Reading/Language Arts
Standards-based Curriculum Reform
Components of Balanced Literacy:
Writing Instruction
Grade 3 Volume III
VIEWING GUIDE
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS FOR VIEWING
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How is writing workshop used to effectively deliver writing instruction?
What are the components of writing workshop?
How does the teacher collect and use data as part of writing instruction?
What is the purpose of the writer’s notebook and how is it used?
The Components of Writing Workshop
The components of writing workshop include the following:
 Mini-lesson/Status of the Class (10 – 15 minutes)
 Rehearsal with Talking Partners/Independent Writing/Teacher
Conferences/Guided Writing/Peer Conferences (20 – 25 minutes)
 Author’s Chair/Sharing/Checking for Understanding (10 – 15 minutes)
Mini-lesson: The goal of the mini-lesson is to introduce an idea or strategy to the
whole class, model its use, and provide opportunities for students to utilize the idea or
strategy as appropriate. The mini-lesson also can be used to establish procedures and
reinforce the management of the writing workshop, for teaching author’s craft and
qualities of good writing, and to introduce and reinforce skills and conventions.
Status of the Class: The teacher facilitates a discussion of what students worked on
during the previous writing workshop. Students then have an opportunity to clarify
their intentions orally to assist them in focusing on the piece of writing they are
currently developing.
Rehearsal with Talking Partners: Most students benefit from discussing their ideas
for writing before actually writing. Following the mini-lesson, students are paired with a
partner previously selected by the teacher to discuss ideas for writing. Each student has
an opportunity to talk and the other student restates what is heard or asks questions to
clarify his/her thinking.
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Independent Writing: After choosing their own topics, students practice newly
developing skills during independent writing.
While students are engaged in
independent writing, the teacher conducts visiting and/or individual conferences and
guided writing groups. Students may peer conference.
Closer Look
Choice is an essential element of effective writing
instruction. The writing workshop allows students to
explore various genres and techniques while writing
about topics of interest to them.
Visiting Conferences: The teacher roams among students to encourage on-task
behavior, provides students with encouragement and praise, and asks questions that
motivate students to continue writing. Examples of effective visiting conference
questions are:
 What is you piece about?
 What do you like most about your piece?
 What will you work on next in this piece?
 Tell me about this character. What does he/she like to do?
 How did you feel when this happened? Did you write you feelings?
 What kinds of changes did you make from your last draft?
 What do you need help on?
Closer Look
Following visiting conferences the teacher might
see several students with similar needs, such as
difficulty getting started, spelling, or grammar
needs. Those students can be called together for
a quick mini-lesson. This group work is not
planned and is called Impromptu Group Work.
Guided Writing Groups: The teacher meets with a small group to address needs
determined by analyzing previous writing products. Students could bring their writing
from the previous day to make changes during the group time.
Individual Conferences: The teacher and student confer for revision and editing
purposes to prepare pieces for publishing.
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Closer Look
Students need to observe their teacher modeling
revision strategies. They must understand that all
authors improve their writing through revision.
Remember, not every piece of writing is taken
to publication. Students need time to practice the
craft of writing.
Peer Conferences: Peer conferences allow students to give each other feedback
about their writing in order to improve their writing pieces.
Author’s Chair/Sharing: Author’s Chair is a time for students to share their writing
with classmates. Sharing may include published or draft pieces. Although students
should have a choice in what they share, the teacher provides opportunities for
students to share writing in which they applied the strategies presented during the
mini-lesson.
Checking for Understanding: Following the Author’s Chair, the teacher checks for
understanding by revisiting the essential question and purpose for the mini-lesson.
MINI-LESSON
The teacher begins the mini-lesson with the essential question and explicitly states
the purpose of the lesson. The teacher shares the first entry, a special memory, in
her writer’s notebook.
 First she talks about the memory to convey to the students that writing does
not have to include every detail of the memory.
 She also shares a memory from a third grade student to provide another
perspective.
Reflection: What did you notice about the organization and pacing of the
mini-lesson?
 The teacher begins by stating the essential question.
 The mini-lesson is short, succinct, and purposeful.
 The teacher introduced the notebook entry, a special memory, by sharing her
memory and one from a third grade student.
Reflection: What is the purpose of the writer’s notebook?
 One of the most significant changes from second to third grade writing is the use
of a writer’s notebook.
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The writer’s notebook is a blank book that serves as a rehearsal for writing.
Rough drafts develop from the writer’s notebook.
It’s a tool that many professional writers use to capture their thoughts,
memories, observations, wonderings, and feelings.
 The writer’s notebook is not corrected for spelling, grammar, etc., but is a “safe
haven” for student writing.
 Writer’s notebooks serve as formative assessment that provides ideas for minlessons.
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Closer Look
Using student writing is a powerful motivator. It
communicates to students that “these entries were
written by students just like you. You can do this,
too.” Begin to copy student writing, including
notebook entries, that you can use in the future.
REHEARSAL WITH TALKING PARTNERS
In preparation for writing, the students discuss their special memories with a partner.
Reflection: What are the benefits of rehearsal with talking partners?
 Provides students with an opportunity to try out ideas.
 Can motivate reluctant writers.
 Can clarify a student’s thoughts through questioning.
INDEPENDENT WRITING
Following the mini-lesson and rehearsal with talking partners, the students have the
opportunity to write about their special memories in their writers’ notebooks.
Reflection: How does the teacher use the independent writing time to
support student writing?
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The students are encouraged to write about a memory that is important to them.
This allows the students the element of choice, which is essential for effective
instruction.
Through visiting conferences, the teacher roams around the room asking focused
questions to motivate student writing.
When the teacher notices that one student is having difficulty getting started,
she directs the student to talk with a student who is busily engaged. This
interaction sparks an idea and the student returns to her seat and begins writing.
This conferring, side-by-side with the student, places the teacher in the role of
coach, supporter, and writer.
The teacher takes notes on the strengths and needs of the students, which is
helpful in planning for future and longer conferences.
Closer Look
Later in the quarter, as the teacher understands
the writing strengths and needs of the students,
he/she may form guided writing groups to focus
on specific skills and strategies. In addition, the
teacher will begin holding individual conferences
for revision and editing purposes to prepare for
publishing.
SHARING/AUTHOR’S CHAIR
Two students share what they wrote in their writers’ notebooks. The teacher also
models how the Author’s Chair is used to clarify whether or not the writing conveys
the author’s intent. The other students share with partners and provide reciprocal
feedback.
Reflection: Why is it important for students to share their writing and ask,
“What did you hear about my memory?”
 Knowing that they will share at the end of the writing workshop period will
motivate students to use their time wisely.
 It validates the student’s attempt as an author.
 Students know that they will have an audience for what was written that day.
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Asking, “What did you hear about my memory” lets the author know if he/she
communicated the message as he/she intended.
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Checking for Understanding
The teacher checks for understanding by asking, “Who can tell me what they
learned about writing about a memory?”
Reflection: Why is it important for the teacher to check for understanding?
 It is formative assessment for the teacher and helps in determining future topics
for the mini-lesson.
 When a student reflects on his/her writing, it provides a window for the teacher
to view the student’s thinking.
Debriefing
The debriefing is a discussion of the lessons featured on the video with the teacher,
a balanced literacy specialist, and a staff development specialist. It is divided into
sections and focuses on the essential questions posed at the beginning of the video.
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How is writing workshop used to effectively deliver writing instruction?
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What are the components of writing workshop?
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How does the teacher collect and use data as part of writing instruction?
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What is the purpose of the writer’s notebook and how is it used?
Section I: Writing Instruction in Writing Workshop
Section II: Publishing
Section III: Using Assessment to Plan Instruction
Section IV: The Writer’s Notebook
Section V: Classroom Management
08/13/03
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