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Scaffolding Writing Instruction for

Struggling Older Writers: Matching the Common Core Standards

Arguments, Informative Texts, and Narratives

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Anita L. Archer, Ph.D.archerteach@aol.com

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Arguments - To convince

Definition– A reasoned, logical argument– Demonstrating that the writer’s position, belief, or conclusion

is valid Purpose

– Change reader’s point of view– Bring about some action on reader’s part– Ask reader to accept writer’s explanation

Genre– essay, letter, editorial

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Persuasion vs. Argument(Eye on Education)

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

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Informative Text - To Explain or Inform 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

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Narratives - To Convey an Experience 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

Condense and integrate the standards

• Make CCSS teachable

• Simplify without losing essence

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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.

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.

e. Provide a concluding statement or section thatfollows from and supports the argument presented.

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4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which thedevelopment, organization, and style areappropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

5. With some guidance and support from peers andadults, develop and strengthen writing as needed byplanning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose andaudience have been addressed.

(Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 7 on page 43.)

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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

7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources andgenerating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.

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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.

9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

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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.

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7th Grade Writing

Tasks Routine writing Extended time - research projects allowing research, reflection, revision Shorter time Variety of tasks, audiences, purposes

Purposes– to convince or persuade (Argument)– to inform or explain (Informative)– to convey an experience (Narrative)

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7th Grade Writing - Argument

Critical Attributes (What)Introduction

– Introduces claims– Acknowledges alternative claims/ counterarguments– Organizes reasons

Body– Supports claims and counterarguments– With logical reasoning and relevant evidence– Uses transition words, phrases, clauses to create cohesion

Conclusion– Contains concluding statement or section – That supports argument

Overall– Conveys a reasoned, logical argument– Maintains formal style– Has clear, coherent writing– Avoids plagiarism

Conventions– Capitalization, punctuation, spelling– Standard format for citations

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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

Take notes on informationOrganize

Organizes appropriate to task, audience, purpose

WritingWrite

Transcribes plan into clear, coherent writingUses technology

RevisingEditing

Conventions

RewritingPublishing/Sharing

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Critical CCSS vocabulary 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

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Critical CCSS vocabulary

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

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Big Idea: Writing products dependent on foundation skills

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

Complex skills and strategies should be broken down into smaller (easy to obtain) instruction units.

This will promote success.

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Break down complex skills. Example - Common Core Standards

Body of ArgumentTranscription1. 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. Example - Common Core Standards

Body of ArgumentPlanning and Transcribing4. 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.

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Break down complex skills. Example - Common Core Standards

Introduction8. 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.

Conclusion9. 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 Practice without explicit instruction is not adequate. Remember practice does not make perfect…only

permanent.

Model - I do it. Guided Practice - We do it. Check understanding- You do it.

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Big Idea - Scaffold Instruction

Scaffold Instruction, gradually fading out teacher assistance.

M T W T FI do it. We do it. We do it. We do it. We do it.

M T W T FYou do it. ….. You do it. …… You do it.

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Big Idea - Provide judicious practice.

Have students write many products of focus genre to promote mastery.

After initial instruction, products can be composed in a variety of classes.

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Big Idea - Provide Feedback Provide feedback in real time as you circulate and

monitor. Correct, Encourage, Correct

Have students carefully check their products against the rubric.

Have students give focused feedback to their partners.

Provide feedback to students on a portion of the rubric.

Provide feedback on final drafts using the rubric.

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Big Idea - Consider motivation

Consider motivation.

– Success (perceived probability of success)

– Interest (interest in the topic)

– Choice (narrow choice when possible)

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BIG IDEAS - Teach the “What” and “How” WHAT

– Critical attributes– Rubric– Example

HOW– Writing Process

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WHAT Ask yourself, what are the CRITICAL ATTRIBUTES of a well-

written product.

Consider the Six Traits– Ideas– Organization– Word Choice– Voice– Sentence Fluency– Conventions

Consider the Descriptions in the Standards

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What

Design a simple, easy to understand RUBRIC.

Carefully examine the genre descriptions in the Common Core State Standards.

Consider introducing only a portion of the rubric initially. Focus on ideas, organization, and conventions.

Provide an EXAMPLE to illustrate the critical attributes.

(Optional) Guide students in analyzing a non-example to determine missing attributes.

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WHAT

Example # 1

– descriptive paragraph rubric and example– passage summary rubric, example and

non-example

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HOW

Writing process

– Planning - Plan– Writing - Write– Revising - Revise– Editing - Edit– Rewriting - Rewrite– Publishing - Publish

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HOW - Plan

Plan T = Task/TopicA = Audience

P = Purpose

Plan Think orResearch and gather

evidence

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Brainstorming

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

Support for organization of written product

– Writing frames– Strategies– Think Sheets

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Frames

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.

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Frames

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

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Strategies

Strategy for Paragraph Writing- List- Cross-out- Connect- Number ( Write)

REWARDS PLUS (Sopris West)

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List - Make a list of important ideas.

Penquin’s birth– 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

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Cross-out - Cross out any unnecessary or weak ideas.

Connect - Connect ideas that could go in one sentence.

Penquin’s birthMale takes care of egg

Female lays eggFemale leaves Female spends winter at seaThe water is very coldMale puts egg on his feet under belly

Male stays on egg for two months Male doesn’t eat

Egg hatchesMale must care for baby

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Number - Number the ideas in the order that they will appear in the paragraph.

Penquin’s birth 3 Male takes care of egg

1 Female lays egg

2 Female leaves Female spends winter at seaThe water is very coldMale puts egg on his feet under belly

4 Male stays on egg for two months 5 Male doesn’t eat

Egg hatches6 Male must care for baby

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Write a summary.

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.

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Strategies

See Example #8 for summary writing– Strategy– Example of Strategy Use– Example Summary– Rubric

REWARDS Plus (Sopris West)

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Think Sheets

Examples Example # 9 -

– Think sheet for organizing compare/contrast

– Example paragraph

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Think Sheets

Example # 10 - Essay to convince– Example Rubric– Example Essay– Think Sheet

Example # 11 - Essay to explain/inform– Example Rubric– Example Essay – Think Sheet