WRITING & WRITING TOOLS
COMMUNICATION
Being able to communicate our thoughts through writing is critical for a
person's success in school and throughout life.
So, it's important that teachers focus on teaching what students need to
be stronger writers:
WRITING SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE
Skills: Sentence construction (grammar), spelling, handwriting,
keyboarding.
Knowledge: Elements of narrative, informational, and opinion writing.
EVIDENCE-BASED WRITING INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
EVIDENCE-BASED WRITING INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
EVIDENCE-BASED WRITING INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
WRITING TOOLS
Spelling
Grammar
Handwriting
WRITING TOOLS
Spelling
Grammar
Handwriting
TEACH STUDENTS SPELLING STRATEGIES
Say a tricky word before writing it.
Say a word slowly, stretching out the sounds so each one can be heard
(phonology).
Rely on letter-sound correspondence for regularly spelled
words (orthography).
Use visual memory by creating a mental picture of the word or writing
the word several ways to see which one looks right.
TEACH STUDENTS SPELLING STRATEGIES
Use visual memory by creating a mental picture of the word or writing the
word several ways to see which one looks right.
Recall other words that have a similar pattern of letters or phonics
elements, words that look or sound similar (e.g., "If you know the word
end, you can spell bend").
Break words into parts (e.g., root word, prefix, suffix) and consider the
meaning of each part (morphology).
Consider the word's origin (etymology).
Use a mnemonic device (e.g., for arithmetic: a rat in the house might eat
A FOUNDATIONAL TOOL
Spelling is one of the foundational tools for a writer.
Explicitly teaching spelling supports students’ development of spelling
strategies, which can lead to independent and accurate spellers – which
is our goal and our students’ goal.
Learning to spell is a process that takes practice and persistence.
A teacher’s knowledge of effective spelling instruction and a positive
attitude toward spelling are key to ensuring students will have the
spelling skills needed to communicate their ideas in writing to others.
GRAMMAR
The study of words and how they are used in sentences.
Four terms are often used interchangeably when referring
to the use of grammar in writing:
mechanics,
sentence completeness,
syntax,
usage
HANDWRITING – BENEFITS
Portable: it can occur at any time, any place, and with any writing
utensil.
Convenient: it does not need a power cord, battery, or Wi-Fi and can
easily be used for writing directions on the back of a napkin, creating
a shopping list, and taking notes while watching a tutorial video.
Expressive: it allows the writer to add a creative flair, and
handwritten words can set a writer's style apart from others and can
add voice to a written message.
Transformative: it facilitates transforming information into new
learning when taking notes
Physical: it supports early literacy development as physically forming
the letters provides the brain with sensorimotor feedback needed to
HANDWRITING – FLUENCY & LEGIBILITY
Handwriting should focus on the two elements of fluency and legibility.
For fluency, a writer must be able to hand write words quick enough to
keep up with the brain's thoughts.
To do this, letter formation and spacing must be automatic.
Legibility, or neatness, should not emphasize perfection but must be
clear enough for others to understand the message.
Handwriting is critical to overall writing achievement by supporting the
writer's ability to create and organize ideas and get these on the page.
HANDWRITING – FLUENCY & LEGIBILITY
HANDWRITING
Furniture
Paper
Pencil Grip
Posture
Arm and wrist placement
Eye and hand coordination
Shape/Letter Formation
Spacing
Size
HANDWRITING CURRICULUM
Handwriting serves the purpose of making our written ideas clear to
others.
Handwriting instruction should emphasize this purpose and not the need
for perfect letter formation
. When we teach students about the reasons for legible handwriting,
they can better understand the need to practice and may put forth more
effort.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL
Their goal, and our goal for them, is to effectively get their ideas
across to others.
As teacher Sarah Lucero said, “Children love to express
themselves!”
Spelling, grammar, and handwriting are the tools that facilitate
this expression.
