The Science of Writing (SOW)
A summary of The Writing Rope.
Hello, fellow educators! As a Reading Coach, I'm excited to share some insights on teaching writing in an online environment and how to use writing to complement reading instruction. Though often overlooked, writing is an essential skill that can help children become stronger readers; it can provide the means to enhance vocabulary, comprehension, and spelling abilities.
Let's dive into the four core practices recommended by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and how we can apply them in our digital classrooms.
Recommendation 1: Provide daily time for students to write
First and foremost, we need to ensure our students have dedicated time to write every day. In an online setting, this means scheduling daily 30-minute writing instruction sessions followed by 30 minutes of independent writing practice. Use shared online documents or digital notebooks to facilitate this process. You can also implement timed writing exercises during live sessions to keep students engaged and focused.
Recommendation 2: Teach students to use the writing process for various purposes
Next, we need to teach students the writing process. Create video tutorials explaining each stage: planning, drafting, sharing, evaluating, revising, editing, and publishing. Utilize breakout rooms for peer review and collaborative brainstorming. Teach strategies like POW (Pick ideas, Organize notes, Write and say more) through video demonstrations. Assign diverse writing tasks with clear rubrics to help students understand different writing purposes.
Recommendation 3: Teach fundamental writing skills
In an online environment, we need to get creative with teaching fundamental skills. For younger students, use tablet apps or video demonstrations for handwriting practice. Incorporate online spelling games and activities connected to writing tasks. Teach sentence construction through interactive online exercises. Don't forget to include typing practice and word processing skills in daily writing activities.
Recommendation 4: Create an engaged community of writers
Building a writing community online is crucial. Set up discussion boards for students to share and discuss their writing. Create virtual "author's chair" sessions where students can present their work to the class. Use collaborative writing tools for peer feedback and group projects. Publish student work on class websites or blogs to extend the writing community beyond the classroom.
Using writing to complement reading instruction
Now, let's talk about how writing can enhance reading instruction. Integrate writing across content areas by assigning writing tasks related to science experiments, social studies topics, or math concepts. Have students write before, during, and after reading to enhance comprehension. Use reading response journals where students reflect on texts using different writing purposes. Assign writing tasks that require students to make predictions, summarize, or synthesize information from texts.
Additional recommendations
Lastly, here are a few more tips from my experience:
1. Use the gradual release of responsibility model, demonstrating writing strategies explicitly before guiding students to practice independently.
2. Provide timely, specific feedback on student writing using digital annotation tools.
3. Encourage flexibility in the writing process, allowing students to move between different components as needed.
4. Integrate technology thoughtfully, teaching students to use digital tools for research, drafting, revising, and publishing.
Conclusion
Remember, the key is to create a supportive, engaging online environment where students write daily, receive constructive feedback, and see the connection between reading and writing. By implementing these strategies, we can help our students become confident, effective writers in the digital age. Happy teaching!
