Improving Extended Writing

Aims: • to explore some of the problems with students’ writings;

• to explore some potential solutions;• to understand how to support students improve their extended writing.

What are some of the common weaknesses amongst students? Write each one on a separate post-it note.

For each problem talk about:a)How weak students tend to be in that

skillb)How important that weakness is in

terms of its impact on their progress in your subjects.

Challenge each other for evidence or explanation.

‘sticky problems’ quadrantimportant

weak strong

unimportant

In the light of your discussion, place each note on the quadrant.

You now have each been given a different strategy. Discuss and record your thoughts about its usefulness.

• Where and how might it be useful? (Think about typical writing tasks in particular subject areas).

• How might it be viewed by students?

Share ideas and discuss how some of the strategies overlap.

A stepped model for writingEstablish clear aims

What are the learning objectives? What is the point of the task? What is the task? How long will students have?

Provide examples

Provide an example or two of the sort of text you want them to write.

Explore the features of the text

Show the example and annotate it, thinking aloud as you do so. Draw attention to its relevant features. Then get the class to join in with suggestions. You might well get them to break into pairs. You could discuss why one example is better than another. You could highlight how students have addressed different assessment objectives.

Define the conventions

Make sure that the process produces a clear set of conventions that students will be able to use in their own writing.

Demonstrate how it is written

Now begin to write a sample text, thinking aloud about the choices you are making as a writing and referring to the list of conventions. This is modelling.

Compose together

Now get student to help you continue with a text. Take, consider and select from their suggestions. Give relevant reasons for your choices.

Scaffold students’ first attempts

You want students to write their own similar text, or continue your one. Some will not be ready or will need prompting to go further. Use writing frames or work with one group, guiding them to use what they have learned in steps 1-6 above.

Independent writing

Most of the class will spend a while working independently – of you, but not necessarily of each other. Perhaps you will want them to learn by talking and writing collaboratively. Mini-whiteboards or computers are useful.

Draw out key learning/review

Stop the lesson 10 minutes before the end and review learning by getting students to clarify what they have learnt, how and how they might use their learning elsewhere. They could listen to/mark each other’s writing and compare it with the conventions in step4.

Gelhorn presents fear and panic at the casual racism of the men when Joe tries ‘desperately’ to make them reconsider but their response is aggressive and the are told ‘this here ain’t none of your goddam business.’ The colloquial language and the use of the double negative highlight how they are outsiders and she is a passive observer. This is reinforced by the use of the passive voice: ‘the noose was thrown,’ which emphasises the anonymity of the men. The simple sentence, ‘I couldn’t think of anything to do.’ highlights her powerlessness and her lack of options.This sense of powerless when confronted with the destruction of an individual is also seen by Stella, in a Streetcar Named Desire, who given the choice to side with her sister against the oppression of Stanley and his act of rape chooses to believe that Blanche is lying. It could be argued that as a young mother in post-war America she has no choice but to stay with Stanley. This idea is also seen when she accepts him back after he hits her. It is Blanche that speaks out against this violence, whilst everyone else accepts it as the norm. This is supported by the use of structure and how the volatile marriage of Eunice and Steve parallels that of Stella and Stanley. Williams highlights then the powerlessness of women in particular to speak out against oppression.

KNOW YOUR DISCOURSE MARKERSAdding: and, also, as well as, moreover, tooCause & effect: because, so, therefore, thus, consequentlySequencing: next, then, first, finally, meanwhile, before, afterQualifying: however, although, unless, except, if, as long as, apart from, yetEmphasising: above all, in particular, especially, significantly, indeed, notablyIllustrating: for example, such as, for instance, as revealed by, in the case ofComparing: equally, in the same way, similarly, likewise, as with, likeContrasting: whereas, instead of, alternatively, otherwise, unlike, on the other hand

You have been given a sheet of strategies to address some of the typical weaknesses in students’ writing.

Review and discuss how useful some of these approaches might be with reference to your students and your subjects.

Review your problems from the start of the session. What solutions do you now have for these problems?

What problems are left?

Writing for learning depends on…..• A definite learning outcome that is absolutely clear to students from the outset.

• A defined purpose, audience and format to force proper and useful processing of the materials.

• A format that suits the task.• Students having and applying necessary literacy skills.

Writing for learning means teachers….• Set tasks that are engaging, varied and will

promote learning in the topic, not just record knowledge.

• Understand and take account of how students might feel about writing.

• Understand the essential features of the type of writing each task demands.

• Actively and appropriately support students’ writing.

• Know how to support students while fostering their independence.

• Give feedback that motivates students and helps them take responsibility.

• Question whether any writing task is necessary for learning.

• Don’t ask students to copy.

Writing for learning means students…..• Organise and develop thoughts through notes and writing.

• Use writing to reflect and evaluate.• Write clearly and purposefully for a given reader.

• Use the typical features of the given format.

• Select and summarise relevant information from a range of sources.

• Use subject-specific vocabulary appropriately.

• Don’t copy from books, boards or the web.

Writing for learning…. • Secures students’ knowledge, skills and understanding in the subject.

• Reveals students’ learning and misconceptions.

• Encourages students to write purposefully and engage individually with the subject material.

• Is suitable for the given purpose, audience and format.

• Requires pupils to process ideas and information by transforming source material.

‘Too often the argument for reading is made by those who have spent

their lives as insiders; the pleasures of solitary reading are so obvious, the value of reading so

self-evident, that we fail to appreciate how utterly strange reading is to the

outsider’ Thomas Newkirk,

‘Misreading Masculinity: Boys, Literacy and Popular Culture’

‘Students who begin with high verbal aptitudes find

themselves in verbally enriched social

environments and have a double advantage’

‘The Matthew Effect’Daniel Rigney

‘While good readers gain new skills very rapidly, and quickly move from

learning to read to reading to learn, poor

readers become increasingly frustrated

with the act of reading, and try to avoid reading

where possible’ ‘The Matthew Effect’

Daniel Rigney

‘Spoken language forms a constraint, a ceiling not

only on the ability to comprehend, but also on

the ability to write, beyond which literacy

cannot progress’

Myhill and Fisher‘Informing practice in English’

Improving Extended Writing

Aims: • to explore some of the problems with students’ writings;

• to explore some potential solutions;• to understand how to support students improve their extended writing.