KSELA5: Written Expression - Writing as symbolic representation and the stages of early writing development, including drawing; the composing processes that writers use, and planning strategies most appropriate for particular kinds of writing; dimensions of quality writing and types of writing; the conventions of written English; uses of writing portfolios and benchmarks and standards for various age/grade levels
Evidence 1: Handwriting Without Tears
Olsen, J., & Knapton, E. (2012). Readiness & writing: Pre-k teacher's guide (5th ed.). Cabin John, MD: Get Set for School :.
Description: The "Readiness and Writing Pre-K Teachers Guide" includes lessons thataddress general readiness, alphabet knowledge, letter/number recognition and formation, counting, drawing, shapes, and colors
Analysis: This resource breaks down the stages of early writing and provides benchmarks for children at ages 2, 3, 4 and 5. A 2 year old will use all fingers to hold a crayon in the palm of his/her hand, whereas a five year old will use a mature grasp and use his/her hand to rest on the paper. Instructors are also provided with different activities for various areas of the classroom to build motor skills at each age level.
Evidence 2: Writer's Workshop Training
Description: During this in-service training, staff discussed various ways to implement the Writer's Workshop curriculum. Included in the discussion were the various stages of the workshop model and what each stage will look like in each grade level.
Analysis: During this workshop we discussed The Six Traits of Writing. The Six Traits are: Idea, Conventions( grammar), Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Organization and Voice. When each of these traits exists in proper form, the product is good writing. During workshop in class, students are given writing prompts in various genres and are taught how to develop an idea through the use of a graphic organizer. After moving on to their first draft of an essay, they get to pick two of the Six Traits they would like to work on during Workshop. Here, they meet with teachers to read over their work and improve those individual traits. Their second drafts are peer-edited for grammar and their third drafts are graded.
Evidence 3: Inservice, October 2014
Description: During this workshop we learned about literacy as it relates to the Common Core, and how to use the Common Core standards to make reading and writing more complex.
Analysis: In this workshop we focused on the writing standards included in the Common Core. We discussed the importance of types of writing including opinion, explanatory and narratives, and the purpose of different types of writing styles. We also identified ways in which we are incorporating elements of Common Core instructions into our current Writer's Workshop program.
