Writing & Reading Workshop

A Brief Introduction

Writing Workshop Three Major Writing Components

• Choice Piece – Process writing– Student chooses

topic– Minimum of 2 for

the Year– Worked on at

home or school– Test & quiz

Weighted

• Mode Piece – Process writing– Teacher assigns

Mode– One per marking

period– Worked on

primarily at school

– Test & quiz Weighted

Writing Workshop Three Major Writing Components

Continued

• Writer’s Notebook – One-time entries (not process

writing)– Student chooses topics– Develops fluency – Place for storing future writing

ideas– Place for experimenting – Student is to fill the page– Worth a homework grade

• BUT two entries per marking period will be selected to add to a writing portfolio

• Timed Paired- Text Responses– On-demand reading/

writing– One per marking

period– Test-grade weighted– Worked on at school – Connected to All LA

Standards

Writing Workshop Two New Components

• Close Reading– Reading Challenging

Text Closely– Re-reading multiple

times– One per marking

period– Worked on only in

school at school – Anchor Standard 10

Reading Workshop Three Major Reading Components

• Mentor Text Reading– Student selected– Connected to

choice writing– Used as mode-

related models – Used for style

development – Used for idea

generation

• Unit Core Reading – Teacher Selected– All students read

(either in the class or in literature circles)

– Used for close reading models

– Fiction & Nonfiction

Reading Workshop Three Major Reading Components

• Inquiry-Based Research & Read Aloud Materials – Article-based reading connecting

to units – Literature Circle based readings

connected to literature circle readings

– Read-aloud books selected to model fluency and used for think-aloud strategies

Writing & Reading Workshop Units

• Heroes in Life and Literature – Fiction & Nonfiction– Argumentative Writing

• Witnessing Prejudice in Stories, Society, and Self – Historical Fiction & Nonfiction– Compare & Contrast Writing

• Learning to Thrive from Those Who Survive – Survival & Personal Narratives; Documentary Film– Personal Narrative Writing

• Real Conflict in Science Fiction – Science Fiction – Radiobroadcast Script Writing

Workshop Structure How the Workshops (typically) Run

• Mini-Lesson Introduction– Student Work Independently– Self-Assess– Peer Conference– Teacher Roams and

supports in process – Share at times

• Wrap-Up / Closure • Formal conferences with

the teacher scheduled

Study Island Notes

• Topics assigned • 10-questions per session• Counts as an alternative assessment (15%

of Marking Period grade)• Students may try the sessions as many

times as they like in the week to earn the grade they would like

• May revise any section ALL marking-period long

• Must record score on chart • Show me any revised scores

Workshop Impact on the NJASK

Workshop Impact on the NJASK

Workshop Impact on the NJASK By the Numbers

2014 Graduating

Class When in 6th Grade

2014 Graduating

Class When in 7th Grade

Advanced Proficient 5 20

Proficient 54 46

Partiall Proficient 18 12

2015 Graduating

Class When in 6th Grade

2015 Graduating

Class When in 7th Grade

Advanced Proficient 4 20

Proficient 51 36

Partiall Proficient 9 7

69% of the 2015 graduating class improved overall

68% of the 2014 graduating class improved overall

Other Numbers

• 3 x 10,000 = three choice pieces turned in last year consisting of 10,000 words or more (one included 14,000 +)

• 20 = Number of students who increased their NJASK scores by 25 points or more (one increased by 61 points jumping from just in the proficient range to the AP level