The Background & Research• Writing is second behind reading as an essential test-taking skill

• Writing helps students understand and remember content like no other teaching technique

• “The research is strong that students are far better off when we score their work for only one or two criteria that we have just finished teaching explicitly.” (Mike Schmoker)

• Students need limited amounts of specific feedback – and they need it quickly. (Robert Marzano)

• Exemplary schools emphasized student writing and collaborated on scoring . Students had multiple opportunities to succeed on assignments. (Doug Reeves)

Activator

• We know that teachers struggle to get students write on a regular basis.

• If writing is so important, why do teachers and students struggle?

• Write 5 lines. 2 minutes

Type One: Capture Ideas

Type Two: Respond Correctly

Type Three: Edit for Focus Correction Areas

Type Four: Peer Edit for Focus Correction Areas

Type Five: Publish

The 5 Types of Writing

• Is a model for writing in all content areas

• “Write more-grade less”

Goals of the program are to:• Improve student performance• Actively engage students in content• Require students to reflect • Refine listening and speaking skills• Read writing out loud• Listen critically to writing that is being

read

The Facts about Collins Writing

• Explicitly states what students must do to be successful

• Takes away one of the primary obstacles to good writing:

FEAR• Writing assignments stop being a

punishment for teachers

• Provides a way for teachers to evaluate student work quickly and still make it count.

What Makes Collins Different?

“But my Students Don’t Like to Write!”• Should be the

way we do business in ALL classes and subject areas

• Students should be writing everyday

• Students will complain but that’s not a good enough reason NOT to do it

John Collins Writing5 types of writing:

• TYPE 1: Getting ideas on paper – brainstorming.Purpose: to build fluency

• TYPE 2: Shows that the writer knows something about a topic or has thought about the topic. It is a correct answer to a specific question.

• One draft• Papers should be organized like this:

• Audience: the student writer• Evaluation: completed the task

• Use # of lines rather than # of sentences.

Type 1

Ami Healy11/20/2014

X

X

x

X

1 There is a quarterback.

2 A touchdown = 6 points

Format for Type 1

Type 1 Writing

On your paper write your

name on the top right and

‘Type 1’ on the top left.

Under your name write the

date

Skip lines as you write

List 5 of the Top 10 News Stories of the 20th Century (5 lines; 2 minutes)

• “Thinking on paper”

• e.g. K-W-L, what do you know about football?, 2 questions you’d ask the President of the US

• Timed and requires a minimum number of items or lines to be generated.

• Questions and/or guesses are permitted.

• Not done at home.

• Outcomes evaluated with a √ or −, 100 or 0; may also give a √ + to students who really went above and beyond

The Type 1

Examples of Type 1 PromptsList 3 things you learned from last night’s homework (3 bullets; 2 minutes)In the last 15 min. of class, what do you understand best? What do you understand least? (5 lines; 4 min.)Describe 3 ways you can use this information outside of school. (3 lines; 5 minutes)In 5 lines, describe what might have caused the scene you see in this picture. (5 minutes)

List 4 ways to use math at the mall. (4 bullets; 6 minutes)

• Activating prior knowledge

• Reflecting about learning

• Predicting

• Making connections

• Creative thinking

Type 1

Your turn!

TYPE 1 WRITING fits every class!

Plan at least 2 type 1 writing prompts that you will use in your class.