Writing Workshop
Dr. Frank Serafini
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
serafini@unlv.nevada.edu
Writing instruction
should develop life-long writers.
Writers learn to write
by writing.
People teach people to
write, not programs.
Writing occurs in a
social context.
Writing is an act of
discovery, not transcription.
If students arenÕt
writing, itÕs hard to teach them how to write.
Developing Students
as Writers
Sense of self as a
writer
Willingness to engage in
writing
Knowledge of resources
Ability to read like a
writer
Knowledge of workshop
procedures
Sense of purpose and
audience
Knowledge of writing
conventions
Ability to demonstrate
oneÕs development as a writer
To help children become
literate in demonstrable ways
To make learning to
write sensible
To look at what a writer
CAN do and build curriculum around those strengths
Demonstrate the power
& value of writing
Manage the classroom
environment
Create quality learning
experiences
Respond to writersÕ
efforts
ÒLiterary DocentÓ
Shared Experiences
Writing Lessons
Resources for Writing
Workshop Block of Time
Sharing and Discussing
Writing
Celebrations
Transactional Units of
Study
Workshop Procedures
Building a Community of
Writers
The Writing Process
Stance - Becoming a
Writer
Writing Craft
Writing Conventions
Keep it Simple
Predictable &
Consistent
Adapts to Needs of
Writers
Develops Over Time
Focus on Student
Independence & Responsibility
Allows Teachers to Leave
the Front of the Room
Reading Aloud
Discussing Literature
Sense of Self as Writer
Shared Writing
Experiences
Opportunities to Share
Writing & Ideas
Rituals & Ceremonies
Publishing Celebrations
AuthorÕs Chair
Discussions
The writing process
should not be seen as a singular, Stage-Bound Linear process, which focuses on
the products of writing and not the writer
We must teach the
Writer, as well as the Writing
Our processes and procedures
should support writers, not get in their way
Generating Ideas –
Drafting – Proofreading - Publishing
WriterÕs Notebook
Observing the World
Extensive Reading
Talk & Share Ideas
Wonderings
Research /Inquiry Projects
Webs / Brainstorms /
Outlines
Attending to Ideas /
Purpose
Get it Down on Paper
Skip Lines
Spell So You Can Read It
Be Willing to Change
Ideas
Sketches
Storyboards
WriterÕs Notebooks
Attending to Structure
Check Spelling
Check Punctuation
Check Capital Letters
Check Every Sentence
Check Format
Is it Ready For the
World?
Attending to Conventions
Personal Dictionaries
Have-A-Go Sheets
Use of Dictionaries
Use of Thesaurus
High Frequency Word
Lists
Word Walls
Spelling Tests
Self Conferences
scaffold
studentsÕ thinking
Peer Conferences
create
criteria for discussions
Teacher - Student
Conferences
Weekly
meetings
Sign
up
publishing
Going Public
AuthorÕs chair
Class Books
Newsletters
Writing Contests
Share with Family
Read to Other Classes
Hang on Walls
Attending to Audience
Invitations
Prompts
Teaching During
Put Yourself in the
Chair
Appropriate Responses
Listening Skills
Giving Suggestions
Genre
Audience
Purpose
Publishing Options
Response From Audience
Last Word
Reading Like a Writer
Studying Writers
WriterÕs Notebooks
Writers Write Everyday
Writers Read Everyday
Playing with Language
Observing the World
Noticings
Share Your Notebook
Other writers share
notebooks
Invite students to buy
own Notebook
Read Jean Little Poems
about writing
Make list of things to
Include
Provide time for
Notebooks
Mini-Lessons on Keeping
a Notebook
Teacher- Student Notebook
Conferences
Sharing Notebooks in
Share Circle
Memories
Things we have done
Artwork - Drawings
Lists
Ideas / Notes
Observations
Poems
Newspaper clippings
Noticings / Wonderings
Research / Inquiry
Projects
Clarify Expectations
(Full Disclosure)
Describe Writing
Practice
(Explicitness)
Demonstrate the Writing
Practice
(Making It Visible)
Provide Guidance with
the Practice
(Scaffolding)
Student Independent Use
(Application)
Reflection Opportunities
(Share Circles)
Units of Study
A Way of Organizing the
Writing Curriculum
Based on a Centralizing
Theme
An Array of Learning
Experiences Over Time
Negotiated Objectives
Exposure
* Immersion - Becoming
Familiar with the Unit of Study
Exploration
* Discussing the Craft,
Elements and Structures of the Unit
Experimentation
* Working on the Unit
from the ÒInsideÓ
Genres
Authors / Illustrators
Elements of Literature
What Writers Do
Story Structures
WriterÕs Notebooks
Decide What the Focus Is
Look at Your Mandated
Curriculum
StudentsÕ Prior
Experiences
Links to the Curriculum
Gather Resources
Design Focused
Engagements
Publication
Opportunities
Reading Aloud / Sharing
Poetry
Poetry Discussions
Create a Poetry Library
(Access)
Bulletin Board of Poetry
Copies of Poems for
Students to Keep
Poems on Tape
Learning about Poets
Anthologies
Invited Readers
Looks Like:
shorter
than a story
line
breaks
thin
& tall
Sounds Like:
rhythm
& rhyme
song
without music
Meanings:
makes
sense
tells
us about the world
old
ideas in new ways
Poetry Lessons:
Exploration
Looking in Notebooks for
Poetic Language
Noticings- Picture Books
etc
Introduce Poetic Devices
/ Structures
Poetry Discussion Groups
Beginning Class
Collections
Developing Criteria for
Quality
Study the Elements of
Poetry
Poetry ÒExercisesÓ
Invitations to Write
Poetry ToolBoxes
(Continue)
AuthorÕs Chair Continues
Increase in Expectations
Imagery
Using Senses
Comparing Things
Choosing Poetic Language
Expressing Feelings
Personification
Rhyme
Rhythm
Alliteration
Onomatopoeia
Repetition / Patterns
Songs
Line breaks
Celebrations
Share with Other Classes
Young Poets Day
Writing Buddies
Selecting Poetry for
Portfolios
New Publishing
Opportunities
Evaluation Thoughts
Should provide teachers
with information to guide curriculum
Should help teachers
teach and respond to students as writers
Should provide
information for external stakeholders
Should help make our
studentsÕ literate abilities visible
ARTIFACTS
INTERACTIONS
OBSERVATIONS
What is Quality Writing
Charts
Standards documents
StudentsÕ knowledge
TeachersÕ knowledge
Examples from literature
6 Traits
Community ideas
Poetic language / word
choice
Unique ideas / not
generic
Makes sense
Interesting - want to
finish reading it
Has emotional impact
Has details / answers
readersÕ questions
Proper sentence
structure
Proper format
Legible
Correct writing
conventions
Image as Writer
Willingness to Engage in
Writing
Knowledge of Resources
Reading / Writing
Connections
Procedural Knowledge
Sense of Audience &
Purpose
Observation &
Reflection
Conventions of Writing
Writing Craft
Elements of literature
Impact / Appeal
Creativity
Audience & Purpose
6+ Traits
E-Mail:
serafini@unlv.nevada.edu
ChildrenÕs Literature
Web-Site:
http://serafini.nevada.edu