of letters is called
invented spelling, phonetic spelling, or temporary spelling. Also at this stage children spell
some high frequency words correctly. They often interchange upper and lower case letters
and experiment with capital letters and simple punctuation. Their writing goes from left to
right and begins to include spacing. They are able to read their own compositions aloud
immediately after writing, but later may not remember what they wrote.
Beginning Stage (Ages 6–8)
At this stage in writing skills development, children write recognizable short sentences
with some descriptive words. They can write several sentences about their lives and
experiences or simple facts about a topic. They sometimes use capitals and periods
correctly. Many letters are formed legibly and adults can usually read what the child has
written. Some words are spelled phonetically and others are spelled correctly. Simple
words and some high frequency words are usually spelled correctly as the child becomes
more aware of spelling patterns. Beginning writers often start a story with “Once upon a
time” and finish with “The End.” They may revise a story by adding details with the
teacher’s help. They enjoy sharing their writing with others. Children may stay at this stage
longer than in the earlier stages as they build fluency.
Expanding Stage (Ages 7–9)
Children at this stage can write poems and stories about their experiences and interests, as
well as short nonfiction pieces. They use complete sentences and their writing shows a
logical flow of ideas. Their stories sometimes have a beginning, middle, and end. With the
teacher’s guidance, expanding writers can add description, detail, and interesting language.
They enjoy reading their writing aloud and are able to offer specific feedback to other
students. Their editing skills are beginning to grow, although they may still need help as
they edit for simple punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Their writing is legible, and they
no longer labor over the physical act of writing. Students spell many common words
correctly as they begin to grasp spelling patterns and rules.
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Activity 2
Examine the following writing samples and decide the writing stage demonstrated. Tick
your answer from the choices provided below each sample.
Student A's writing sample
Pre-conventional
Emerging
Developing
Student B's writing sample
Developing
Beginning
Expanding
Student C's writing sample
Developing
Beginning
Expanding
Student D's writing sample
Developing
Beginning
Expanding
Student E's writing sample
Pre-conventional
Emerging
Developing
Answer Key
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3.0 Teaching and Assessing Writing Effectively
Children should see writing as a meaningful experience and not just a motor activity that
shows one's handwriting, spelling, and grammar. Children need to write for authentic
purposes and real audiences, such as labeling one's things, making grocery lists, writing
diary entries, composing a letter for a loved one, and making posters. It is only then that
they will see writing as a familiar and purposeful activity (Sigmond & Ford, 2004).
Let's review how Teacher Rica provides her class with authentic reading and writing
experiences. Watch and learn from the video.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
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Activity 3
Complete the following statements based on what you saw in the video clip. For each item,
type your answer in the blank provided.
1. In the video, Teacher Rica started the writing session by
.
I can start my writing session by
.
2. The class wrote a
.
Aside from this, my class can write
.
3. The students participated in the writing session by
.
My students can participate in our writing session by
.
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3.1 The Parts of a Writing Lesson
Writing sessions may be conducted as a whole class, in small groups, or individually. This
part of the literacy block should give students opportunities not only to reinforce their
composing skills but also to learn grammar, mechanics, and usage in context.
Below are the parts of writing sessions mentioned by Sigmond & Ford (2004).
Click on each part to find out more details.
The teacher's model lesson
Model lessons need not be lengthy especially for beginning writers. Ten to fifteen minutes
is more than enough to cover the target skills for the day. What is important is for the
teacher to model different aspects of writing such as —
1. how writers get their ideas
2. the basic conventions of writing
3. good writing habits
4. the application of phonics to the printed page
5. the writing process
Modeling may be done in different ways. Some teachers sit down to compose using an
overhead projector while their students observe. Others prefer to stand beside a chart
paper. Either way, what is important is that the teacher faces the class to allow the students
to watch and listen as she models what writers do when they compose.
An important writing procedure that teachers can demonstrate is thinking aloud. When
teachers think aloud with their students, beginning writers see not just the actual writing
but also the the mental processes involved in composing. This is an important experience
as they develop into fluent writers.
The student’s writing time
In this segment of the writing session students are given the opportunity to apply the tips
and strategies presented by the teacher during the model lesson. The class may have
practice exercises in small groups, triads, or pairs.
Keep in mind the following:
• When students work with other children, they get additional support before writing
on their own.
• As soon as they gain the necessary skills, they may be given independent writing tasks
that are parallel to the presented lesson.
• The teacher may go around to check whether the students are able to write on their
own.
• Students may be more motivated to write when they are offered different writing
options to choose from.
The sharing time
After finishing their written compositions, students gather together to share what they
have been working on. During this time of the writing block, they get feedback from their
peers and their teacher. Aside from learning from each other, students also experience
what it is like to share their composition with an audience.
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3.2 Characteristics of Good Writing Instruction
Good writing instruction has three characteristics.
Click on each to find out more.
1. Good writing instruction is based on good models.
Use of literature plays a crucial role in teaching students how to write in a particular genre.
Students need to observe good models of the text structure, vocabulary, and style, among
others. Literary exemplars can serve as their inspiration for coming up with their own
compositions.
2. Good writing instruction is direct and explicit.
Teachers need to teach writing intentionally and purposely, and provide different levels of
support as they gradually transfer responsibility to the learners. Children need to regularly
witness writing models in action to learn about writing and eventually apply this
knowledge to their own compositions. They should also be given opportunities for assisted
practice in order to master a particular skill.
3. Good writing instruction is based on ongoing assessment.
Good writing instruction is informed by the needs of the students as well as the school
curriculum. This information should guide and shape the teacher’s decisions on what to
teach students. The teacher’s feedback is also crucial in the learning process.
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Let's watch another video on how a writing session transpires in the classroom. Pay close
attention to the different levels of support provided by the teacher.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
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3.3 Assessing Children's Writing Skills
Assessment in writing should focus on two important aspects: process and product. Paying
attention to the students’ writing product and process helps teachers have a fuller
understanding of their students. When teachers know their students well, they can plan the
instruction better.
Two ways of assessing writing that include both process and product are writing
portfolios and observation.
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Writing Portfolios
A portfolio is a collection of pieces of writing or other work samples, list of books read, test
results, and other data.
Below are examples of writing portfolios.
Click on each to see a bigger image.
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It may be helpful to include students when evaluating sample works in their portfolio. The
teacher may discuss with students their goals for writing as well as what their needs are
(Gunning, 2002). Below are some questions that teachers may ask their students when
discussing their portfolio:
• What kinds of writing do you do in school?
• What kinds of writing do you do outside of school?
• How do you feel about writing?
• What do you like about writing?
• What do you like best about writing?
• What is hard for you in writing?
• What kinds of writing would you like to learn better?
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Teachers may use a rubric to measure the writing ability of learners as reflected in their
actual writing samples.
Here are some examples of writing rubrics.
Click on each to see a bigger image.
Source: Catch Them Early
Source: http://www.exeter.k12.pa.us
Source: http://www.exeter.k12.pa.us
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Observation
When students enter your classroom, they display literacy skills at varying levels. Some can
already read and write grade-level words while others are just beginning to learn the
foundations of reading and writing. Teachers should observe children as they write, and
keep a record of each student’s strengths and needs. This way, teachers can monitor each
student’s progress and provide them with the best possible instruction. The teacher may
also differentiate instruction to suit the writing ability of the students. Mini-lessons in small
groups may be conducted to be able to provide them with the most appropriate instruction.
As you plan and design writing instruction for your class, remember that writing is a
communicative activity. Therefore, teachers should give importance to the writing
process and not just the written products. The kind of and purpose for writing we give
our students, as well as our perception of writing, will influence how our learners view this
skill.
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Activity 4
Revisit the story for the grade level that you are teaching and think of a writing activity
using the story as springboard. Plan the writing prompt and writing format that you give
your students.
Kindergarten: Si Pilong Patago-tago
Grade 1: Ang Kamatis ni Peles
Grade 2: Tuko: The Tenor Wannabe
Grade 3: Tight Times
STORY : SI PILONG PATAGO TAGO
WRITING ACTIVITY : REFLECTION PAPER
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Assignment 9
In this assignment you will have a writing session with your class. You can do this
individually or with a colleague. Follow the steps bellow.
A. Preparing for the writing session
1. Review the writing activity that you thought of for the story assigned to your grade
level.
2. Plan the lesson carefully. Make sure your plan includes you modeling the skill before
asking the students to engage in their own writing.
3. Prepare the materials for the lesson.
B. Doing the writing session
1. Use the story as a springboard for your writing activity.
2. Implement the writing activity that you have prepared for your class.
3. Share the writing outputs of your students.
(OPTIONAL)
Ask a colleague who is also studying this module to observe your writing session and give
you feedback based on what you have learned in this lesson. If you worked with a group in
preparing for the writing session, then you can agree to be each other's observer/s.
If you worked on steps 1-3 by yourself, you can video record your session with your class
and ask a colleague who is studying this module (he/she does need not be teaching the
same grade level) to view the video and give you feedback.
C. Reflecting on the writing session
1. Reflect on your experience using the following questions as a guide:
– a) What do you think worked well in your writing session? Why did it work well?
– b) What did you find challenging or difficult about the activity? Why?
– c) What would you do differently if you were to do this activity again? Why?
2. Share your observations and reflections at your next LAC session.
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References
Graves, D. (1994). A fresh look at writing. New Hampshire: Heinemann.
Gunning, T. (2002). Assessing and correcting reading and writing difficulties (2nd Edition).
Masachussetts: Allyn & Bacon.
Leuenberger, C. (2003). The new kindergarten: Teaching reading, writing and more. New
York: Scholastic Inc.
Sigmon, C & Ford, S. (2004). Just-right writing mini-lessons: Grade 1. USA: Scholastic Inc.
https://sites.google.com/a/cusdschools.org/mrs-pathan-s-kindergarten/curriculum-
highlights/the-stages-of-writing-development
http://www.tisa.az/file/Stages of Writing Development.pdf
http://www.exeter.k12.pa.us/cms/lib6/PA01000700/Centricity/Domain/37/gr_level_file
s/grade2/Narrative Rubric Grade 2.pdf
http://www.exeter.k12.pa.us/cms/lib6/PA01000700/Centricity/Domain/37/gr_level_file
s/grade2/Informational Writing Rubric 2nd grade.pdf
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