Tips from an elementary writing coach: MODEL Writing For Students
Posted by Marsha on October 12, 2011
Cognitively speaking, writing is a very complex task. It requires the brain to process different tasks and information tidbits simultaneously. For instructional purposes, we tend to break writing instruction down into parts such as steps in a process, target skills, qualities of good writing, and target skills. Even many of these parts are too complicated for the brain to manage and master, especially a developing brain, which is housed inside an emergent writer’s head. This is why it is imperative that teachers model how writers “do their thing.” The good news is, we don’t have to be Pulitzer Prize winning author to model for our students.
No skill or step is too insignificant to be modeled at least once and most must be modeled over and over again. For example, I recently modeled how to complete a T-Chart (organizer) for a list of foods I like and don’t like. I put my writer’s notebook under the Elmo, drew and labeled my T-Chart, and thought out loud as I added items to my list. I let the students see how ideas did not come to me single file (all yummy foods then all yucky foods), but how they came to me from all directions and therefore, I had to jump back and forth from the “Yummy” side of my list to the “Yucky” side to record. Then, as we each shared one item from our list, I modeled how to add something to my list when something a classmate shares from his list reminded me of something I wanted to add to my list. It sounds like a no brainer, but kids won’t intuit this. WE need to model this for them.
Another opportunity for modeling occurs when teaching a revision skill. This is especially important because students have a difficult time finding places in their own papers, where elaboration is needed. It helps to let them identify vague, fuzzy details in someone else’s writing before they look at their own. If I want to teach how to revise for specific details (or vivid verbs, specific nouns, sensory details, combining sentences, etc.), I would write a poorly elaborated paragraph, put it under the Elmo, read it with the students and ask them to help me find (1) where the weak details are, and THEN (2) help me revise my writing with better details (or whatever target I want to teach).
Feel free to use my poorly written, boring, but perfect for revising paragraph.
Today has not been a good day. It started out bad when my mom made me the worst breakfast ever. (Describe what it was that made it the “worst”) Then, at school, Mr. Jones gave us a quiz. (In what class? How did I do?). Later in the day, I got a bad grade on my homework in Mrs. Burke’s class. (Why…what happened? What was the grade?) The bad cloud even followed me to PE where I tripped and had to go to the clinic. I was so embarrassed. (How did I trip and what happened that required a trip to the clinic?)
Note: the underlined phrases are places where I wrote weak details. The bold words are words that could be swapped for more vivid verbs and nouns. Thus, this paragraph could be used for two modeled mini lessons. AND, you could also use this paragraph to write catchy hooks.
Here is our revised version. You are welcome to borrow the before and after versions, but only if you promise to model!!
Today has not been an award-winning day. It started out bad when my mom made runny scrambled eggs, burnt the toast and served spoiled milk for breakfast. Then, at school, Mr. Jones sprung a quiz on the class, which I failed. Later in the day I got a D on my homework in Mrs. Burke’s class because I did the odds and we were supposed to do the evens. The bad cloud even followed me to PE where I tripped on a cone, landed on the court and cut my knee. As if tripping and falling were not embarrassing enough, I had to be escorted to the clinic because the gash on my knee was oozing dirt and blood.
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