WRITING – DON’T ASSIGN IT! TEACH IT! -

Evelyn Rothstein, Ed.D.   Professor and Educational Consultant

For many students, writing is an assignment to be submitted and  corrected  by the teacher with the hope of “getting it right.”  Rarely have students at any level had direct, specific instruction in writing as a subject. In this presentation, Dr. Evelyn Rothstein, author and  international educational consultant has developed the teaching model of Writing = Fluency + Organization or W=F+O.  This simple equation means that an emergent student writer  must be taught how to access  the “words” for writing and  acquire the knowledge of the specific types of writing known as genres.  To make this concept of teaching writing successful, Dr. Rothstein has created a PLANNING WHEEL model that features  twelve strategies for students of all ages which are integrated with subject-area content and align with the standards for building writing skills.  These strategies focus on:

How to access information appropriate for different types and forms of writing

Developing the necessary written  vocabulary that distinguishes writing from speaking

Acquiring models for presenting different genres

Addressing different audiences

Becoming a self-editor in preparation for submission of writing

The presentation will be highly interactive so that the participants get “to sample” these strategies and develop a clear distinction between assigning and teaching writing and learn the developmental processes that convert speech  to  writing.

For the past thirty years, research on student writing has supported the importance of teaching students to write in contrast with asking them to write (Rothstein, Rothstein  & Lauber, 2007, Langer, 2000, Atwell, 1998, Van-Tassel  Baska, 1996, Graves, 1993.)  Many of us may remember being “assigned” essays, reports, narratives and expected to write these genres with minimal instruction.  We would ask, “How long should it be?”  “What is an essay?”  And finally, “Does it count for a grade?”

Beginning in the 1980’s, when “writing” in American schools took on the concept of being an integral part of the literacy curriculum, Evelyn Rothstein ( 1986, 2003, 2007, 2012) developed the model of Writing = Fluency + Organization or W=F+O.  This simple “equation”  means that a writer must the words for writing and knowledge of the organizational format of specific types of writing known as genres.   To this concept of W=F+O,  Rothstein added twelve strategies that could develop writing skills for all ages.  These strategies would be integrated with the subject-area content and would align with major English language standards for developing high-level writing ability.  They are:

Figure 1. illustrates the PLANNING WHEEL model with twelve strategies that students need to be taught and become quality writers.  The explanation of these strategies follow.

Figure 1.1 THE PLANNING WHEEL

To develop a high-level vocabulary, accessible for writing, students create Taxonomies (alphabetical lists of words related to the topic, a strategy fully outlined in Writing As Learning (Rothstein, 2007).  By “having the words” and all the forms of the words known as Morphology, writers can compose (Composing With Keywords) .   Since “having words” often means “defining words”, the strategy is named Defining Format, a template for clear explanation.

 With this background of word knowledge, the student writer becomes fluent and now moves to the writing formats of the different genres.   Now the student gathers or acquires knowledge of the subject by studying people of accomplishment (Who’s Who), makes connections between the subject and the global impact (Where in the World?), develops a deep understanding of the genre(s) to be used for delivering the content that includes Metacognition, Reasons, Causes, Results, Premises and Themes.  Quotable Quotes represents the research required to write, and Personifications and Interactions are those aspects of writing that show the inter-relationships of people and their ideas.

A SAMPLE MODEL OF USING THE PLANNING WHEEL STRATEGIES IN A HIGH SCHOOL EARTH SCIENCE CLASS

The student begins with a Taxonomy of terms (Figure 2) related to the topic or subject of  Earth Science.

Figure 2 – Taxonomy of Earth Science Terms (add others)

Next, the student Composes With Keywords to show and share knowledge (Figure 3).

Figure 4. Illustrates a Metacognition Statement showing the student’s further knowledge of the topic stated in an organized format.  Notice the transitions.

Figure 5 illustrates a strategy named Defining Format which provides the writer with a template for clearly defining a term to someone who needs a clear explanation.

Figure 5 – Defining Format:  What is a delta?

These are only five examples of specific teaching strategies that guide students in writing well in every subject.  As they develop fluency and become skilled in the organizational schema of writing, their writing (and learning) not only grows exponentially, but reduces teacher grading and student anxiety.  When students are taught to follow the rubrics through systematic instruction, they know what to expect of themselves and what are the teacher expectations.  All grades cluster around VERY GOOD and are guaranteed to get better when students can follow the editing rationale that matches the strategies.

Teach (not ask) your students to write.  You’re in for a great treat and lots of appreciation.

REFERENCES

Allen, J. (2005).  Knowing a word or defining a word—it’s a world of difference.  Voices from the Middle, 13(1), 54-55

Jensen, E. ( 2010). Teaching with the brain in mind.(  Alexandria, Va. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Maxwell, R. (2007). Writing across the curriculum in middle  and high schools. Boston, MA. Allyn & Bacon.

Rothstein, Evelyn(2007)  Writing as learning.  Second Edition.  Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA

Rothstein, Evelyn (2007) Write for Mathematics. Second Edition.  Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA

Rothstein, Evelyn (2009) English Grammar Instruction That Works.  Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA