A writers' workshop approach
The authors present a clear road map for implementing writers' workshop in the primary grades. They show how explicit teaching, good models, clear demonstrations, established routines, assisted teaching followed by independent practice, and self-regulated learning are all fundamental for success. There are also chapters on organizing for writers' workshop, mini-lessons, and student conferences. An overview of how children become writers is provided along with a number of assessments, benchmarks and illustrations for assistance in evaluating student progress. (K-3) 112 pp.
Scaffolding Young Writers also features:
- an overview of how children become writers;
- analysis of students' samples according to informal and formal writing assessments;
- writing checklists, benchmark behaviors, and rubrics based on national standards;
- examples of teaching interactions during mini-lessons and writing conferences;
- illustrations of completed forms and checklists with detailed descriptions, and blank reproducible forms in the appendix for classroom use.
Instruction is linked with assessment throughout the book, so that all teaching interactions are grounded in what children already know and what they need to know as they develop into independent writers.