Understanding the Writers
Workshop Component of Balanced Literacy
Allison Demas
Compared to the Readers'
Workshop, the Writers' Workshop is the same dance - but the
music is different. The structure is always the same basic format:
mini-lesson
independent/small group work
share session
In my last article I identified four instructional
aspects of the Readers' Workshop. There
are four equivalent aspects to the Writers' Workshop and an additional
one. The four aspects are:
Modeled Writing (to)
Shared Writing (with)
Guided Writing (with)
Independent Writing (by)
The additional aspect is Interactive Writing (with).
Readers' Workshop
Writers' Workshop
Read Aloud
Modeled Writing
Shared Reading
Shared Writing
Interactive
Writing
Guided Reading
Guided Writing
Independent
Reading
Independent
Writing
The writing counterpart to the Read Aloud is
Modeled Writing. Modeled Writing finds the teacher composing
a text and demonstrating the thought process involved in the composition.
This is a "think aloud." This aspect provides demonstration of
sentence structure, print conventions (i.e. capitalization, punctuation)
and spelling strategies. It also allows the demonstration of the
structure of different genres and highlights features of the genres.
The counterpart to Shared Reading is Shared Writing. In
Shared Writing the teacher and students work together to compose
a text. The students help generate ideas and the teacher records
them. The teacher acts as the scribe.
Interactive Writing is my favorite part of the Writers'
Workshop. In this portion the teacher and students also work together
to compose a text; however, they all take turns doing the physical
writing. They use a "shared pen" which means that the students
and the teacher are actually writing on the paper.
Guided Writing provides the opportunity for individualization
of instruction. This part addresses the specific needs of the
students. The students are writing their own texts of their own
choosing. This is small group work. The groups are flexible and
the students have a common need.
Just as Independent Reading provided students with the opportunity
to use what they have learned, Independent Writing serves
the same purpose. The students choose their purpose and style
of writing. It is a chance for experimentation with the written
word and exploration of genres and formats. This should be a daily
occurrence. It is during this time that the students will go through
the writers' process of drafting, revising, editing and publishing.
Through this process they hone the skills they learned via Modeled,
Shared and Interactive Writing.
Modeled Writing, Shared Writing and Interactive Writing occur
during the mini-lesson portion of the model. This is whole group
and the students sit facing the teacher. Independent Writing takes
place during the independent/small group work time. Guided Writing
groups would also meet at this time. The share session is a wrap-up.
Students can sit facing an "Author's Chair" or they can sit in
a circle facing each other. The students share their work and
receive feedback from their classmates. Students generate critical
questions for the "Authors." This final session provides closure
to the day's writing activities and it provides possible topics
for future mini-lessons.
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