ReadyGEN® 2016 - Teaching Writing · · 2016-11-05GradualReleaseofResponsibilityModel*! ReadyGEN$usesthe$Gradual$Release$of$Responsibilitymodel$to$teach$writing$each$day,$orI

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ReadyGEN® 2016 -‐ Teaching Writing with ReadyGEN®

Introduction

Hi, and welcome to My Pearson Training. In this tutorial, you'll learn about ReadyGEN® research-based writing instruction. Through this instruction, students develop the strategies and confidence they need to achieve success as next generation writers.


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What Do Next Generation Writers Need to Know?

Writing instruction continues to focus on teaching students the value of strong content, organization, and style. In order for students to meet the College and Career Readiness standards, they must demonstrate these principles in three fundamental types of writing: opinion or argument writing, informative or explanatory writing, and narrative writing.


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Opinion Writing

In opinion writing, students develop claims about topics or texts. They use sound reasoning and relevant evidence to support their claims. ReadyGEN prepares students to express their opinions in writing.


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Informative/Explanatory Writing

In informative or explanatory writing, students investigate and explain complex ideas. For example, in this Grade 2 writing lesson, students learn how writers of informational text often use both text and features, such as maps, photos, and illustrations, to explain a topic.


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Narrative Writing

In narrative writing, students write to convey real or imagined experiences. They use effective storytelling techniques, vivid details, and structured event sequences.


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What Does Writing Instruction Look Like in ReadyGEN?

At the heart of ReadyGEN is the reciprocity between reading and writing. ReadyGEN students write every day to promote thinking and understanding through the citation of text-based evidence. Writing in ReadyGEN follows the Gradual Release of Responsibility model. Each writing lesson in a module focuses on one writing type-narrative, informative, or opinion-all in preparation for the Performance-Based Assessment that students will complete at the end of the module. To ensure successful completion of the Performance-Based Assessment, each writing lesson provides "tools" for students to use in their writing. For example, when studying narrative writing, students are given "tools" such as characters, sequencing, and setting.

Explicit instruction guides students through the writing process and consistently links reading and writing. Students analyze good writing models from the anchor and supporting texts they are reading. They also examine writers' styles and techniques. As the module progresses, students practice for the Performance-Based Assessment by reading and responding to a writing prompt, which allows them to cultivate skills in the writing process. A lesson focused on the writing process appears at the end of each module.

Equally important is the art and craft of writing. In addition to teaching conventions, mechanics, and the writing process, you'll also teach students to carefully analyze and synthesize sources and defend claims through text evidence. As a result, students produce writing that promotes critical thinking and understanding.


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Writing Lessons

In the daily ReadyGEN writing lessons, students write in response to multiple sources and make connections within and across texts. You'll teach conventions specific to the types of writing as well as the writing process. The suggested time for writing instruction is 30 to 40 minutes per day.

Let's look at an example in a Grade 3 writing lesson. The writing lesson begins by reviewing narrative writing. In this lesson, you'll teach how to write a character sketch using key details from the anchor text, The Case of the Gasping Garbage. Then, you'll model the writing process as it relates to the text.

Independent writing follows where students apply their learning by writing their own character sketches in the Reader's and Writer's Journal. Conventions mini-lessons are included for you to use during this Writer's Workshop.

Each day, students can share their writing. As a result, they celebrate their successes while integrating reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.


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Writing in Response to Reading

During every ReadyGEN lesson, the reciprocity between reading and writing is apparent. Students read the anchor or supporting text twice, and then they respond to the reading in their print or digital Reader's and Writer's Journals. This write-in journal allows students to demonstrate what they've learned.

The prompts require students to make comparisons or connections between texts, state opinions and support them with evidence, describe characters, and summarize their thinking. Students revisit the text to find specific evidence when responding to the prompts. The Reader's and Writer's Journal helps students use text-based evidence to support their writing, an important instructional shift within the College and Career Readiness standards.


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Gradual Release of Responsibility Model

ReadyGEN uses the Gradual Release of Responsibility model to teach writing each day, or I do, We do, You do. The model begins with I do during which you'll model the writing process for your students. In the next step-We do-students write with guidance from you.

Independent writing, or You do, follows where students begin to practice writing independently, focusing especially on the sub-tasks they will need to complete to be successful on the Performance-Based Assessment at the end of the module.


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Writing Workshop

In ReadyGEN, the final focus of the daily language arts block is writing. During this "Writer's Workshop," ReadyGEN uses the text or student writing as a model and springboard for teaching the types of writing and the writing process. The writing instruction focuses first on the types of writing and then shifts to the writing process.


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Writing to Sources

To practice close reading and writing to sources in ReadyGEN, students use Sleuth, a collection of short texts used at all grade levels. Students read the text closely and follow the Sleuth steps in order to help them draw meaning from the text. Students look for clues or gather evidence to help them answer questions, ask their own questions based on the reading, make a case using the answers to their questions and additional text evidence, and prove their claims by completing a performance task. These steps require students to think critically and support their writing using evidence from the text.


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Grammar Mini-‐Lessons

As mentioned earlier, instruction on writing conventions is embedded into the Writer's Workshop in the form of mini-lessons. Each conventions mini-lesson quickly activates prior knowledge of a conventions skill while providing practice and application that relates to the current writing instruction.

You can find extra grammar practice in the Teacher Resources section in the Teacher's Guide as well as in the Scaffolded Strategies Handbook.


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Unlock the Writing

The Scaffolded Strategies Handbook is a valuable resource. It works in tandem with the ReadyGEN Teacher's Guides at the module level. The Unlock the Writing section provides models of scaffolded instruction and useful strategies that will help you support English language learners, struggling writers, and advanced learners with Performance-Based Assessments and writing types.

Checklists, practical routines, and graphic organizers provide grade-appropriate support and guidelines for teaching each of the writing types required by the College and Career Readiness standards.


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How is Writing Assessed?

Now let's go over how student writing is assessed in ReadyGEN. We'll look at Performance-Based Assessments, formative assessments, and the End-of-Unit Assessment.


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Performance-‐Based Assessments

Once students have mastered the type of writing, they demonstrate what they've learned on the culminating Performance-Based Assessment. This assessment, which tests students' ability to read and write independently, is the “engine” that drives all tasks and promotes positive outcomes in ReadyGEN.

Often during the Performance-Based Assessment tasks, students conduct research and analyze information from the various texts they read during the unit. This assessment requires students to draw evidence from texts to demonstrate their knowledge of the core understandings. They must apply the writing conventions and skills they learned during the module to complete the tasks.


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Formative Assessments

Ongoing formative assessments are integrated within every module of ReadyGEN starting with Writing Keystone Checklists. These checklists assess students' reading and writing and their understanding of key language, structure, and ideas. The checklists will help you determine how well students are progressing toward the Performance-Based Assessment.

As well, your students' work in the Reader's and Writer's Journal will help you assess their progress. For instance, the Write in Response to Reading prompts require students to cite text evidence as they write about what they've read.

Rubrics are also available to help you review students' focus, organization, development, language and vocabulary, and conventions.

Finally, on-the-spot scaffolds will help you provide immediate feedback to struggling writers or English language learners.


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End-‐of-‐Unit Assessment

The writing portion of the End-of-Unit Assessment consists of two types of prompts: Constructed Response and Extended Response. These prompts are based on the reading passages within the assessment and require students to write narrative, informative or explanatory, or opinion pieces of varying lengths in response. Each Constructed Response prompt elicits a short written response relating to one passage. The Extended Response prompt elicits a longer written response that requires students to draw on information from both passages in the assessment.


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How is Writing Celebrated?

How do students celebrate their writing accomplishments in ReadyGEN?

After the Performance-Based Assessment, students are encouraged to present their writing to the class during the Share Writing portion of the module. For instance, students could take turns sitting in an author's chair and reading their writing to the class.

Students can also publish their writing. Using tikatok.com, students write, illustrate, and publish their own storybooks and projects aligned to ReadyGEN writing types.


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How Can Learning be Extended outside of the Classroom?

ReadyGEN allows students to continue their exploration and practice of literacy and language instruction with at-home activities aligned to ReadyGEN texts, writing types, and Enduring Understandings.

TikaTok allows students to write, illustrate, and publish their own digital storybooks and projects anywhere.

In addition, graphic organizers allow students to record their thoughts and ideas as they read and write independently outside of the classroom.


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Closing

In the digital world of the 21st Century, strong writing skills are critical to effective communication, and Pearson's ReadyGEN makes it possible for all students to become champion writers. Thank you for joining me during this tutorial.

Documents

ReadyGEN® 2016 - Teaching Writing · · 2016-11-05Gradual*Release*of*Responsibility*Model*! ReadyGEN$usesthe$Gradual$Release$of$Responsibilitymodel$to$teach$writing$each$day,$orI

ReadyGEN® 2016 - Teaching Writing · · 2016-11-05GradualReleaseofResponsibilityModel*! ReadyGEN$usesthe$Gradual$Release$of$Responsibilitymodel$to$teach$writing$each$day,$orI