The Writing Process Prewriting Beyond Tonja L Root Ed D Early Childhood Reading Education Valdosta State University Valdosta GA 31698 troot valdosta edu The Writing Process It is a process It is not linear It is recursive Discuss stages to communicate the process Root VSU 2 Stage 1 Prewriting It is the getting ready to write stage Up to 70 of writing time needs to be spent in prewriting Students learn about the structure of narratives informational forms poetry letters and other written language forms Root VSU 3 Stage 1 Prewriting Choosing a Topic Ss need to take responsibility for choosing their own topics for writing Ts should not supply topics for students writing welfare Graves 1976 Specify writing form and function i e share what you have learned about but have Ss choose their own specific content Root VSU 4 Stage 1 Prewriting Considering the Function to satisfy personal needs get things done instrumental to control other s behavior regulatory to tell about themselves personal to get along with others interactional to learn find out heuristic to pretend make believe imaginative to communicate information to others informative Root VSU 5 Stage 1 Prewriting Considering the Audience Students may write for themselves or for others Writing for others requires students to adapt their writing to fit their audience Root VSU 6 Stage 1 Prewriting Considering the Form narrative giving directions compare contrast letter poem learning log Root VSU 7 Stage 1 Prewriting Teacher s Roles Allow Ss to participate in decisions about function or purpose audience form specific topic Provide a variety of idea gathering activities rehearsal background Model prewriting strategy by showing your own Root VSU 8 Stage 1 Prewriting Teacher s Roles Work on the class collaboration prewriting strategy 1 Take Ss dictation to record model the prewriting strategy that you want Ss to use when they do their own prewriting 2 Show Ss comparisons contrasts with yours Root VSU 9 Stage 1 Prewriting Activities for Generating Organizing Ideas Drawing All Begin with a Drawing For a class writing on a specific topic 1 Ss individually draw detailed pictures about the same topic 2 Ss individually make lists of words related to their pictures 3 Class compiles a list of all of the Ss words 4 Ss individually write stories relating to their own pictures using any words Root VSU 10 Stage 1 Prewriting Activities for Generating Organizing Ideas Drawing Observation Books 1 T supplies sketch books called Observation Books 2 T assigns 2 4 drawings week to be done in sketch books with list of words at edge of drawings 3 S completes assignment using pictures words as a reference for writing Root VSU 11 Stage 1 Prewriting Activities for Generating Organizing Ideas Drawing Definitions 1 S draws a picture of the definition of the word 2 S writes a sentence using the word Root VSU 12 Stage 1 Prewriting Activities for Generating Organizing Ideas Drawing I Can t Think of a Story 1 S divides paper into sections 2 S draws a picture in each section 3 T asks S questions about picture 4 S writes paragraph about each picture 5 S adds ideas and details to pictures writing Root VSU 13 Stage 1 Prewriting Activities for Generating Organizing Ideas Drawing Drawing Picture Together For Ss lacking confidence in drawing writing Ss draw write together 1 2 3 4 T draws simple face on the paper T asks Ss Who could this be Ss draw the rest of the person T asks Ss questions Where is Is alone What is doing What time of year is it How old is 5 Ss finish picture with details 6 Ss translate picture into a written story Root VSU 14 Stage 1 Prewriting Activities for Generating Organizing Ideas Drawing Character or Setting 1 S divides paper into half 2 S draws picture of person animal or place to become part of a story 3 T tells S to list words that come to mind on other half of paper while writing 4 S writes about that person animal or setting drawn 5 S adds details ideas to drawing writing Root VSU 15 Stage 1 Prewriting Using Graphic Organizers to Organize Ideas Purposes 1 to plan writing using words and or phrases rather than complete sentences 2 to plan writing in sequenced steps and or in precise locations on the organizer 3 to see the content of writing as a whole Root VSU 16 Stage 1 Prewriting Using Graphic Organizers to Organize Ideas Purposes 4 to see interrelationships among the content of the writing 5 to see where additional planning is needed 6 to see the structure of written language forms Root VSU 17 Stage 1 Prewriting Using Graphic Organizers to Organize Ideas Types 1 story maps 2 compare contrast organizers 3 sequence organizers 4 specific topic organizers Show examples of visual organizers Root VSU 18 Your turn to plan prewriting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Choose a general topic in a subject area Determine the function Choose an audience Decide upon the form Develop choose a graphic organizer or drawing strategy Develop your model of the graphic organizer or drawing strategy Plan when you are going to teach lessons Root VSU 19 Stage 2 Drafting Label drafts Rough Draft or Sloppy Copy to prevent Ss from thinking they can make this the final copy Have Ss skip every other line to leave space for making revisions Root VSU 20 Stage 2 Drafting Emphasize getting down the content of writing Do not emphasize correct spelling neatness Provide support encouragement feedback for ideas and problems Root VSU 21 Stage 2 Drafting Teacher s Roles Provide support encouragement Model drafting Take your prewriting strategy show Ss how to convert ideas into sentences Do not emphasize spelling neatness Do not supply spelling Root VSU 22 Stage 2 Drafting Teacher s Roles Work on class collaboration composition 1 Post the prewriting class collaboration strategy drawing graphic organizer completed during prewriting stage 2 Transcribe take the Ss dictation using the prewriting strategy for ideas Root VSU 23 Stage 2 Drafting Teacher s Roles Conference with Ss Tell me what you are writing about That s interesting Have you included that Where could you add it to your writing Show Ss how to add this into their drafts without rewriting This is really part of revision Root VSU 24 Your turn to plan drafting 1 Develop a draft from your prewriting strategy 2 Plan when you will have your students write drafts from their prewriting strategy graphic organizer or drawing strategy Root VSU 25 Stage 3 Revising Have Students Reread their own Drafts Reread the draft after 1 2 days Make notes questions