Our Study of Early Literacy (SOEL) group here at WISD has been deep into reading recent research and learning from top experts at local universities. Dr. Tanya Wright from MSU shared this video illustrating the importance of teaching more than just vocabulary words. Look below the "tip of the iceberg" to reveal what is included in truly understanding the meaning of a word.
Writing Collaborative: Addressing Instruction for 21st Century Writing Skills
Writing Collaborative was developed at WISD by five Washtenaw County teachers. The mission of Writing
Collaborative is to understand writing in content areas in order
to make explicit the processes and strategies needed to expand and improve
student writing. Writing Collaborative believes that:
Teachers should maintain
ownership for their students’ writing in their content area.
An interdisciplinary approach is
key to improving student writing.
Content area teachers who
understand their own writing processes are the best mentors for their student
writers.
Teachers are the best teachers of
other teachers.
Educational practice should be
balanced with theory and research.
Students should have flexibility
and choice when writing.
Reading Apprenticeship provides a
foundation for better writing instruction.
Interested in training?
During the initial 3-day
training, Writing Collaborative helps teachers help their students determine:
ØWhat we do when we write
ØThe practices of successful writers
ØHow to help students attend to their metacognition and make
thoughtful choices as writers
ØFour Sure Things Teachers Can Do to
Improve Student Writing
·Mind
the GAP:genre, audience, purpose
·Use
models and modeling
·Increase
opportunities for students to write
·Give appropriate feedback
*See the bottom of this post for dates and registration info.
*We are interested in learning more about the needs of teachers in the area of writing instruction. Please take this SHORT SURVEY to help us continue quality professional development in this area.
*Have you already been trained in Writing Collaborative? If you are a secondary science or social studies teacher looking to work more on your content area writing instruction, Dr. Chauncey Monte-Sano and Dr. Leah Bricker at the University of Michigan are offering opportunities. Contact Melissa Brooks-Yip at mbrooksyip@wash.k12.mi.us or 734-994-8100 ext 1266
In Reading Today, Lauren
Aimonette Liang (University of Utah), Naomi Watkins (University of La Verne),
and Deanna Day (Washington State University/Vancouver) suggest ways to find
challenging, high-quality texts that match the criteria of the Common Core
State Standards. “Be aware of the various types of nonfiction, and strive to
include a variety in classrooms,” they urge. Teachers should also consider
different formats: picture books, magazines, novels, how-to guides, and a
variety of informational texts.
