WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM: INNOVATIVE WAYS TO INCORPORATE LITERACY INTO THE CONTENT AREAS

Dr. Laurie A. McAdamsTarleton State University

Stephenville, TX

Mrs. Toni PouttuMartha Reid Elementary

Mansfield Independent School District, TX

Mrs. Connie SoremWillie Brown Elementary

Mansfield Independent School District, TX

What is content area writing?

Journals

Web Quests

Research papers

Learning logs

Math Word/Story Problems

Exit slips

Cubing

Lab reports

Responses to prompts

Written summaries

Reflections

Short answer responses

How Content Area Writing Should be Addressed

“. . . selected writing tasks were not just “neat” writing activities into science. Each task had an important purpose or purposes in developing students’ understandings of the nature of science and scientific work. The writing activities were not stand-alone writing assignments” (Roth, 1992, p. 31).

Writing was a tool to deepen student comprehension of a content area objective.

Writing was a natural extension of the learning process.

Writing Becomes a Living Text “. . . [it] became most

useful as a learning tool when it became public.”

“Individual writing was a critical strategy to get each student actively engaged and reflective. However, the sharing of this writing seemed to provide an important stimulus for conceptual change” (Roth, 1992, p. 32).

Writing becomes the initial step in the learning process to generate engagement.

Writing as a living text is when students internalize concepts and wrestle with deeper understandings.

Writing to Learn “ . . . writing allowed students to make

representations of their learning.”

Writing enables “students to grapple with important issues, synthesize material, and to learn critical thinking skills.”

“. . . writing informational text helped students form and express their opinions.”

Writing to Learn “[writing] provides a record of learning.”

[students] feel more confident in their own abilities to learn.”

Writing to learn has positive effects on students’ writing in general.

Student writing samples provide an invaluable assessment tool (Armbruster, McCarthy, & Cummins, 2005, pgs. 91-92).