Strategy Instruction in Writingfor Struggling Writers

Charles MacArthur

University of Delaware

Strategy Instruction Research has demonstrated that well

designed strategy instruction can produce substantial gains in writing quality for struggling writers.

Well designed strategy instruction teaches specific strategies for planning and revising strategies as well self-regulation strategies.

Staff development and wide scale implementation are significant challenges.

Research foundations Cognitive models of expert and

developing writers Research on self-regulation, e.g., goal-

setting, self-evaluation, self-efficacy Research on strategy instruction in

general - direct explanation, modeling, guided practice

Proficient writers Planning

Set goals and subgoals based on audience and task

Generate content Organize using knowledge of text structure

Production Generate sentences - language Transcription - mechanics

Proficient writers (cont.) Revision

Evaluate using extensive criteria Develop ideas

Extensive self-regulation Select and monitor strategies Productivity

Struggling Writers Minimal planning

Little thought of audience or purpose or goals

Difficulty generating ideas Limited knowledge about organization

Problems with mechanics & language

Struggling writers (cont.) Minimal revising

Poor reading skills Limited knowledge of evaluation Difficulty fixing problems Focus on mechanics

Poor self-regulation - Difficulty coordinating what they do know

We can: Teach specific strategies for planning

and revising based on what good writers do

Teach students to self-regulate Set goals Cope with difficulties Self-evaluate

Improve their writing

Examples:Task-specific strategies Planning strategies based on text

structure Revising strategies based on evaluation

criteria

Importance of text structure Good writers use knowledge of text

structure or genre to plan Connected to purpose for writing Helps to generate content Helps to organize paper Helps with self-evaluation

A Planning Strategy for Persuasive Writing -- (TREE)

THINK: Who? Why? PLAN

T -- Topic sentence R -- Reasons E -- Examine reasons E -- Ending

Write and say more

Planning Stories THINK: Who? Why? PLAN

C - Characters S – Setting P – Problem A – Action C – Conclusion E – Emotion

Write and say more

Story map

Character

Setting

Problem or Goal

Events

Solution

Compare-contrastCompare what?

On what?

Importance of self-evaluation Research shows that teaching

evaluation criteria along with revision is effective

Align self-evaluation, teacher evaluation, and accountability assessments Analytic scales like 6-Traits Genre-specific evaluation scales

Teach peer revising strategies

Self-evaluation for persuasive writing -- genre specificDid I state my position clearly? 1 2 3

Is my first reason clear and supported by details? 1 2 3

Is my second reason clear and . . . 1 2 3

Is my third reason clear and . . . 1 2 3

Did I summarize my reasons at the end? 1 2 3

Is my essay persuasive? 1 2 3

How can I improve my next essay?

Peer revising strategy LISTEN as partner reads TELL what you liked best READ and ask questions

Topic? Is the opinion clear? Reasons? Is each reason clear and related to the

opinion? Support? Is each reason supported with details? Ending? Is there a summary?

DISCUSS your suggestions Author makes changes

Peer revising -- Stories LISTEN as partner reads TELL what you liked best READ and ask questions

Characters? Are they clearly described? Problem? How is it resolved? Emotion? Does it show how characters feel?

DISCUSS your suggestions Author makes changes

Effective strategy instruction Meaningful writing in a social context Direct explanation and modeling Self-regulation strategies

Self-statements Self-evaluation Goal setting

Extensive guided practice Mastery learning Generalization Motivation

Self-regulated Strategic Writers Set goals

Purposes for writing Motivation

Select strategies Planning & revising Know why and when

Monitor progress Am I using the strategy? Is my writing improving?

Research Meta-analysis of 39 studies (Graham, in press)

Effect size for quality - 1.25 (very large effect). Cf. ES=.44 for best method in Hillocks’ 1984 analysis.

PND - 89% (very large effect) Most studies used LD (64%), LA (23%), or avg.

(23%) with few good (10%), but all large effects Planning - revising; elem - sec; narr - expos. All

large effects Effective in classrooms and in tutoring SRSD model more effective than others (ES 1.6

vs. 0.9)

Implementation Issues Teach a few strategies intensively Coordinate across teachers, grades, subjects Compatible with process approaches that

emphasize social context Works in combination with content area

instruction Fits into a curriculum based on genre or

purposes for writing (e.g., to persuade)

Challenges Getting from single strategies to strategic learners

is a long term process Demanding approach for teachers

Explicit explanation and modeling Appropriate support Evaluation of strategy use and results Teaching to individual mastery in a group setting

Demands on schools Coordinated approach across classes and grades

Little research on large-scale implementation or staff development