writing & literacy in the 21 century classroom
TRANSCRIPT
Writing & Literacy in the 21st
Century Classroom
Dr. LaSynge Guyton
SBE- Instructional Lead Teacher
I am…
I am…
I am from down south with a southern twain. I am from red clay. I am from playing outside all day with a
pitcher of water on the porch. I am from roller skates, riding bikes, and long hikes. I am from honey
suckles, picking plums, and drinking water from water hoses. I am from making mud pies, and earrings
from lightening bugs. I am from no car seats and antique cars. I am from spankings, no maam and yes
sir. I am from eat all of your food before you get something to drink.
I am from be home before the streetlights come on and don’t be too far from home to hear your name
called. I am from homework every night to game time with the family. I am from an education is
important to respect all adults. I am from family potlucks, picnic in the yard, homemade icecream, peach
pies, and lemonade.
I am…
Special Thanks to Ms. Moneey Cobb for this beautiful I am…
Developing a Piece
Writing Process Writing on Demand
There is no need to start a new piece
every day!
Students should experience writing
with all genres every term, but the
major instructional focus should be on
one during a term, publishing one or
two pieces a quarter.
Purpose: To master the craft of
writing…
Should be text based, using two texts
when students’ experiences elicit
them.
Should focus on
informational/explanatory and opinion,
once a term.
Purpose: To be Milestones ready!
ELA Constructed Response: Noteworthy
Trends
Students responding to items that require comparing the
viewpoints/main ideas of two authors/passages may only
focus on explaining the viewpoint/main idea of one of the
authors/passages.
Students may provide a basic answer to the prompt
without providing supporting details from the passage(s).
Students may provide details from the passage(s) without
addressing the question in the prompt.
ELA Narrative:
Noteworthy Trends
Students may restate or summarize the existing text in narrative form rather than provide an original narrative response.
For prompts that ask the student to provide a narrative from a specific point of view, students may provide a narrative from a different point of view.
For prompts that ask the student to rewrite the story with a different ending or a different point of view, students may copy large portions of the given text with minimal changes.
Student responses may have only limited narrative elements or may use narrative elements such as dialogue in ways that do not effectively advance the narrative.
Argumentative/Opinion Writing:
Noteworthy Trends
Students may provide an essay that introduces a claim, but provide little development with few details drawn from the passages.
Students may copy or closely paraphrase large portions of the prompt or passages (with or without attribution) while providing little original work (also seen in Informative/Explanatory Writing).
Students may present both sides of the argument without choosing a side (or simply writing an Informative essay) or may choose both sides.
Students may choose support from only one of the two passages (i.e., whichever passage best supports their claim or opinion).
For grades 7 and 8 and High School: Students may present only one side of the argument, omitting a counterclaim.
Informative/Explanatory Writing:
Noteworthy Trends
Students may provide an informative essay with some details drawn
from the passage but with little organizational structure.
Students may provide little development with few details drawn from the
passages or with support drawn from only one passage.
Students may copy or closely paraphrase large portions of the prompt or
passages (with or without attribution) while providing little original work
(also seen in Argumentative/Opinion Writing).
Strategies you may have heard of…
RACE RAFT(S) Only designed to assist with
Constructed Response Questions
Works best with shorter
questions/statements
Creates formulaic answers
Can be fluid between all subject areas
Designed to aide students with
Extended Response Questions
Assists students in “picking apart”
longer prompts/questions
Allows students to recognize areas of
creativity
Is not as easily transferred to other
subject areas
We Will Win the R A C E
in constructed responses…
R Restate/Reword the question.
A Answer the question.
C Cite evidence using the text.
E Explain your answer.
R A C E
RAFT is a writing strategy that helps students
understand their roles as writers, the audience they
will address, the varied formats for writing, and the
topic they'll be writing about. By using this strategy,
teachers encourage students to write creatively, to
consider a topic from a different perspective, and to
gain practice writing for different audiences.
R A F T?
Give your students life “RAFTS”
R ole of the writer
Audience
Format
Topic
Strong Verb
Give your students life “RAFTS”
R ole (Who are what are you as a writer?)
Audience (Who you are writing to?)
Format (What genre of writing you are going to use?)
Topic (What are you going to write about?)
Strong Verb
RAFT Assignment Unit/Theme: _________________ Language/Level: ________________
Role Audience Format Topic
Remember to add an “S” for strong verbs
Examples of roles, audiences, formats, and topics to mix & match
R (Role) A (Audience) F (Format) T (Topic)
Big Bad Wolf Best friend Rap Pollution
Old Man/ Lady Class of students Persuasive essay My favorite animal
School Mascot TV audience Thank you note The Grand Canyon
Giant President Report Africa
Something to ponder:
students grasp writing with
evidence when you complete
close reading in your class…
Close reading
Close reading is thoughtful, critical analysis of a
text that focuses on significant details or patterns
in order to develop a deep, precise understanding
of the text’s form, craft, meanings, etc. It is a key
requirement of the Common Core State Standards
and directs the reader’s attention to the text itself.
Close reading Close reading includes:
Short passages
Excerpts
Diving right into the text with limited pre-
reading activities
Focusing on the text itself
Rereading deliberately
Reading with a pencil
Noticing things that are confusing
Discussing the text with others o Think-Pair
Share or Turn and Talk frequently o Small
groups and whole class
Responding to text-dependent questions
As a student council representative for the ninth grade, you have been asked to write a letter to a group of
eighth graders who have recently registered for their first high school schedules. This particular group of
students has high rates of absenteeism, poor grades, and low self-esteem. In your letter, give them advice on how
to succeed in high school.
Think back to a time when you conformed to a group, rather than standing up for something you believed in. Tell
about that experience in an essay, remembering to reflect on what you learned from that situation. You will
share this essay with your five-member writing group.
Prepare the body of a speech that you will deliver to your homeroom, encouraging all students to attend the
home soccer game on Friday afternoon. In your speech, define school spirit, and give your classmates clear
examples of how to display their school spirit.
Choose the most outstanding moment of your life so far. Set the scene for this event, tell what your were doing
at the time, and clearly show how this scene is significant in your life. Write an essay that you will share with
your parents when they come for their student-led English I conference.
Close reading
http://www.readingrockets.org/content/pdfs/RAFTingExample.pdf
References Additional Information & Special Thanks
http://nieonline.com/tbtimes/downloads/CCSS_reading.pdf
Special Thanks To:
Dr. Flemister-Bell
Mr. James Young
Ms. Fletcher
Ms. Amarius Reed
SBE Staff
Copyright LiteracyTeacher.com. This activity is free and can be reproduced for educational purposes.
Creative Writing RAFT (Santa, 1988)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLJ_32y6lR0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAS2rIfOgqM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11qCZt3a-9k
Thank
You!