CLICK HERE for my FREE Writing Guide!
I have found that the best practice of “modeling” is essential when it comes to teaching writing. I like to leave a good chuck of time when beginning a modeled writing project because it’s important to leave time for discussion, example sharing, and re-direction. I also really feel that having a strong graphic organizer for students can really help guide them through this entire process in a way that does not appear too overwhelming.
My first area of emphasis with the students is always on the prompt. I’ve seen so many students who struggle to stay on the topic when they begin writing. As a result, I like to begin with a little discussion about what specifically is being asked and what all should be included in a response. This is a good time to review the different types of writing as well (persuasive, informative, opinion based, narrative, etc.)
After students have a good understanding of what they need to focus on, it’s good to discuss the way in which they are going to grab the reader’s attention from the start. I refer to this as “the hook”. Some examples of good hooks include asking a question, sharing an interesting fact or statistic, using an onomatopoeia (sound word), or sharing a personal statement. I find that by using a topic to model how each of these “hooks” would sound really gives students a good idea of how each can be utilized. I then give time for students to select their own hook and write it down on their graphic organizer.
Following this and based on the type of writing being asked to use, we are ready to dive into the actual content that will support their view on the topic. Whether they are being asked to persuade, inform, or entertain, students will be writing sentences that support their topic. In my graphic organizer, I try to have little reminders for what needs to be included such as supporting details, strong vocabulary, and transition words. Again, I feel that modeling this is a crucial step. I will ask students for ideas on how they would introduce the first supporting detail and make sure that it relates back to the topic. I would write these down for students to use as a guide. I then give them time to write their own sentences.
When we are coming to the end of their writing, I like to remind them how you never want to leave their reader “hanging”. Instead, this is their chance to re-direct their writing and thoughts back to the topic. I try to give them some options to use such as the phrase “As you can see”, “In conclusion” or “To sum it up”. This seems to help them re-focus their writing back to the prompt. In addition, I have them provide an opinion that helps complete their writing.
Again, I feel that it is very beneficial to model this step by step. As writing is a very individual skill, I have found that many students will require this modeled process to be repeated where others can have a little more independence on the writing progresses.
This modeled lesson and graphic organizer that I use for the writing process are available by signing up for my weekly email where I love to share additional tips, strategies, and teaching stories! Please join me there! I love to connect with fellow upper elementary teachers!
CLICK HERE for my FREE Writing Guide!
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