Writer’s Workshop

Research and Annotated Bibliography

Rachel Speicher

Writers Workshop Model

Writer’s workshop is a great way to incorporate writing instruction into your

classroom. The more teachers know about effective writing instruction, the better

able they are to implement productive writing instruction in the classroom. I

learned a lot about what writers workshop looks in the classroom, how to

implement it and why it is important to set a fun and interactive tone for writing.

Writer’s workshop consists of brief mini-lessons, personal conferences, and

the students spending most classroom time writing (Peha, 2003). Teachers should

make sure that they set the tone for writers workshop and that their expectations

for that time are clear (McDogugh, 2014). During the mini-lesson the teachers

should ask themselves, “What single problem am I trying to help these writers

solve” (Peha, 2013)? Well-planned mini-lessons help teachers to insure that no

valuable classroom time is lost. Students prefer hands on writing experiences

compared to worksheets and formal structured writing because it is less pressure

and more relaxed. In writers workshop students are encouraged to reflect on their

own experiences using an authors comment card. These comment cards allow the

teacher to see what the student knows they can improve and what they know they

do well (Peha, 2013).

Research has shown that simply correcting student’s mistakes on paper is

not effective and should be avoided. Teacher’s conferencing with students on their

writing, rather than only giving out performance based grades is also a really

important aspect of writer’s workshop (Klein, 2011). Teachers should resist the

common urge to pick apart their students work and correct every mistake. Instead,

during their student/teacher conference time the teacher should focus on 1-2

learning points at a time (Klein, 2011). The teacher should honor the student’s

strengths and give sincere complements on what the student did well. Giving the

student “Grows and Glows” is a great thing to incorporate into these conferences

(Klein, 2011). It is important that teachers not only give time that allows their

students to write but work on making it as fun and engaging as possible.

A writer’s notebook is a great resource for the students to draft work in.

When students have ownership over a notebook this allows them to feel ownership

for their writing (McDonough, 2014). Teachers should also strive to incorporate real

life scenarios into writing topics. When children are writing about things that they

have a passion for, or something they are interested in, they are more likely to enjoy

the writing process (Ray, 2001). The more teachers incorporate writer’s workshop

in their classroom, the more they will realize that it has a completely different feel

than a traditional classroom. As a teacher you should constantly be modeling

writing for you students and strive to make it personal. If you write about your

passions and personal life, your student will see this and learn from the example you

are leading (Ray, 2011). Encourage students to find a voice in their writing, and

adapt that voice to meet the needs of their readers (Ray, 2011). Teachers should

know and understand that as students grow as writers, they will grow in their

writing skills. Just because a student has not mastered a certain skill does not mean

they don’t have this skill, it may just not be fully developed (Ray, 2011).

Writer’s workshop should be an incredibly important aspect of students

writing time. As a teacher I hope that writers workshop is something I can

implement in my classroom. Writer’s workshop is something that any teacher can

implement in their classroom as long as they understand the format and are welling

to write and learn.

Annotated Bibliography

What?

Peha, S. (2003). Welcome to Writer's Workshop. Retrieved from

http://www.ttms.org/PDFs/05%20Writers%20Workshop

%20v001%20(Full).pdf

- Mini-lessons what makes a good Mini-Lesson? Brevity Focus

Authenticity- Ask you the question “What single problem am I

trying to help these writers solve?”

- Evaluating Learning? – No tests. Encourage students with

engaged lessons. The more they write the better they will

preform

- Advantages of Mini-Lesson Approach- no wasted class time,

students aren’t intimated by tests, less worksheets for

students, builds confidence, less time correcting paper, more

time working with students. Simple planning for teachers,

students like better because of less pressure

- Teachers can read students work and evaluate what they

have learned by prior examples

- Authors Comment cards on Ideas, organization, voice, word

choice, and sentence fluency, conventions.

- Comment cards allow the teacher to see what the student

knows they can improve on and what they know they did well

- Status of the class- ask each student what they are working

on, keep record of this either daily or weekly

- During students writing time either write with the students or

mini- conference with individual writers

- Ask questions in the mini-conference- What are you working

on? Can you read me some of what you’ve got? How is it

coming, IS there anything I can help you with? What are you

going to do next?

So What?

This resource was really helpful for understanding what a writing

workshop specifically looks like in the classroom. It gave me

useful tips of how students can work in writer’s workshop. In my

kindergarten observation class while the writer’s workshop looks

a little different than what I researched, the format of it was still

very similar.

Now What?

Now I am going to take what I learned about what writer’s

workshop and implement in my own classroom some day. I really like

the idea of using comment cards and I think it is a great way for

student to reflect on what they have wrote. This recourse really

helped me with questions to ask during mini-conferences. I think it is

really important to make sure that conferences are very positive and

provide the students with useful feedback.

What?

2. This resources was helpful on how to set up writer’s workshop

realistically in a classroom.

Klein, S. (2011, October 24). The Inspired Writer blog. Writing, learning,

and living with the Common Core Standards. Retrieved from

http://writestepswriting.com/Blog/tabid/241/EntryId/6/3-Secrets-

to-Great-Conferences-with-Young-Writers.aspx

- Conferencing is the gateway to effective instruction

- Writing does not offer a right or wrong answer and is like

playing a sport, students need a good coach with personal

advise

- A common problem is the old way of teaching writing mindset

with lots of assignments, test, worksheets and quizzes

- DON’T CORRECT EVERY MISTAKE! Focus on 1-2 learning

points at a time or the students will not comprehend what you

tell them

- Honor strengths. Complement students and give them sincere

comments on what was really done well

- Glows and Grows are a great way to incorporate things the

writer has done well and things they can improve on.

- Roving Conferences involve the teaching roaming around the

room rather than having formal conferences. Quick check ins

just to see how the student is doing

- Accept all lengths of writing at beginning stages of the

process.

So What?

I’ve noticed a lot from my kindergarten mentor teacher and how she

does not correct every mistake. I think that this is really

important for students to feel confident in themselves as writers

and to have a sense of security of them as authors. Students

should know that they are capable and able to write, and that

they call write well.

Now What?

In my classroom it is important for me to remember that my students

need to be encouraged. When I am a teacher I am going to make

sure my students know that not only can they write and write

well, but that they are authors and have a voice.

What?

3. McDonough, B. School of Education at Johns Hopkins University-

Developing Teachers, Developing Writers Through the Writing

Workshop for Elementary Classrooms. Retrieved from

http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/strategies/topics/literac

y/articles/developing-teachers-developing-writers/

- Build a classroom environment that supports writing

- Chart the work for an individual mini-lesson

- Transitions to writing time should be quick because teachers

have set up systems to manage work

- Writing process based on solid research- teachers had time to

write and share with each other

- Writers notebook- published work does not just happen over

night. Published authors have lots of sketchbooks and

notebooks of ideas before the final product

- Writing should be structured where students can write daily

for enough time to be fully engaged in the project

- Clear expectations- teachers should make it perfectly clear

what they expect from their students during independent

writing time and during conferences.

- Celebrate completed projects with the class

So What?

This article helped me with what writer’s workshop tools and

strategies are useful in the classroom. My kindergarten mentor teacher

uses a writer’s workshop folder and the work that they do during

writer’s workshop goes in that folder. If it is unfinished it can go into

that folder and stays there until it is finished. I think that this a great

set up for what the students will use in later grades as well.

Now What?

For my classroom I think I will have my students decorate their

writers workbook or notebook, as it is a great way to make sure that

they have ownership with their writing. I think that as long as the

writer’s workshop format is set up correctly my students have an

ample opportunity to be successful writers.

What?

4. This article helped me understand how fun interaction can be a very

important part of writer’s workshop especially for grades K-1.

Children's spontaneous play in writer's workshop Lysaker J.T., Wheat

J., Benson E. 

(2010)  Journal of Early Childhood Literacy,  10  (2) , pp. 209-

229. 

- Research shows how playtime can be useful for engaging

writer’s workshop.

- Random and fun play during book related events supports

children literacy

- Children use writing to create and maintain social

connections.

- Children take on the rolls of readers and writers in dramatic

play.

- Tools such as pads of paper, pencils, markers increase

children’s engagement in literacy

- Singing and chanting, intense emotion, and the use of pretend

play actively help students engage in writers workshop

- Singing a song about writer’s workshop helps students to be

engaged and participate more efficiently.

- Conversation and “play” talk helps children generate their

thoughts

- The use of fantasy and pretend play during writing children

create their own time to share their writing with friends.

- Looks for ways that children can have “play” or conversation

time to enhance their writing

So What?

I have never really thought about or considered how

important play and conversation can be in writing, especially

in younger grades. I observe this almost on a daily basis in

kindergarten and I think it is great. I love that the students

have the opportunity to talk with one another and share their

writing and think of ideas.

- Now What?

When I have my own classroom I am going to make sure I

give the students time to discuss what they are going to write

about and what they have already wrote about. I think that

when students get the opportunity to share their writing and

feelings with their friends.

5. What?

Lewison, M., & Heffernan, L. (2008). Rewriting writers workshop:

Creating safe spaces for disruptive stories. Research in the

Teaching of English, 42(4), 435-465. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com/docview/215355948?accountid=7113

- Writers workshop allows a safe place for students to share

difficult feelings that they may not feel comfortable sharing

anywhere else

- Common misconception that this is always abuse, a difficult

thing to share could be something like nervous feelings about

coming to a new school

- When children are given the freedom to write what they want

they feel like they can open up about difficult things

- Children who may be shy and feel uncomfortable speaking

may not feel uncomfortable writing.

- Children who write about bullying give teachers a good view

on what type of bullying it is and what is actually bothering

the child.

- Teachers could give themes that encourage this type of deep

writing

- Encourages students to choose themes over topics

- Encourage students to take different small moments and put

together to create a story

- This concept encourages students to write about real world

topics that are relevant to them

- This form of writing can be used as a introduction to bullying

So What?

It is often that when students are given the ability to write, they

will write about personal events that they may not want to talk about.

The freedom in writer’s workshop allows students to express

themselves in a way that they may not usually be given.

Now What?

In the classroom I want to make sure that I read all of my

students writing, and take time to talk to them about it. It is also

important that I incorporate fun aspects into writer’s workshop as well.

I also think it is vital that teachers allow students to write about hands

on experiences that are relevant to them and society.

6. Writer’s Workshop, Chapter 3, Short Term Goals

Fletcher, R., & Portalupi, J. (2001). Short Term Goals. In Writing

Workshop, The Essential Guide (pp. 21-33). Portsmouth:

Heinemann.

- Rather than focus on the long term goals given by curriculum,

take note of important short-term goals and start with that

- Important short term goals for writers workshop- get students

to love writing time, establish a safe environment so that kids

can take risks in their writing, setting up a workable system to

handle the flow of papers.

- -Fostering a love for writing time is one of the most important

key aspects of writers workshop

- Let kids have a choice of what to write about as long as it is

appropriate

- Give specific praise, when complementing a student tell them

exactly what it is they are doing well

- -Let primary children draw, this helps children to create a

symbol and express what it is they are writing sorry.

- Read aloud good examples of deep and personal writing

- Use writer’s notebook so students feel an ownership of their

writing creations

- -Write with your students- send a message that says “we are

all writers, we’re in this together!”

- Create a classroom system that works for you- set up dates

for drafts, where students turn finished work in, what do they

do when they finish one piece of work?

So what?

This resource helped me to grasp specific things to focus with when

beginning writers workshop in a classroom. I notice in my kindergarten

class that my teacher gives my students choices of what they are able

to write about. This is important because students need to develop a

love for writing, and this is easier done when they are able to write

about things that interest them.

Now what?

When I have my own classroom it is important I remember that students

need to write about topics that are fun to them and interesting. As a

teacher it will be my job to motivate them to find things that they are

interested in writing about. Even though students may have many

interests, it may still be difficult for them to express their love for these

interests in writing. By showing my students personal examples of this

they can learn from me and become better writers.

7. Writers Workshop, Chapter 5, Conferring With Writers

This chapter discusses important aspects of conference time during

writer’s workshop

Fletcher, R., & Portalupi, J. (2001). Conferring With Writers. In Writing

Workshop, The Essential Guide (pp. 47-61). Portsmouth:

Heinemann.

- Practice the concept that is easier said than done… Listen!!

- Act as an active and real READER. Respond as you would if

you were casually reading the story- if it is funny than laugh!

- Work to understand the different types of writers in your

class. What is a student’s body language telling you about

them as a writer.

- Build on strengths- rather than point out what students are

doing wrong, chaptalize on what they are doing correct.

- Teach one thing- rather than taking a students writing and

trying to teach multiple aspects that need improvement focus

on one at a time.

- See what is necessary for focused based on each grade

- Keep conferences short, frame one issue, discuss options, and

make your exit.

- Don’t get into a power struggle, accept that students will not

take all of the advise that you give… be okay with this!

- So what?

It is important that you respond to your students’ writers as readers and

not just as a teacher. I see this in my kindergarten class as my teacher

enthusiastically reads her students work and doesn’t criticize them for

saying what they feel.

- Now what?

When I am a teacher it is important for me to know the correct aspects of

conferencing with students. I need to remember that the less criticism I

give them the better they will retain what I am helping them grow in.

8. The Writing Workshop, Chapter 4, The Tone of Workshop Teaching

Ray, K. (2001). The Tone of Workshop Teaching. In The Writing

Workshop (pp. 41-51). Urbana: National Councils of Teachers of

English.

- A classroom with the workshop model has a completely

different feel than a more traditional classroom

- Model for your students, and learn from them

- Let students see your struggles so they can learn from them

- Look for the good in all writing, even your writing, and even if

you are writing something uncomfortable for you such as

poetry.

- -Teach students to view other quality writing as a work of art,

students should be able to recognize really great writing.

- Encourage students to view the world as writers, collecting

ideas and doing so thoughtfully

- -Guide students in recognizing who their audience is for their

writing and how they can adjust their writing style for their

audience.

- As students grow in their writing, their ability to do certain

skills will grow as well, this does not mean a young writer

does not have these skills they just may not be fully

developed.

- So what?

Writer’s workshop should be a fun experience for your students. You

should make sure that they are writing about things that are relevant to

them and always be looking for fun ways to engage them. Writers

workshop shouldn’t be something where the students are writing about

the same mundane things every day. Teachers should be looking for

anyway they can to keep their students interested.

- Now what?

When I am teaching writers workshop in a classroom I will be sure to

encourage my students to write about their passions and things that

interest them. Rather than just have my students write a persuasive letter

to a friend, I would have them write it to a community leader about

something they really want to see change in. It is important that students

are engaged in the real world as much as possible during writers

workshop.