Skills - Content
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| Brief Explanation | Clearly Identified Key Outcomes | Purposeful Instructional Strategies | Personalization of Learning |
Brief Explanation
- According to Alberta Education, the following should be considered:
- Establishing a context
- Effectiveness of development and organization
- Whether the purpose of the assignment is fulfilled with complete and appropriate information (expository)
- Uses specific details (of characters, events, setting, actions, etc.) in narrative writing
- Demonstrates an awareness of audience.
- Research: Giving Students The Right Kind Of Writing Practice, Kelly Gallagher & Penny Kittle
- Demystifying Writing, Transforming Education, Mike Schmoker
Clearly Identified Key Outcomes
Use your programs of study for curriculum outcomes related to content.
Please refer to CESD’s Essential Outcomes work if you are using the previous Alberta Curriculum (Grade 7+).
Here is the New Alberta ELAL Curriculum, from the New Learn Alberta website, laid out like a scope and sequence.
Purposeful Instructional Strategies
- PRE-WRITING
- Brainstorming Ideas
- Classroom discussion
- Students create idea journals
- K-W-L Chart
- Mind mapping/Graphic Organizers: Somebody wanted-but-so-then
- Accessing background knowledge
- Turn and Talk
- Researching topic
- DURING WRITING
- Develop stamina – write for increasingly longer periods of time
- Develop a process of ongoing revising (ideas, concepts, voice) and editing (conventions).
- Continue research of topic to fill in gaps
- Writing Process is in place (Planning, drafting, writing, editing, revising)
- Teacher modelling of strategies and skills
- Mini lessons being taught according to need
- Ongoing conferencing – with teacher and with peers (with guidelines)
- Sharing written work on a daily basis, both ideas, partially written work, completed assignments and form presentations
- Teach students how to critique each other for constructive feedback
- Elaborating important details or events by “show not tell”, moment by moment action, dialogue, etc.
- Use a grade level editing checklist
- POST WRITING
- Share with others – writing is a social activity
- Goal setting with the teacher
- Revisit previously written pieces – help students see that writing can always be edited, revised and refined
Personalization of Learning
- Remove barriers by using word walls/word lists, assistive technology, personal dictionary, scribe, graphic organizers, etc.
- Allow for choice – choice of topics increases student engage and interest in writing: students should write on topics that are personally meaningful to them
- Individualized goals and expectations: focus on one area at a time to avoid overwhelming students