Using Technology
Learning intentions
1. Provide some clarity about writing to learn
2. Use a variety of tools to discover and experience
some writing to learn strategies
3. Introduce some online and iOS options to use for
writing strategies
4. Informally introduce the concept of BYOD as a
way of enabling ubiquitous access to technology
http://todaysmeet.com/writingtolearn
Guiding Question: How is
Writing to Learn different from
other kinds of writing we ask
students to do?
Guidelines
1. State your idea, opinion, question, or case
2. Respond the ideas, opinions and questions of others
3. Be kind, be respectful
Writing to Learn
There are two broad terms used to describe crosscurricula writing: writing-to-learn and learning to
write.
Writing to learn activities are designed more for meta-cognitive effect ie
for students to record their ideas, reflect upon their learning and grapple
with unfamiliar content. The goal is for them to learn more deeply.
Learning to write activities result in more polished products. These must
show content area learning plus competency in a particular writing form.
While all subject area teachers are required to teach students how to write
specific forms of writing and use subject specific vocabulary, it is the
responsibility of the teachers of English to instruct students in the
mechanics of the English language.
Slide courtesy, Lisa Gilby
Writing to Learn
» Writing-to-learn activities, which are generally
short stints of writing, can switch students’
brains from off to on.
» It is necessary to have students write in order
for them to deepen their own learning. It
assists them to reflect on their learning, which
is linked to increased understanding, and
supports their increasingly sophisticated use of
specific vocabulary.
Slide courtesy, Lisa Gilby
Writing to Learn
» In order to make the writing process an
important component of learning in any class,
we must first make sure that our students are
comfortable with it.
» Low risk, engaging writing must precede higher
risk, intellectually rigorous writing.
Slide courtesy, Lisa Gilby
Types of Writing
Writing to learn (low stakes)
Published writing (high stakes)
Short
Substantial
Spontaneous
Planned
Informal
Conventional
Exploratory
Authoritative
Personal
Audience centred
One draft
Drafted
Unedited
Edited
Ungraded
Assessable
When to Use Write to Learn Activities
Along the way:
˃ Stop and collect thoughts
˃ Sort out ideas
˃ Notice and record thinking
˃ To ensure everyone is on task and thinking
˃ Review and re-adjust goals
˃ Get ready to move ahead
20%
60%
Later
˃
˃
˃
˃
Synthesise learning
Connect with others
Compare notes
Reflect on learning
20%
Learning Framework
At the beginning of a lesson:
˃ Activates prior knowledge
˃ Activates further thinking
˃ Supports setting class and individual goals
Writing to Learn Activities
Writing-tolearn
Listing
ABC
Top 10
Top 3
Note-taking
Cornell notes
Combination
notes
Outlines
Graphic
Organisers
Reflective
Writing
Creative
writing
Venn diagrams
Entrance and
exit slips
RAFT
Tree charts
Flow charts
Cycle diagrams
Think, Write,
Pair/share
‘I am poems’
4 square
reflection
Recasting the
text
Bio poems
Most important
word and
symbol
Processing your
process
Source – Peery, Writing Matters in Every Classroom, 2009
Content
Area
Writing
Quick Writes
Going Deeper
Writing Break
Written
Conversation
Exit Slip
Admit Slip
Brainstorming
Drawing
Write-around
Carousel
Brainstorming
Clustering
Double-entry
Journal
Mapping
Nonstop Writing
Public Writing
Writing Process
Short Writing
Projects
People Research
Faction
RAFT
Brochure
Newspaper
Web Page
KWL
Teacher-student
Correspondence
Source - Daniels, Zemelman and Steineke, Content-Area Writing, 2007
Daniels and Zemelman
Finish your own written responses
and quickly review your colleagues
comments and choose one or two to
respond to – if you have not already
done so.
Strategies
Quick Writes & Going Deeper
Using Word
Things to review with students prior to using
technology… for writing or other purposes.
1. Create a file folder or directory (Windows,
GoogleDocs, iPad) – create a ‘learning log’ of their
work.
2. Naming protocols (how do you want your students
to save their work
3. How to find their work once it has been saved.
Fake text - http://www.lipsum.com/
Task: Recreate this Word document
Listing
Listing activities are excellent to use during prewriting, and
are also effective to use as stand-alone, writing-to-learn
tasks. (Peery, p59)
Create a numbered list of the top 10 ways that you use
writing to think.
When you are finished verbally share your list with your
table mates.
List Options
» Word – Home
» Apps
Numbered lists OR
˃ Remember the Milk
» Online
˃ Listigator - http://www.listigator.com/index
Double Entry Journal AKA
Cornell Notes
This note taking format allows students to to do two
kinds of thinking by recording ideas side-by-side in two
columns on their paper.
In the left-hand column go notes that outline
information as students read, take in a lecture or
otherwise take in information in some way.
The right-hand column is used to respond to or reflect
on the information in some way. (Daniels, Zemelman,
Steineke, P85)
Double Entry Journal Examples
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
Computations
Problem
Reasons for
Opinion
Quote from text
Quote from text
Words
Facts
Notes
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
Explanation of thinking
Solution
Reasons against
Proof
Personal connections
Discussion questions
Images
Feelings
Interpretations
(Daniels, Zemelman, Steineke, P85)
Create a Double Entry Journal
Use the table (Insert – Table) feature in Word to
create a 2 column and 6 – 10 row table.
Use the reading provided and student examples from
bit.ly/wkiPW5 to complete the chart.
Drawing and Illustrating
» Students make quick drawings, sketches, or
diagrams to illustrate ideas, events, science
experiments, real world situations involving
math problems, and so on, in order to help
themselves and others understand something
they are trying to learn.
(Daniels, Zemelman, Steineke, P48)
Mapping
Mapping asks students to arrange groups of ideas
visually and to show relationships among them.
Maps allow students to represent thinking that
involves multiple, simultaneous associations rather
than just linear steps. Maps help us organize,
consolidate, and digest knowledge.
(Daniels, Zemelman, Steineke, P60)
Drawing, Illustrating and Mapping
Using the information presented at the beginning of
the presentation and the two readings provided do
one of the following
» Create a diagram or illustration OR
» Make a mind map
…to illustrate your understanding of Writing to Learn.
Tool and App Options
» Word Insert
SmartArt
» iOS apps
˃ Sketchbook Pro
˃ Show Me
˃ Popplet
» Online
˃ Bubbl.us - https://bubbl.us/
˃ Mindmeister - http://www.mindmeister.com/
Written Conversations
…sometimes called dialogue journals provide
students a chance to write notes to each other
about what they are learning.
Two kinds of written conversations
» Live (here and now) e.g. Today’s Meet
» Take-away (over time)
(Daniels, Zemelman, Steineke, p69)
Edmodo at a Glance
Writing Break – Quick Write
» If you have used writing activities with your
students describe one effective activity and why
it is beneficial to you and your students.
» If you have not used writing with your students
describe how you might use one of the
strategies mentioned today and how it might be
beneficial to you and your students.
Preparing for Publication
Editing
You, the teacher, serve as the final proof-reader
and mark each student’s paper. You then return all
of the papers a day or two before the final draft is
due, and students use your marks as guidance in
preparing their published copies.
Peery, p95
Editing using the Review tool bar in Word
Go to
http://lskywriting.wikispaces.com/Publishing
Download the student writing example. Open it in Word
and using the review tool, make comments and editing
suggestions.
Teacher and student editing - Common Proofreading
Symbols (referenced in Peery, p.95)
http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/writing/symbols.htm
Citing and Referencing using the
References Tool in Word
Using the References tool create a Works Cited list and
insert 2 – 3 parenthetical citations. Include a Works
Cited list at the end of the document.
Referencing Tool Options
» http://www.bibme.org/
» iOS App – Easybib
Exit Slip
To implement exit slips, all you have to do is remember
to stop whatever you doing toward the end of the
period. (Daniels, Zemelman, Steineke, P35)
Provide students with an email address or ask them to
respond in the LMS e.g. Edmodo and the offer a simple,
opened prompt.
Email donna.desroches@lskysd.ca your response to the
question, “What did you learn today?”
Sources
» Gilby, Lisa. Writing To Learn PD for Staff, March 17, 2012,
http://www.slideshare.net/LisaGilby/writing-to-learn-pd-for-staff
» Chapter 4: Writing to Learn Mathematics: Glencoe Mathematics
Professional Series
http://moodle.escco.org/file.php/1/MATH/Ch4_ReadingWritingMathClass
.pdf
» Peery, A. (2009), Writing Matters in Every Classroom: Englewood, Live and
Learn Press.
» Daniels, H., Zemelman, S., Steineke, N. (2007). Content Area Writing:
Portsmouth, Heinemann.
» Writing to Learn, Distilled,
http://www.greencastle.k12.pa.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=bz6XkE2oxuA
%3D
» Kuropatwa, D. (2006) Scribe Post Hall of Fame.
http://thescribepost.pbworks.com/w/page/22148105/HallOfFame