Tips and Tricks for State Testing Writing Prompts Most writing prompts across all of the 50 states look very much alike. They have a similar structure, they use similar language, and they involve similar situations. While it’s true that writing prompts do change across grade levels, it’s also true that fourth grade writing prompts looks [...]
What is the goal of your writing instruction? • Is your instruction geared to helping your students become the next great American novelist? • Is your primary goal to make sure that your students never leave a dangling participle or split an infinitive? • Do you hope to develop a passion for writing? • Is your goal to help [...]
Research based report writing deals extensively with the organization of information and ideas. That’s a VERY, VERY important part of what “Pattern Based Writing: Quick and Easy Essay” teaches! After using “Pattern Based Writing: Quick and Easy Essay” your students will easily be ready for these “Fifteen Steps to Fantastic Research Reports!” (I’ve outlined the [...]
First Off… Since calling a bottom on the stock market on March 5th, 2009 during one of the worst financial crises in history I’ve received quite a few emails from people that read my post at “The Elementary Educator” blog. They seem to be impressed. I’ve only brought it up in relation to “Pattern Based [...]
Mass Idea Generation: Another Important Trait from the Six Traits of Writing Along with organization, ideas are the other trait that Paul B. Diederich felt deserved greater weight. Good prewriting skills lead to good ideas. If students think the first idea that pops into their head is a good idea, it’s unlikely they [...]
The Research Shows Series: Changes in Teaching Writing How has writing instruction changed over the last few decades? What are the most effective strategies for teaching writing? What is the difference between product and process when teaching writing? Which is more important? Read on to find out what some of the most important names in [...]
The Research Shows Series: How to Assess Writing Authentically I teach writing as a “how-to” activity. Everyone enjoys learning how to do something! So often, the skill of writing is taught as information. Students have little interest in the information surrounding good writing; however, they will give their full attention and double their efforts if [...]