Scaffolding Writing Instruction for
Struggling Older Writers:
Matching the Common Core Standards
Anita L. Archer, Ph.D.
[email protected]
Arguments, Informative Texts,
and Narratives
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Persuasion vs. Argument
Arguments - To convince
!
(Eye on Education)
Definition
– A reasoned, logical argument
– Demonstrating that the writer’s position, belief, or conclusion
is valid
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Genre
Definition
Common Features
Persuasion
Appeals to the
emotions of audience
Uses techniques such
as bandwagon, plain
folks, glittering
generalities, name
calling, and snob
appeal
Argument
Appeals to logic and
reason
Consists of a
thesis/claim,
evidence,
concession/refutation,
and a more formal
style
Purpose
– Change reader’s point of view
– Bring about some action on reader’s part
– Ask reader to accept writer’s explanation
!
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Genre
– essay, letter, editorial
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4
Informative Text To Explain or Inform
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!
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Narratives To Convey an Experience
Definition
– Text
– That conveys information accurately
Purpose
– To increase reader’s knowledge of subject
– To help reader understand a procedure or process
– To provide reader with enhanced understanding of concept
Genre
– literary analyses, reports, summaries, comparisons,
instructions, manuals, memos, resumes
!
!
Definition
– A written product
– That conveys real or imagined experiences
– Using time as the structure
Purpose
–
–
–
–
!
To entertain
To inform
To instruct
To persuade
Genre
– fictional stories, memoirs, anecdotes, autobiographies
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Common Core State Standards
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Argument - 7th grade CCSS
1. Write arguments to support claims with
clear reasons and relevant evidence.
a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and address alternate or
opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence
logically.
Condense and integrate the standards
• Make CCSS teachable
• Simplify without losing essence
b. Support claim(s) or counterarguments with logical
reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible
sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or
text.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and
clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and
evidence.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style.
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e. Provide a concluding statement or section that
follows from and supports the argument presented.
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6. Use technology, including the Internet, to
produce and publish writing and link to and
cite sources as well as to interact and
collaborate with others, including linking to and
citing sources
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. With some guidance and support from peers and
adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a
new approach, focusing on how well purpose and
audience have been addressed.
7. Conduct short research projects to answer
a question, drawing on several sources and
generating additional related, focused
questions for further research and
investigation.
(Editing for conventions should demonstrate
command of Language standards 1–3 up to and
including grade 7 on page 43.)
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8. Gather relevant information from multiple print
and digital sources, using search terms effectively;
assess the credibility and accuracy of each source;
and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions
of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a
standard format for citation.
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10. Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two)
for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes,
and audiences.
9. Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
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7th Grade Writing
7th Grade Writing - Argument
Critical Attributes (What)
Introduction
!
–
–
–
!
Body
Tasks
Routine writing
Extended time - research projects allowing research, reflection, revision
! Shorter time
! Variety of tasks, audiences, purposes
Purposes
–
–
–
Introduces claims
Acknowledges alternative claims/ counterarguments
Organizes reasons
Supports claims and counterarguments
With logical reasoning and relevant evidence
Uses transition words, phrases, clauses to create cohesion
Conclusion
– to convince or persuade (Argument)
– to inform or explain (Informative)
– to convey an experience (Narrative)
–
–
Contains concluding statement or section
That supports argument
Overall
–
–
–
–
Conveys a reasoned, logical argument
Maintains formal style
Has clear, coherent writing
Avoids plagiarism
Conventions
–
–
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Capitalization, punctuation, spelling
Standard format for citations
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Critical CCSS vocabulary
Writing Process (How)
Planning
Research, gather information and evidence
Uses multiple, credible sources
Includes print and digital sources
Includes evidence from literary and informational text
!
Editing – A part of writing and preparing presentations
concerned chiefly with improving the clarity, organization,
concision, and correctness of expression relative to task,
purpose, and audience; compared to revising, a smaller-scale
activity often associated with surface aspects of a text
!
Revising – A part of writing and preparing presentations
concerned chiefly with a reconsideration and reworking of
the content of a text relative to task, purpose, and audience;
compared to editing, a larger-scale activity often associated
with the overall content and structure of a text
Take notes on information
Organize
Organizes appropriate to task, audience, purpose
Writing
Write
Transcribes plan into clear, coherent writing
Uses technology
Revising
Editing
Conventions
Rewriting
Publishing/Sharing
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Big Idea: Writing products dependent on
Critical CCSS vocabulary
!
foundation skills
Evidence – Facts, figures, details, quotations, or
other sources of data and information that provide
support for claims or an analysis and that can be
evaluated by others; should appear in a form and be
derived from a source widely accepted as appropriate
to a particular discipline, as in details or quotations
from a text in the study of literature and experimental
results in the study of science
Outcome: Writing Arguments,
Informational Texts, Narratives
Example Foundation Skills:
reading, expressive vocabulary, word usage,
fluent handwriting or typing, spelling, grammar,
capitalization, punctuation, sentence formation,
sentence sense, paragraph formation
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Big Idea - Break down complex
skills
Break down complex skills.
Example - Common Core Standards
Body of Argument
! Complex
skills and strategies should be
broken down into smaller (easy to
obtain) instruction units.
! This
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will promote success.
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Transcription
1.
When given a reason and related facts and details, can write
a paragraph with a topic sentence stating the reason.
2.
When given a reason and related facts and details, can write
a paragraph with a topic sentence stating the reason
followed by sentences containing facts and details,
connected with transition words and phrases.
3.
When given three reasons and related facts and details, can
write three paragraphs each containing a topic sentence
stating the reason followed by sentences containing facts
and details, connected with transition words and phrases.
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Break down complex skills.
Break down complex skills.
Example - Common Core Standards
Example - Common Core Standards
Body of Argument
Planning and Transcribing
4.
When given a position on a topic, can generate reasons to
support that position.
5.
When given a topic, can generate a position and reasons
and details to support that position.
6.
When given a topic, can generate a position and reasons to
support that position, and details to logically support each
reason.
7.
When given a topic, can generate a plan for the body of an
essay (the position, the reasons, details to support each
reason) and transcribe the plan into three coherent
paragraphs.
Introduction
8.
For previously formulated argument papers, writes an introduction
that: a) grabs the attention of the reader, b) states the writer’s
opinion, and c) introduces reasons to support the writer’s opinion.
Conclusion
9.
For previously formulated argument papers, writes a short conclusion
“wraps it up” the essay by: a) summarizing the opinion and reasons,
b) calling for some action to be taken, or c) explaining the outcomes
of not following the writer’s suggestions.
Arguments (Desired Outcome)
10. When given a topic, can plan, write, and edit an argument paper that
includes: a) an effective introduction, b) a well structured body with
logically organized reasons and related facts and details, linked with
appropriate transition words and phrases, and c) a short conclusion
that “wraps it up”.
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Big Idea - Provide Explicit
Instruction
!
!
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Big Idea - Scaffold Instruction
Practice without explicit instruction is not adequate.
Remember practice does not make perfect…only
permanent.
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Scaffold Instruction, gradually fading out teacher
assistance.
M
! Model
! Guided Practice ! Check understanding-
I do it.
I do it.
We do it.
You do it.
T
We do it.
M
T
You do it. …..
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W
T
We do it.
We do it.
W
T
You do it. ……
F
We do it.
F
You do it.
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Big Idea - Provide judicious
practice.
Big Idea - Provide Feedback
! Have
students write many products of
focus genre to promote mastery.
initial instruction, products can be
composed in a variety of classes.
!
Provide feedback in real time as you circulate
and monitor. Correct, Encourage, Correct
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Have students carefully check their products
against the rubric.
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Have students give focused feedback to their
partners.
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Provide feedback to students on a portion of
the rubric.
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Provide feedback on final drafts using the
rubric.
! After
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Big Idea - Consider motivation
BIG IDEAS - Teach the “What”
and “How”
! Consider
! WHAT
motivation.
– Success (perceived probability of success)
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– Critical attributes
– Rubric
– Example
– Interest (interest in the topic)
! HOW
– Choice (narrow choice when possible)
– Writing Process
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WHAT
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Ask yourself, what are the CRITICAL ATTRIBUTES of a wellwritten product.
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Consider the Six Traits
–
–
–
–
–
–
!
What
Ideas
Organization
Word Choice
Voice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions
Consider the Descriptions in the Standards
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Design a simple, easy to understand RUBRIC.
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Carefully examine the genre descriptions in the Common Core
State Standards.
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Consider introducing only a portion of the rubric initially. Focus
on ideas, organization, and conventions.
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Provide an EXAMPLE to illustrate the critical attributes.
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(Optional) Guide students in analyzing a non-example to
determine missing attributes.
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WHAT
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HOW
! Writing
Example # 1
process
– Planning
– Writing
– Revising
– Editing
– Rewriting
– Publishing
– descriptive paragraph rubric and example
– passage summary rubric, example and
non-example
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- Plan
- Write
- Revise
- Edit
- Rewrite
- Publish
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HOW - Plan
Brainstorming
Plan
T = Task/Topic
A = Audience
P = Purpose
!
Plan
Think
or
Research and gather
evidence
Think
– Students record ideas.
– Teacher monitors and writes ideas and names on
transparency or paper (depending on technology used in the
classroom).
!
Pair
– Students share ideas with partners.
– Teacher monitors and continues to record ideas and names
on transparency or paper.
!
Share
– Teacher shares ideas with class by displaying collection of
ideas/names on the screen.
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HOW - Plan
!
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Frames
Support for organization of written
product
Writing frames
• Use with beginning writers.
• Use as an accommodation for emerging
writers.
• Use to support specialized writing.
• Use to support summarization.
• Use to emphasize use of academic language.
– Writing frames
– Strategies
– Think Sheets
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Frames
!
Strategies
See examples.
• Example #2. Beginning writers (basic paragraph)
• Example #3. Accommodation for emerging writers (state
report, mammal report)
• Example #4. Specialized writing (story problem
explanation)
• Example # 5. Summarization narrative (story grammar)
• Example # 6. Summarization expository.
• Example #7. Academic Language
Strategy for Paragraph Writing
- List
- Cross-out
- Connect
- Number
( Write)
REWARDS PLUS (Sopris West)
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Cross-out - Cross out any unnecessary or weak
ideas.
Connect - Connect ideas that could go in one
List - Make a list of important ideas.
sentence.
Penquin’s birth
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–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Penquin’s birth
Male takes care of egg
Male takes care of egg
Female lays egg
Female leaves
Female spends winter at sea
The water is very cold
Male puts egg on his feet under belly
Male stays on egg for two months
Male doesn’t eat
Egg hatches
Male must care for baby
Female lays egg
Female leaves
Female spends winter at sea
The water is very cold
Male puts egg on his feet under belly
Male stays on egg for two months
Male doesn’t eat
Egg hatches
Male must care for baby
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Number - Number the ideas in the order that
they will appear in the paragraph.
The birth process of penguins is fascinating and
quite different from that of other animals. The female
penguin lays an egg. Soon after laying the egg, the
female penguin leaves and spends the winter in the
sea. Meanwhile the male must take care of the egg.
For two months, he places the egg on his feet under
his belly. During this time, the male penguin doesn’t
eat. Even after the baby penguin hatches, the male
penguin continues to take care of the infant penguin.
Penquin’s birth
3 Male takes care of egg
1 Female lays egg
2
Female leaves
Female spends winter at sea
The water is very cold
Male puts egg on his feet under belly
Male stays on egg for two months
5 Male doesn’t eat
Egg hatches
Male must care for baby
4
6
Write a summary.
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Strategies
!
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Think Sheets
See Example #8 for summary writing
– Strategy
– Example of Strategy Use
– Example Summary
– Rubric
Examples
! Example # 9 – Think sheet for organizing
compare/contrast
– Example paragraph
REWARDS Plus (Sopris West)
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Think Sheets
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Example # 10 - Essay to convince
– Example Rubric
– Example Essay
– Think Sheet
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Example # 11 - Essay to explain/inform
– Example Rubric
– Example Essay
– Think Sheet
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