A SCHOOLWIDE PROGRAM TO IMPROVE STUDENT PREPARATION AND PERFORMANCE

IN WRITING

The Writing Initiative

2.4

What is the Writing Initiative?

A program that supports and trains teachers and staff in writing instruction across the content areas

A program that seeks to help all students meet district and national writing standards

A program to better prepare students to be college- and career-ready writers

Why do we need a Writing Initiative?

Writing is an essential skill in today’s workplaces, colleges, and universities

Writing instruction across the content areas improves content knowledge and reading skills

We must prepare students to meet district and national writing standards

We need to support teachers and staff in writing instruction across content areas

Who will be involved?

Students and FamiliesTeachers and School AdministrationInstructors, advisors, counselors, and other

school staffPTA and School BoardCommunity Organizations

How will the Initiative support learning?

Writing supports learning in all content areas

Students who write frequently have better scores on high stakes tests

Writing can be used for exploration, inquiry, and to generate interpretations

…Support for Student Learning

Ideas are generated through writing Informal writing can provide motivation to studentsWriting helps students retain informationStudents will learn conventions, structures,

and formats required in the content areasWriting and reading are connected—good

writers are better readers and vice versa

How Long will the Writing Initiative Last?

Successful Writing Initiatives take time

1-2 year minimum

Need for school board, parental, and community support to sustain this long term commitment

Ways for the community to get involved

Be a writing coach: Offer your expertise in business writing, college admissions essays, new media writing or other genres.

Improve technological resources: Donate equipment, volunteer to maintain hardware, or help write a grant for new technology.

Support professional development: Help seek out funding for professional development in writing instruction for teachers and staff.

Ways for families to get involved

Participate in surveys and information-gathering at the outset of the Initiative

Volunteer to serve as an authentic audience for a writing sample

Stay informed and follow up on what is happening with the Writing Initiative

Encourage your child as she/he develops as a writer

Key writing terms for families

Revision/editing: When revising, students are rethinking or conceptualizing in writing; editing means working on spelling, punctuation, or sentence structure.

Content-area writing: Successful high school and college writers know how to write differently across school subjects, including writing for audiences other than their teachers.

Informal/formal writing: A range of writing assignments in different genres will help student writers. Informal writing includes low stakes and impromptu writing; formal writing is often composed over time and graded.

New media writing: Being technology-savvy is important for 21st century writers. Students need opportunities to practice using new technology as part of the writing process.

Please help equip our students for the future!