Write On

What is Write On? Write On is a three-book writing series designed for young EFL students (upper

elementary and middle school).

Throughout the series, students practice writing in a wide variety of styles such as narrative, descriptive, process, definition, expository, summary, review, compare/contrast, persuasive, and cause/effect paragraphs.

Write On allows students to analyze a model paragraph in the chosen style before moving on to planning and then writing their own paragraph on a related topic.

A variety of activities in each student book works to develop students’ writing skills with an engaging and fun means.

What makes this series special?

1. From reader to writer2. Appeal to multiple intelligences

(Howard Gardener and the theory of multiple intelligences )

3. Process writing

From Reader to WriterWhy Reading Matters• Research suggests that strong readers are more likely to

become good writers than students with weaker reading skills (Dr. Nancy Cecil, Striking a Balance: A Comprehensive Approach to Early Literacy, 2011)

• Familiarity with correct usage of phrases and expressions On the My Own Writing page of each unit, students are

provided with semi-fixed expressions taken from the model paragraph. Having seen them in the model, they are now encouraged to adapt them for their own use.

• Increases vocabulary

From Reader to WriterWhy Reading MattersProficient readers know how to • decode information • make connections • visualize• evaluate • ask questions

These skills are all essential when gathering and putting together information to write a paragraph.

From Reader to WriterTherefore, each unit starts with a model paragraph.Three-fold function1) Warm-up: Opportunities for opening up

discussion, predictions, feelings, and background knowledge about the topic

2) Sample writing: what a paragraph written in the target style/genre should look like.

3) Target language in context: How to use the language

Multiple IntelligencesWriting is not BORING!

• Students (and teachers) may complain that writing is not interesting and doesn’t suit their learning style. This is just not true.

• Write On meets the needs of a wide variety of intelligences.

• What are multiple intelligences, and how does Write On meet their needs?

Multiple Intelligences

Multiple Intelligences

• Theory developed by Harvard psychologist and professor of neuroscience, Howard Gardener

• Intelligence is the skills that enable us to gain knowledge and solve problems.

• Different intelligences lead to different learning styles.

• Only by recognizing these styles can educators effectively facilitate learning.

Write On and Multiple IntelligencesHow does Write On incorporate multiple intelligences?Using Book 1, Unit 1as a model (applicable to all units in the series):

Verbal Linguistic In the Modeling exercise (Bk1, page 7) the student is asked to read a paragraph and find

key words.Logical/Mathematical In the Mapping activity (Bk1, page 8) students use a mind map to organize information.

Mind maps are referenced by Multiple Intelligence proponents as useful in building logical reasoning.

Visual As an extension activity each student can draw, label, and share with the class a picture

illustrating the paragraph body on Bk1, page 11. Auditory/Musical Students read aloud with correct intonation and pronunciation the Language

Focus sentences on Bk1, page 9.

Write On and Multiple IntelligencesAuditory/Musical Students read aloud the Language Focus sentences (Bk1, page 9) with

correct intonation and pronunciation. Students can read the model paragraph (p.7) in a reading chain – one sentence per student.

Body Kinesthetic As an extension activity students can act out words and phrases in the

Brainstorming activity (Bk1, page 10).Interpersonal (with others) Students can answer discuss the post-reading questions on Bk1, p.8.

Students can work in pairs or groups to discuss and share the Brainstorming Mind Map on Bk 1, page 10. The Language Focus extension activities available online also feature group and pair work.

Intrapersonal (alone) Students work individually to complete the paragraph Outline on page 11

and the final paragraph on p.12.

Write On and Multiple IntelligencesEach Chapter in the Write On Series can be used to support Howard Gardener’s

theory of

Multiple Intelligences

Write On and Process Writing (Using Unit 1 as an example)

A multi-step process:Thinking

Thinking about what to write is sometimes very difficult, even for native speakers. Write On helps scaffold writing by presenting methods for organizing and generating ideas and provides useful vocabulary in the Brainstorming word box section

BrainstormingStudents take the ideas from the Brainstorming word box and organize them in a mind map. This helps the learners see connections between ideas (Book1, page 10).

Process Writing

OutliningStudents use the outlining template in each chapter to help them in organizing and structuring their ideas (page 11).

WritingStudents then proceed to My Own Writing where they write a structured paragraph in based on their outline (page 12).

EditingStudents use the Check Your Writing segment at the very end of the chapter to review their paragraph (and the paragraphs of other students if desired) and make any final edits or corrections (page 12).

Write On

Sample Lesson Ideas

Recommended Classroom Hours

• 1. Textbook only: 1 unit – 2 x 50-minute lessons

• 2. Textbook teaching with extension activities: 1 unit – 3 x 50-minute lessons

How to Teach: Sample Plan

• Three lessons per unitUnit 1Lesson 1 – 50 minutesComponents: Modeling & Mapping IdeasLesson 2 – 50 minutesComponents: Language Focus & BrainstormingLesson 3 – 50 minutesComponents: Making an Outline & My Own Writing

Lesson 1

Lesson 1

• Warm-up - activate schema

• Ask open-ended questions about pictures on the first page

Introduction(3 mins)

•Talk about the topic – what do I want to know?• Pre-teach vocabulary - equip the students to read•

Discussion of the topic (5-6 mins) • Read the paragraph

(teacher to students or silent reading)

Reading(5 mins)

Lesson 1

• What did I find out about the topic?

Post-reading(2-3 mins)

• Identify parts of the paragraph: answer questions in SB (select students to write the answers on the board)

Paragraph Analysis (5 mins) • Fill in mind map with

details from the paragraph

Mapping Ideas(10-15 mins)

Lesson 1

• Answer questions that follow the mind map – What did I understand?

Reading Comprehension(5 mins)

• Language Focus Extension Activity (see online Teaching Tips)

Take It Beyond the Book(7-10 mins) • Select students to briefly

introduce themselves to the class using words and expressions they’ve practiced using in the extension activity

Wrap-Up

Sample Extension ActivityExtension Activity: Language Focus• Ask the students what kind of information they usually share when they first meet someone. Ask “When you

meet someone for the first time, what do you tell them?” Elicit things like ‘name,’ ‘age,’ ‘where you live,’ ‘school name,’ ‘hobbies,’ ‘ brothers and sisters,’ and write them on the board. Next, with the students, think of the questions they could ask to find out this information. Elicit the questions and write them on the board. (What is your name? / How old are you?/ Where do you live? etc.) **This could be done pre-reading**

• Have the students talk to a partner. They will use the questions to introduce themselves and find out about their partner. Give them a conversation starter to help them get started:

• “Hello, I’m _____. What’s your name?” • Model a short sample conversation with one student. Sample conversation:

T: Hello, I’m _________. What’s your name?S1: I’m Yuna. T: How old are you, Yuna?S1: I’m eleven years old. How old are you?T: It’s a secret! Where do you live?S1: …

• You can also have the students fill in a sheet with the information about their partner. If time allows, once students have finished talking to one partner, they can change partners and talk to a different student.

Lesson 2

Lesson 2

• Recap of previous lesson - brainstorm details from the model passage on board using target tense / mini-self introductions as review

Warm-up (5 mins)

• Textbook exercises – go over examples as a class then have students work alone

Language Focus Introduction

(5 mins)

•Textbook exercises Part A – look at first three example answers together and pre-teach vocabulary

• Have students work independently, •Get students to check their answers in pairs, then go over answers. Pair check, then do a whole class check •Repeat process with Part B

Language Focus Exercises(15-20 mins)

Lesson 2

• Brainstorm ideas for Brainstorming Part A with whole class, then have students fill in their own idea in their book

• Follow with pair check

Brainstorming (5 mins)

• Go over the brainstorming chart from the book on the board

• Look at the suggested vocab in the book and elicit additional ideas from the students

Brainstorming(5 mins) • Have students work

individually to fill in their own brainstorming charts. Set a time limit (10-15 minutes).

• Peer review and wrap up

Independent brainstorming

(10-15 mins)

Lesson 3

Lesson 3

•Review Brainstorming from previous class, allow time to add/alter info

•Discuss topic sentences – time to select one or make own (depending on the class)

Review and Topic sentence (7 mins)

•Students choose info from the brainstorming chart

•Have students fill in their outline with ideas –body need not be in sentences yet.

Making an Outline (7-10 mins) •Students write their paragraph and

title, using the Outline page for guidance

•Checklist – either check own or a partner’s work

•If time, have a couple of students read their paragraph to the class

My Own Writing(20-25 mins)

Additional Assignments

• Further writing practice for each unit at the back of the book (see handout)

• 2 pages: Language focus reviewBrainstorming OutliningWriting

• Homework or in-class• Extra writing idea on Teaching Tips

How to Teach: Short Plan

• Sample 2: Two lessons per unitUnit 1Lesson 1 – 50 minutesComponents: Modeling, Mapping Ideas,

Language FocusLesson 2 – 50 minutesComponents: Brainstorming, Making an Outline,

My Own Writing

Wrap-up

Using Write On, teachers can involve all 4 skills.o Talkingo Listening to each other/teachero Readingo Finally writing!

www.compasspub.com

Image sources:

• http://classroomchoreography.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/dance-and-multiple-intelligences/

• http://www.literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html• http://www.myskillcheck.com/• http://debrabell.com/2011/10/middle-school-tools-2nd-semester/writing

/• www.vectorjunky.com• http://www.picturesof.net/search_term_pages/quiet.html