Writing Strategies and BehavioursAppropriate Achievement

Students• selectanddevelopatopicwithinachosenformdemonstratinganawarenessofaudience;somewritingmaycombinetextforms(hybrids)

• writewithpurposeandunderstandtheinfluenceandpowerofthewriter

• gatherideasfromavarietyofsourcesanduseaframework(e.g.,web,graphicorganizer)tosortandclassifytheinformation/ideas,organizeperspectives,andmakenewconnections;applyknowledgeofcopyright/plagiarism

• draftapieceofwritingmakingcriticalchoicesaboutideas/contentbasedonthepurposeandintendedaudience

• independentlyrereadtoaddto,deletefrom,orreorganizethetexttoclarifyandstrengthencontent

• request,obtain,andmakedecisionsabout,constructivecriticism

• understandrevisionsupportsclarificationandstrengthenscommunication

• rereadwritingaloudforfluency;makechangestosentencestructuresandwordchoicestoprovidevariety

• useappropriatetools(e.g.,dictionary,thesaurus,grammarchecker,andtextmodels)toeditconventions,andstrengthenwordchoice

• useavarietyofpublishingformats(e.g.,books,pamphlets,posters,websites)withappropriatetextandtextfeatures

• identifyhelpfulstrategiesbefore,during,andafterthewriting

• explainformchoiceasitpertainstopurposeandintendedaudience

Writing Strategies and BehavioursStrong Achievement

Text FormsThefollowingdescribethespecificelementsofcommontextformsexploredingradesix,seven,andeight.RefertotheOrganizationTraittodistinguishbetweenappropriateandstrongachievement.

Form: Persuasive Purpose:todiscussand/ordebateideasdevelopinganargumenttoconvincethereadertoagreewiththewriter’spremiseOpening Statement:providesanoverviewofthetopicandstatesthewriter’sposition(Racial slurs are damaging and should not be permitted.)Arguments and Reasons:providesthreeormoreargumentsorassertionsthathavesupportingstatements(I believe…because…)drawnfromfactsorpersonalexperience;beginstoidentifyotherpointsofviewandcounter-argumentsConclusion:includesastatementtoreinforceorsummarizepositionSpecial Features

- persuasivedevices(quotesfromexperts,examples,anecdotes,flattery,authorialintrusion,irony,wit,humour)

- linkingwords/phrases(because,however,also)- presenttense- irstpersonsingularorplural(I,we)- persuasiveadjectives/adverbs(most,must,strongly)- technicaltermswhichareoftenverbschangedintonouns(new-comersbecomeimmigrants)

Form: Descriptive Report Purpose:todescribeatopicIntroduction:introducesamanageabletopicwithadefinitionoraclassification(Three types of soil are)Description of Topic:includesfactualdetails,fromavarietyofsources(books,photographs,websites),tosupportsub-topics(attributes,weathersystems)sequencedinaspecificwayConclusion:summarizes,orrestates,keyideas;mayincludeanimpersonalevaluativecommentSpecial Features

- includesatitle,headings,illustrations,maps,orphotographswithlabelsorcaptions

- connectingwordsandphrases(also,manyother,hasavarietyof)- presenttense- languagetoshowcomparisons/contrasts(ashardas),definitions(arecalled),classification(belongto)

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Writing Achievement Standards

End of Grade 7

Studentsdemonstratingstrongachievementapplythestrategiesandbehavioursdescribedattheappropriatelevelinanincreasinglyindependentmanner.Theyalsotakemorerisksandattempttechniquesobservedduringindependentreading.

Form: PoetryPurpose:toentertain,communicatedeepmeaningorcreateanewperspectiveonasubjectOrganization:avarietyofformswithspecificstructures(ballad,Haiku,Cinquain,sonnet,diamantes)aswellasfreeversewhichhasnosetstructureorconventionsSpecial Features

- titlecommunicatesthemeaningofthepoem- linesoftextusuallyshortandconcise- wordsevokestrongimages,moods,and/oremotions- poeticdevices(repetition,refrain,rhyme,rhythm,sensoryimages)- literarydevicesareused(alliteration,assonance,onomatopoeia,symbolism,personification,rhetoricalquestion)

- thelinebreaksandwhitespaceonthepagemayhavemeaning

Form: Instructions/Procedures Purpose:totellhowtodosomethingGoal or aim:identifiestopicbytitleoropeningstatement(s)Materials/ingredients:listsmaterialsMethod/process:includeskeystepsincorrectorderwithadequatedetailsfocusingonhow/whenConclusion or Evaluation:includesaclosingstatementoranevaluationwhichmaybeaphotographordrawingofthecompleteditemSpecial Features

- mayincludeheadings,illustrations,diagramsorlabels- numbered-stepsorwordsshowingsequence(first,next,then)- pointformorfullsentencesstartingwithsequencewordsorverbs- presenttenseoftenwrittenascommands- technicallanguage-verbs,adverbsandadjectives(whipthecooledcreamvigorously)

Form: Narrative (short story)Purpose:toentertainwithanimaginativeexperienceOrientation (time, place and characters):attemptstoestablishanemotionalresponsethroughthedevelopmentofcharacter,setting,andplotandsetsthemoodortone(humour,personalization,sarcasm)Events:developthemaincharacter,includinginsightsintotheiractionsandfeelings,andbuildtensionthatleadstotheclimaxResolution:thecomplicationisgenerallyresolvedandthelooseendsaretiedupSpecial Features

- useofliterarydevicestocreateimagery(metaphor,personification,idiom,hyperbole)

- connectingwordsrelatedtotime(lateron,afterthat,)- actionverbsandverbsrelatedtocharacter’sthoughtsandfeelings- includedialogue(withchangeintensefrompasttopresent)- pronounsrefertospecificcharactersForm: Biography and Autobiography

Purpose:togiveatrueorfictionalizedaccountofaperson’slifeOrientation:identifiesthesubject,theimportanteventsinthesubject’slife,andthereasonfortheselectionsEvents:importanteventsaredescribedinalogicalorder(chronological,categories);providesreasonsforomittingsignificantpartsofthesubject’slife(onlyfocusingonthechildhoodoradultyears)Conclusion:includesapersonalresponse,evaluativestatement,oracom-mentonthesignificanceofthesubjectSpecial Features

- subject’sfeelingsmayberevealedinquotes- supplementaltexts(interviews,awards,newspaperclippings,foreword,afterword)

- dialogue

Form: Explanatory Report Purpose:totellhow/whysomethingcametobeortoexplainhowsomethingworksStatement or definition:identifiestopicwithastatement,questionordefinitionExplanation of how or why:analyzesaprocess(movementsintheearth’scrust)showingtherelationshipamongthepartsincludingcauseandeffectconnectionsSummary:statesunusualfeaturesofthephenomenonand/orreiteratesthemainpointsSpecial Features

- mayincludeatitle,illustrationsordiagrams- connectingwordstosignalcause-effect(if,because,then)and/or sequence(next,then,when)

- presenttensewithsomepassiveverbs(arefolding/faulting)- technical,subject-specificvocabulary

Form: Memoir Purpose:tocaptureadefiningpersonalmemoryOrientation:beginswithapurposefullead,identifiesthepersonaleventandmaygivethereasonforselectingthetopicKey Events:haskeyeventsinlogicalorder(singleday,flashback)withsufficientrelevantdetailsincludingthesubject’sfeelingsrevealedthroughdescribingactionsorusingquotesConclusion:communicatesthelargermeaningorreasonforthewritingSpecial Features

- literarylanguage(powerfulnounsandverbs,figurativelanguage)- linkingwordsandphrases(laterthatafternoon,asIwalkedout)- pasttense

Form: Hybrid Texts (multigenre texts)Aswritersbecomefamiliarwithcertainwritingformsandastheyreadmentortextsthatmixtwoormoregenres,theybegintoproducehybridtextstocommu-nicateinformationindifferentways(proceduresandexplanation,narrativeandletters).Thedifferentformstobecombinedarechosenwithaclearpurposeandintegratedintooneharmonioustextthatcommunicatesamessage.

ImportantNote:Inallformsofwriting,whereappropriate,allresearchreferencesarecited.

Appropriate AchievementStudents

Contentoveralltopic,degreeoffocusandrelateddetails

• selectaspecifictopicwithamainideathatsupportsthepurposeandaudience• includestraightforwardandthoughtfulideas/events• includerelevantinformationwithdetailstoenhancetheideas

Organizationstructureandform,dependentonpurposeandaudience

• selectanappropriateformandestablishthepurposeintheintroduction• showevidenceoflogicalsequencing• expressrelatedideasinparagraphs• includeareasonableconclusion

SeeTextFormsforelementsofnarrativeandinformationtexts.

Word Choice vocabulary,language,andphrasing

• includeprecise/interestingwordsand/ortechnicallanguage(nouns,verbs,adjectives,adverbs)

• begintousefigurativelanguage(e.g.,metaphor,simile)

Voice evidenceofauthor’sstyle,personality,andexperience

• connecttheaudiencetothetopic/theme

• showcommitmenttothetopic

• begintogeneratestrongfeeling,energy,andindividuality

Sentence Structure varietyandcomplexityofsentences

• includedifferentkindsofsentences,withavarietyofcomplexstructures• includeavarietyofsentencelengthsandbeginningstocreateanaturalflowofideas

Conventions spelling,punctuation,capitalization,andusage(grammar)

• usecorrectendpunctuationandcapitalization• includeinternalpunctuation(e.g.,commas,semi-colons,colons,quotationmarks,andapostrophes)andparagraphingofdialogue

• spellfamiliarandcommonlyusedwordscorrectly;useknowledgeofrulestoattemptdifficultspellings

• usestandardgrammaticalstructures(subject/verbagreementandverbtense)• attempttousecorrectpronounagreement(subjectiveandobjectiveforms)andclearnoun-pronounrelationships

Strong AchievementStudents

Conference Prompts

• introduceaspecifictopicwithamainideathatcarriesthepurposeandaudience

• includeoriginalandthoughtfulideas• supportideaswithrelevantdetails

What and why do you want your reader to know about this topic?What specific details do you need to add to enhance this part?Have you included details that are not supporting your purpose/plot plan that could be left out?What other resources could you use to research this part?

• includeastrongleadtoestablishthepurposeandform• demonstratelogicalsequencing• includeconnectionsbetweenandwithinparagraphs• provideaneffectiveconclusion

SeeTextFormsforelementsofnarrativeandinformationtexts.

How did you get your reader’s attention?Does your ending pull your ideas together?Here’s where I got confused _______. How can you show that this part connects to the part you wrote here?What did you do to help you organize your writing before you began?What text features or illustrations could be used to make this part clearer to the reader?

• effectivelyincludevariedandprecisewordchoices(e.g.,nouns,verbs,adjectives,adverbs)

• usefigurativelanguage(e.g.metaphor,simile,analogy)

Find a place in your writing where you think you made a clear picture for your reader. What did you do to make that part work so well?Show me the thesaurus words that you used to replace some of your ordinary wordsWhat are some words we’ve been learning in (subject area) that would help you tell about this topic?

• skilfullyconnectwiththeaudience• revealthewriter’sstancetowardthetopic• demonstratestrongfeeling,energy,andindividuality

Where did you try to really make your stance on this topic come through?Do you think your audience will agree with this? This part made me feel ____ .

• constructfluentcomplexsentences• includeaneffectivevarietyofsentencelengthsandbeginnings

What is the strongest sentence in your piece and what makes it strong?How can we make this sentence _____ (longer, shorter, etc.)?Reread this part and see if it is easy to read aloud.

Writing Achievement Standards Writing Achievement Standards

• showcontrolwitharangeofpunctuation• incorporatecorrectspellingofdifficultwordsincludingdifficulthomophones(e.g.,principal-principle,counsel-council);mayconsultreferences

• consistentlyusestandardgrammaticalstructures• usepronounsthatagreeinperson,number,partofspeech,andtype

Let’s look at the spell and grammar checker suggestions.I am not entirely sure which character ____ (a pronoun) is.General Conference PromptsWhat could be accomplished through this piece of writing?After you checked your work using our class checklist, which trait are you really proud of?What are some changes you made in this piece that made it better?What did you decide to revise after you shared your draft with a peer?What constructive criticism did you give to a peer after reading his/her piece?On what would you like to work to improve in your next piece?What is the best way to publish this writing?What form of writing would you like to work on next? What are you reading right now that could be a mentor text for your writing?