A Simple Way to Get Your Students WRITING

Our school district has been doing a book study on The Best-Kept Teaching Secret by Smokey and Elaine Daniels.  In case you haven't read it--the secret is that kids need to write more often.  I think we all know that already but I don't know if we truly understand how much writing impacts reading and other academic areas.  In the book, the authors give a plethora of ideas for how to get your students writing, regardless of whether you teach elementary or high school. There are tons of pictures and examples, which make the book an easy read and also quite entertaining.  Many of their suggestions revolve around letter writing and why this is a great way to get to know students better and build a community within your classroom.  I love using letters as part of my curriculum and did so when I was a classroom teacher. Since I've transitioned to my current position, letter writing has been one thing I've let go. I'm exited to start including more of it in my curriculum.
I've also been more cognizant of how often I am asking students to write responses after they read.  We know that reading and writing go hand-in-hand, yet I spend a disproportional amount of my time focusing on reading without incorporating many writing skills that will support students in reading.  I've been soliciting more writing recently and, while some students still complain because writing is hard for them, I have seen the writing impacting their reading and spelling skills.  As a Reading Specialist, my primary focus will still be on reading but I intend to include more written responses into my lessons.  Of course, I am talking about thought-provoking and creative writing activities--not writing answers on blanks on a worksheet.  We all know that this type of activity does not have the same impact when it comes to improving students' reading and writing skills.
One activity that I have incorporated recently is both simple and fun.  I am working with a group of first grade students on extension activities.  These are kiddos who are scoring way above grade-level in reading and many of them are also in our Gifted and Talented program. I love working with these types of students because they challenge my thinking as well.  This week, we worked on identifying the problem and solution in a story.  One of the stories we read was about a dragon with a sore back who needs a more comfortable bed. His human friend finds a solution when heat from a dragon's snort makes all of the corn in the field turn to popcorn.  The students loved reading this story but they loved writing about it even more, especially when they got to write on the white board with the dry erase markers.  With all of the technology we have today, we sometimes forget the overwhelming joy students have when they are allowed to do "teacher things."  This was certainly one of those things that they thought was cool.

Each student had the opportunity to write his or her thoughts on the board.

While the students loved writing on the board, this was also a very quick way for me to tell who really grasped what the problem was in the story and who needed to do some deeper thinking. Many of the students only wrote a short sentence, but you can see in the picture that one of them wrote a summary.  She definitely knew the problem and solution in the story and I let her help me reflect aloud on the story for the other students so that we could all consider  how the characters resolved the situation.  The entire activity took about 15 minutes (with 6 students) and by the end, everyone had a firm grasp on how to identify the problem and the solution in the story, as well as several other topics that came up during our discussion, which often happens with these creative thinkers. (We had a long chat about mythical creatures and why a dragon is a mythical character but Superman is not.)

A summary of the story, written by a first grader.  I love how she was able to synthesize  the whole story into a few sentences so succinctly.

How are you incorporating writing in your classroom and how are the students responding?

What's the Word?

Just a quick post today, since we are all dreaming about the weekend!
I wanted to discuss word walls and some easy ways you can use them in your classroom to help support reading acquisition skills, writing, and vocabulary in every subject. Most of you probably have at least one word wall in your room.  How are you using them?  Are they a part of your direct teach lessons? Are students using them?  Are they just there?  Hopefully, this post will give you a few ideas for how word walls can be used.
The primary reason we have word walls is so that students can use them as a resource. If your word wall is in an area that is inaccessible to students,  you might consider moving it.  Kids should not only be able to see it, they need to be able to reach it.  They should be able to remove words, use them, and put them back.  I know this makes some elementary teachers cringe because they picture a disheveled word wall where everything is out of order and crooked!  But, that's what I love to see when I come into a classroom.  It shows me that the kids are using the word wall.  Magnetic words or Velcro are perfect because a student can take the word to his or her desk, use it for writing or whatever they need, and then put it back.  When a child actually has the opportunity to touch the word, carry it around a bit, use it, and then return it, they are more likely to own that word.  It really has a great impact on their ability to remember the words.
I also recommend you use it during your guided reading groups. I tell students that, if a word is on the word wall, they are responsible for it. If a student consistently gets stuck on a word in a guided reading book, and that word is on the word wall, I ask the student to go find it.  Again, more ownership.  I say things like, "This is your word.  You have to stick it in your brain so you can find it." We talk about the letters, the sounds, where we see that word and then the child puts it back on the word wall. Periodically, I will ask him or her about their word throughout the day so that they have constant reminders of what that word is, what it looks like, and why it is important.

Word walls should be accessible, kid-friendly, and organized 

There are all sorts of games you can play with the word wall during your literacy block, mini-lesson, small group, direct teach--basically anytime.  You can have students guess what word you are thinking of by giving them clues. You can do word sorts.  Have them sing the word wall.  We would sing, "I can spell "the."  I can spell "the." T-H-E, yes, I can spell "the." This same melody fits with just about any song. For centers, you can have them write the room, including the word wall.  Have them use the words on the word wall to make sentences.  They can take turn with a partner.  Word sorts work great here, too.  Have them take off a few rows and put them back on.  Anything that is engaging will go a long way towards helping them learn those words.
For vocabulary, I suggest a word wall for every subject.  Each time you have a new vocabulary word in science, it goes on the science word wall.  It doesn't have to be alphabetical.  In fact, it often helps if it is by unit. Rely on this word wall during your lessons. Point to it when you're using the word. Have the students create illustrations to go along with the word and hang those up, too.  It's okay to retire words from any word wall once your students don't need them any more but continue to make them accessible by hanging them on a ring or putting them in a basket so students can refer back to them.
Finally, I suggest you create a word wall for each student.  Just use a manila folder.  Each letter has a box and students can fill it in as they go.  Not every student will need every word but if you see that a student is consistently struggling with a word, add it to his or her word wall.  This is extremely helpful during writing when children constantly want to ask you how to spell a word and you are busy conferring with other children.  Write it on a sticky and have them transfer it to their word wall. Easy and effective.
I know there are many more great ways to use a word wall.  What are some of your favorite activities for word walls?