Writing Workshop & Language Experience

Approach (LEA)

Writing Skills for Students

Facilitator: Marie S. BollersFoundations English Faculty

What are some ways to develop collaborative and independent writers?

Best practices

Research-based approaches:

Vocabulary development and EAL’s

Writers’ Workshop & LEA

LBD and performance- or project-based learning

Dependence to Independence

Developing

PartiallyProficient

Proficient

AdvancedProficient

From a socio-linguistic perspective:

Language serves two main purposes in any community.

The Power of Language

Language as “communicator” – from this perspective any language is “legitimate” if the parties can understand each other.

How would our students’ communicationsscore if assessed with the HCT writing bands?

The Language of PowerLanguage as “social marker” – from this perspective language is a “gate” that allows others in or shuts others out of “the group”.

Community is the foundation of high student achievement.

Ground Rules for Group Work

If errors are a sign of growth, then students must have a safe place to make mistakes.

Safe Places

My Ground Rules

In order for everyone to get the most out of the workshop, there are some ground rules to help us create a positive learning environment.

All team members will participate in the activities and do their best to complete any group and individual tasks assigned.

All team members will treat each other with kindness, justice, and respect.

Types of Groups

• Whole class

• Small, mixed ability

• Random teacher selected

• Random student selected

• Leveled

Writing is the high maintenance component of literacy. It needs:

Time – “The Block” = 90 minutes of writing workshop for practice.

Care – Feedback that is timely and uses student friendly rubrics.

Attention – public sharing (audience) helps elevate the level of performanceWeekly Writing

Workshop

Types of Tasks Four Learning

Stations/Centers1. Guided

Writing/Language Experience Approach

2. Vocabulary/Reading

3. Listening/Dictation

4. My Grammar Lab Elementary (MGLE)

Guided Writing and the modified Language Experience Approach (LEA) with ELL’s

Scaffolding

My organization supports my ideas while my mechanics make them clear.

Five focus areas for students:

Ideas

Support

Organization

Clarity

Mechanics

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When I was 10 years old, my father taught me how to pray. At first , I was very lazy. I did not want to wake up and pray. One day my mother told me a story about Muslim people who didn't pray and what will happen to them. She also told me what happens to people who pray. I think positive to pray more often.

How To Have A Positive Attitude

My Story :