Writing About Nature: Enhancing English Learner Students’

Writing Skills Presented by: Deb Kralovetz

Action Research Project: Earth Partnership for SchoolsMay, 2012

History of the Denmark Nature CenterIn June, 2000 and July, 2001-- a group of Denmark teachers

participated in the Earth Partnership for schools program at UW Arboretum

Grants were obtained to restore an area of land behind the Elementary School for development of a Nature Center

September-November, 2001– teachers, staff and community members worked to plan and develop the Nature Center.

ELL Students•English Language Learners’ English Proficiency is measured using levels 1(little to no English proficiency)-6 (fully English proficient) •English proficiency is assessed annually in the areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing.•Typically, English proficiency in listening is the first to develop, while writing proficiency is the last to develop. •Denmark ELL students’ writing proficiencies range from 1-5. •Teachers often request guidance on how to support ELL students with writing—both idea development and mechanics.

Action Research QuestionHow would using the Denmark Nature Center as awriting environment influence my ELL students’ attitudes about writing and their progress towardEnglish language proficiency in writing?

District Student Writing Assessment

Administered to all students in March and May to assess students’ writing progress, reported with a total score using 6 traits of writing

• Organization, ideas, sentence fluency, word choice, voice and conventions

School District of Denmark 6 Trait Writing Rubric

Ideas

5 Focused, clear and specific

4 3 Development is basic 2 1 No sense of purpose or theme

Organization

5 Clear, compelling sentences

4 3 Some smooth parts 2 1 Lacks sense of direction

Voice

5 Individual and powerful

4 3 Individuality fades in and out

2 1 Not yet me

Word Choice

5 Clear, visually accurate

4 3 Correct words-not striking

2 1 Confusing, misused words

Sentence Fluency

5 Delightful to read aloud

4 3 Routine and functional 2 1 Needs work

Conventions

5 Correct spelling, grammar

4 3 Halfway home 2 1 Editing not yet under control

Individual Writing Survey1) 3 point rating scale administered to each

student prior to and at close of research project to determine students’ attitudes about writing and topics they enjoy writing about.

2) Also included are 2 open-ended questions regarding where students like to write and what they view as their strengths in writing.

Writing Survey Agree So-So Disagree

1. I enjoy writing 2. I can usually think of

ideas to write about.

3. I like to write stories.

4. I like to write poetry.

5. I like to write about nature.

6. I like to be outside.

7. The place I like best to do my writing is….8. The best thing about my writing is……

Nature Journal RubricOngoing assessment tool

Used 4 times during the six week project4 point rubricScores reported as composite scores

4 3 2 1Ideas •Ideas are clearly

stated•Many details used to support ideas •Writing stays on topic

•Most ideas are clear•Some main ideas are not supported with details•Writing mostly stays on topic

Entry seems somewhat incomplete

Reader is left with questions about details

Writing has drifted from topic or covers several topics

Entry lacks focus Few or no details

are evident Writing covers

many topics

Vocabulary Words used are appropriate, content-specific

Words used are clear, descriptive, and relate to the senses

Most words relate to content

Most words are clear, descriptive and relate to senses

Many words are ordinary and not related to the topic

Words do not paint a picture in the reader’s mind

Words are unimaginative and plain

Words are not interesting, carefully chosen, or related to the topic

Entry Length/Stamina

Entry is full page or more in length

Student wrote the whole time

½ -3/4 page of writing

Student spent almost the whole time writing

About ½ page of writing

Student spent some time writing, but became distracted and did not write the whole time

Less than ½ page of writing

Student spent less than half of the time writing, became distracted

Conventions Capita letters and end marks are used appropriately in at least 90% of entry

Common words are spelled correctly

Most (70%-90%) sentences have capital letters and appropriate end marks

Most common words are spelled correctly

Some (50%-70%) sentences have appropriate capital letters and end marks

Some common words spelled correctly

Les than ½ of the sentences have appropriate capital letters and end marks

Many words, even common words, misspelled

ActivitiesMini lessons on journal writing to teach each skill area

addressed on writing rubric. For example:Looking for details in our observations-created a micro

nature trail, examined objects along the way.Looked for details and noted changes that occurred from

day to day, after a rain, etc. Life cycle of a frogTo develop vocabulary-verb lesson-listed actions that

take place in Nature Center, explored and noted actions, journaled about them.

Poetry lesson-demonstrate poetry writing about object in nature, students sat, observed, and wrote their poetry.

Data Analysis and FindingsStudent Results on District Writing

Assessment

S S S S S S S S S S S S S S0

0.51

1.52

2.53

3.54

4.55

March '12May '12

Data Analysis and Findings

I like to…..

Write Think of ideas

Write Stories

Write poetry

Write about nature

Be Outside

Mar 1-50%2-36%3-14%

1-36%2-43%3-21%

1-71%2-14%3-14%

1-7%2-64%3-29%

1-57%2-14%3-29%

1-100%

May 1-57%2-29%3-14%

1-57%2-29%3-14%

1-57%2-29%3-14%

1-29%2-36%3-36%

1-57%2-29%3-14%

1-100%

Individual Student Survey Results

1=agree/often 2=so-so/sometimes 3=disagree/rarely

The place I like best to do my writing is…….(N=14)

March MayAt the spots where it is not crowdedat my desk (x3)in my tree houseI don’t knowOn the floor in my houseOn the carpetOn the bedRocking chairOn my beanbag chair (x2)AnywhereInside

At my desk (x2)By the place we do our book shoppingIn my beanbag chairI don’t knowIn a barnOutside with natureAt school AnywhereOutsideAt a tableIn my tree houseIn the nature center (x2)

The best thing about my writing is…….(N=14)

March MayIt’s my ideaMy handwritingHaving funThat I enjoy itThat it’s funThat I make my own decisions on itPeople enjoy itI am the authorNeatnessI have voice in it and it is neat!NothingI write nicelyNo one else writes what I writeI put a lot of detail

My handwritingIt’s my writing and no one else’sIt comes from me!I don’t knowIt is neatI can make it sound like I’m there talking to youDetails (x3)VoiceIt is really fun (x2)I like to do it

Data Analysis and FindingsStudent Results on Nature Journal Writing

Rubric

S S S S S S S S S S S S S S0

0.51

1.52

2.53

3.54

4.5

entry 1entry 2entry 3week 4

Data Analysis and FindingsDistrict Writing Assessment March results showed 79% of students

scored >2; 36% of students scored >3Lowest scores were obtained in the following traits: ideas, sentence

fluency, conventions. In March, most students indicated they enjoyed writing at various

locations inside. At the conclusion of the project four of the 14 students indicated they enjoyed writing in the nature center or outdoors.

All students enjoy being outdoors. Composite scores increased for eleven of fourteen students, or 79%,

from entry one to entry four. Overall, students’ conventions scores in their journals have

remained consistent throughout their entries. I have not taught or stressed conventions in my lessons on journal

writing.

ObservationsStudents….were very excited about learning throughout this

project.asked daily if we would return to the Nature Center

the next day.who are normally quiet and shy seemed more open,

talkative and excited when in the Nature Center.energy levels and engagement in the lessons

increased when we learned in the Nature Center.noted our Nature Center needed some attention such

as picking up litter and fixing broken bird houses

ProblemsTime constraints/schedule changesSome days I felt the students needed more

time for writingStudents’ poetry were not the quality I

expected. (May need to spend more time on this, introduce to many different types of poetry)

Students loved exploring-more difficult to get them to sit down to write

Scenes from our Nature Center

Action PlanContinue using Nature Center as an environment for

teaching writing.Share research results with classroom teachers and offer to

team teach writing lessons in the Nature Center.Explore other curricular areas and lessons that can be

taught using Nature Center.Utilize the Nature Center for our school’s Project Based

Learning initiative. Scaffold poetry lessons to lead to better understanding and

student success. Include lessons on conventions, maybe to involve self and

peer editing of journal entries-taking some to publishing. Allow more time for each lesson--exploring and writing.Add oral language component-have students share writing

with other classes.

In Conclusion•According to preliminary results, this project was successful in changing ELL students’ attitudes and self-confidence about their writing.•It was rewarding observing students as they explored the outdoors and discovered the wonders of nature.• The advantages to students involved in this project extendedbeyond their progress with writingskills.

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