Writing+Process

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The Writing Process
Good writers understand the writing process not as strict stages but as a fluid process, they are able to make decisions to return to parts of the process and think ahead to avoid problems later. They assess challenges as they come upon them and use what they know to overcome these problems.

Text Structures We have 'covered' a lot of genres but perhaps overlooked that fact that genre is the writers tool to meet their organisational goals and their audiences need. While we can group writing into genre categories, writing is far more complex. Every writing task is a task of generalisation, no one genre with strict rules is appropriate to all pieces that may be classified under that genre. This does not mean genre is not important but your students should understand how what they are writing fits their purposes and the audience needs over writing to a genre recipe. Text structures may help illustrate this.

Englert & Mariage (2001) outline four broad text structures that underlie the organisation of all writing, these are:


 * Sequence / Explanation **- is a key concept to all of these. If writers do not have some sort of organisational sequence to their work. Or expect what they read to be organised in this way, genre will make little sense anyway.


 * Narrative **- problem/solution flow of all narratives


 * Categorise **- grouping ideas together and in a logical order to inform


 * Compare Contrast **- grouping ideas together in a logical order, comparing similarities and differences to inform

Use the following visuals to help establish these organisation concepts.



I have added the ** description ** visual as this concept is also important for planning and organisation, that one key word or phrase can represent several ideas/ sentences/ a paragraph/s.

The Broad Phases of the Writing Process
The phases of the process should be adapted to suit the developing concepts of the students. DONT USE LOTS OF SCAFFOLD RESOURCES AT ONCE! This resource may help students to gradually grow independence to manage the broader process of writing.

** Assessment of Purpose and Audience Needs **
All writing should begin by establishing the reasons and audience for this piece as this will guide all decisions the writer must make, including initial structure for the writing. This also denotes how much of the process must be deeply engaged with. For example notes to yourself as reminders will not need the same level of planning, revision, editing and publishing. Important pieces of work to an audience will require thorough work through the process.

** Research and Planning **
Information for the content of the writing may need to be researched and collected. Information will definitely need to be organised so the writer and the audience, as a result, has clarity about the writing topic.

Copy hundreds of these plans and keep them in an organised place in the classroom so that it is easy for you to manage your class using many different planning systems (scaffolds) for the same writing purposes and audience. You will be stocked up for the year and not need to constantly copy these. Place a coloured sheet of paper ten sheets from the bottom with a sign "tell the teacher these are running out" to ensure there are always enough.

Initial planning will involve representing ideas with a picture and writing one and gradually more sentences to match this visual plan. Oral rehearsal of these sentences is also a part of the planning phase for early writers.

Sequencing
When students can independently visually plan and record sentences they can move onto visually sequencing their ideas to write longer recounts of personal experiences. When students can independently plan visually in sequence (there may be a variety of logical sequences not just chronological), they should move to using key words or phrases rather than drawing. Work on describing concepts may be necessary.





Narrative and Categorisation
(Categorisation is usually non fiction)

Basic structure of introduction, conflict, solution. Introduction and a sequence of conflicts and solutions. 5 categories, brainstorming subcategories and then order (sequence these).

Compare and Contrast
Brainstorm the similarities and differences between two topics, order (sequence) these.

** Composing/ Drafting **
There are 4 sources of generation in writing, use of oral strategy information, visual strategy information, reading strategy information or use of environmental strategy information.

This strategy chart should be a living resource in the classroom, constantly referred to until the use of this information and these strategies are integrated independently by students.



** Revision and Editing **
Teacher students to reread for meaning and clarity, making judgements about the order of ideas and sentences within paragraphs. Do fiction texts create imagery? Some revision may mean large amounts of deletion of work.

Editing should begin with a reread to underline words that the student suspects is wrong (looks wrong). This is due to attention being focused in other areas during drafting. Get students to circle the letters/letter chunks (area) in the word where they suspect the error is. Identify the sound and try to imagine possible alternatives. Double side

Double side

Buddy Editing System- Students work with a peer to complete the tasks they are responsible for.

** Publishing **
Publishing for an audience should be quality- high stakes publishing demands correct surface features and helps students build concepts of the importance of these. Variety is the spice of life and interesting and quality publishing can stimulate motivation and feelings of success as a writer.