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Strategy Instruction in Writingfor Struggling Writers
Charles MacArthur
University of Delaware
Strategy Instruction Research has demonstrated that well
designed strategy instruction can produce substantial gains in writing quality for struggling writers.
Well designed strategy instruction teaches specific strategies for planning and revising strategies as well self-regulation strategies.
Staff development and wide scale implementation are significant challenges.
Research foundations Cognitive models of expert and
developing writers Research on self-regulation, e.g., goal-
setting, self-evaluation, self-efficacy Research on strategy instruction in
general - direct explanation, modeling, guided practice
Proficient writers Planning
Set goals and subgoals based on audience and task
Generate content Organize using knowledge of text structure
Production Generate sentences - language Transcription - mechanics
Proficient writers (cont.) Revision
Evaluate using extensive criteria Develop ideas
Extensive self-regulation Select and monitor strategies Productivity
Struggling Writers Minimal planning
Little thought of audience or purpose or goals
Difficulty generating ideas Limited knowledge about organization
Problems with mechanics & language
Struggling writers (cont.) Minimal revising
Poor reading skills Limited knowledge of evaluation Difficulty fixing problems Focus on mechanics
Poor self-regulation - Difficulty coordinating what they do know
We can: Teach specific strategies for planning
and revising based on what good writers do
Teach students to self-regulate Set goals Cope with difficulties Self-evaluate
Improve their writing
Examples:Task-specific strategies Planning strategies based on text
structure Revising strategies based on evaluation
criteria
Importance of text structure Good writers use knowledge of text
structure or genre to plan Connected to purpose for writing Helps to generate content Helps to organize paper Helps with self-evaluation
A Planning Strategy for Persuasive Writing -- (TREE)
THINK: Who? Why? PLAN
T -- Topic sentence R -- Reasons E -- Examine reasons E -- Ending
Write and say more
Planning Stories THINK: Who? Why? PLAN
C - Characters S – Setting P – Problem A – Action C – Conclusion E – Emotion
Write and say more
Story map
Character
Setting
Problem or Goal
Events
Solution
Compare-contrastCompare what?
On what?
Importance of self-evaluation Research shows that teaching
evaluation criteria along with revision is effective
Align self-evaluation, teacher evaluation, and accountability assessments Analytic scales like 6-Traits Genre-specific evaluation scales
Teach peer revising strategies
Self-evaluation for persuasive writing -- genre specificDid I state my position clearly? 1 2 3
Is my first reason clear and supported by details? 1 2 3
Is my second reason clear and . . . 1 2 3
Is my third reason clear and . . . 1 2 3
Did I summarize my reasons at the end? 1 2 3
Is my essay persuasive? 1 2 3
How can I improve my next essay?
Peer revising strategy LISTEN as partner reads TELL what you liked best READ and ask questions
Topic? Is the opinion clear? Reasons? Is each reason clear and related to the
opinion? Support? Is each reason supported with details? Ending? Is there a summary?
DISCUSS your suggestions Author makes changes
Peer revising -- Stories LISTEN as partner reads TELL what you liked best READ and ask questions
Characters? Are they clearly described? Problem? How is it resolved? Emotion? Does it show how characters feel?
DISCUSS your suggestions Author makes changes
Effective strategy instruction Meaningful writing in a social context Direct explanation and modeling Self-regulation strategies
Self-statements Self-evaluation Goal setting
Extensive guided practice Mastery learning Generalization Motivation
Self-regulated Strategic Writers Set goals
Purposes for writing Motivation
Select strategies Planning & revising Know why and when
Monitor progress Am I using the strategy? Is my writing improving?
Research Meta-analysis of 39 studies (Graham, in press)
Effect size for quality - 1.25 (very large effect). Cf. ES=.44 for best method in Hillocks’ 1984 analysis.
PND - 89% (very large effect) Most studies used LD (64%), LA (23%), or avg.
(23%) with few good (10%), but all large effects Planning - revising; elem - sec; narr - expos. All
large effects Effective in classrooms and in tutoring SRSD model more effective than others (ES 1.6
vs. 0.9)
Implementation Issues Teach a few strategies intensively Coordinate across teachers, grades, subjects Compatible with process approaches that
emphasize social context Works in combination with content area
instruction Fits into a curriculum based on genre or
purposes for writing (e.g., to persuade)
Challenges Getting from single strategies to strategic learners
is a long term process Demanding approach for teachers
Explicit explanation and modeling Appropriate support Evaluation of strategy use and results Teaching to individual mastery in a group setting
Demands on schools Coordinated approach across classes and grades
Little research on large-scale implementation or staff development