ON-SITE WITH BALANCED LITERACY AND

THE WRITING WORKSHOPE. NICHOLSON and R. STEWART, MS ACADEMIC FACILITATORS

Do Now

1. Create a name tent (first name only.)2. On your desks find 3 index cards.3. You will use these cards at different

intervals throughout our sessions.4. For the first card, respond to the following

question. What do you know or think you know about Balanced Literacy and The Writing Workshop?

Balanced Literacy

• Students often work collaboratively and talk with classmates.

• Strategies and skills are taught explicitly with gradual release of responsibility to students.

• Students are more motivated and engaged when they participate in authentic literacy activities.

Balanced Literacy

• Literacy involves both reading and writing.

• Oral language is integrated with reading and writing.

• Reading and writing are used as tools for content-area learning.

Balanced Literacy

• Phonemic awareness

• Phonics

• Fluency

• Vocabulary

• Comprehension

• The writing process

• The qualities of good writing to communicate ideas effectively

• Conventional spelling, grammar, and punctuation to make those ideas more readable

Reading Instruction Writing Instruction

Dallas ISD Core Beliefs• Our main purpose is to improve student

achievement.

• Effective instruction makes the most difference in student academic performance.

• There is no excuse for poor quality instruction.

• With our help, at risk students will achieve at the same rate as non-at risk students.

• Staff members must have a commitment to children and a commit to the pursuit of excellence.

Gradual Release Model

Gradual Release Model• How would using the, "I do it, We do it, You do it

together, You do it alone," model change the way you plan your lessons?

• How do the post-its hold students accountable and push them to think about their own cognition?

• Beyond shifting the cognitive load, what are the benefits of structuring lessons in this way?

Balanced Literacy Week

ELAR Curriculum Updates & Documents

Semester MapsSix Weeks Maps

ACP blueprintsCurriculum Calendar &

Digital CPGs: available only for 5th, 8th, and 9th grade (this is a 3 year phase in

process)

Balanced Literacy

Review the data from the 2013 6th- 8th grade STAAR Test. What are our challenges? Do you recognize the need for Balanced Literacy? Explain.

Break Time

10 minutes

What is Writing Workshop?

Writing Workshop is a framework for writing instruction and practice in the classroom.Digging into the video:1. What purpose does writing serve for this student?2. Based on the type of writing done by the student, what literature pieces would support his growth as a writer?

Things that need to be in place for writing…

• Literacy-rich classroom• Permanent place for mini-lessons• Desks in groups• Location for Writing Notebooks or Folders• Writer’s Toolboxes for groups: May include pencils, colored pencils, strips of

paper, sticky notes, stapler, staples, extra paper, etc.

Procedures for Writing Workshop

• Procedures make your classroom run smoothly.

• Procedures may include when students can sharpen their pencils, where to find important papers, or what to do if they are done.

• Always work toward independence and building stamina in the students.

Writer’s Notebook

•A place to write•A place to think•A place to respond•A place to develop a draft•A place to revise, edit, and publish

Mentor Texts

• Read Alouds are a way to use authors as mentors for writing styles, author’s craft, and genres.

• Students can see how writers use different styles and literary elements.

• Students become an apprentice of the writing craft of the author and imitate the author’s style or technique.

Components of Writing Workshop

•Writing Workshop follows a predictable pattern of:

•I Do: Mini-lesson•We Do: Mentor Writing•You Do Together: Guided/Managed

Writing•You Do Alone: Independent

Writing (Conferencing)

What are mini-lessons?•A mini-lesson is explicit instruction taught in a short 5-10 minute period at the start of the workshop.

•Components•Connection•Teaching•Active Engagement•Link

CONFERENCINGConferencing occurs during the independent writing time of the workshop.

Architecture of a conferenceResearchComplimentDecideTeachLink

SHARINGStudents are given opportunities to share their writing pieces.This time allows students to learn from and with each other.

AUTHOR’S CHAIR

• REALLY emphasize listening• Make a list of questions children can ask

during Author’s Chair• Give a compliment• Give a thumbs up when you hear a certain skill

used• Teacher writes a “next step” on a sticky note

for the author to take away

“Symphony Share”

• Each student shares 1 sentence that they did as writers that day OR

• Each student links to the mini-lesson that was taught that day and shares that

“Invitation Share”• The teacher invites those students that

used the day’s strategy to share in Author’s Chair

In the words of a Writing Guru. . .

*Every child needs to write everyday.*Children need to be explicitly taught the skills and strategies of effective writing.*Children learn to be writers from reading all sorts of texts.

Lucy Calkins