Writing Resources

With state assessments increasing pressure to produce effective student writers, the improvement of writing has emerged as a central focus of education. Unfortunately, these same pressures can result in a reductive attitude toward the teaching of writing. Students are often required to compose essays without any real sense of how writing is meant to function in the larger context beyond school.

The Western Pennsylvania Writing Project supports teaching practices in which students take ownership of their writing, using writing as a means of authentic communication and exploration. With the goal to look beyond test requirements — to not merely follow a checklist of teaching practices but to use those practices to create meaningful writing experiences for children — writing becomes an activity that encourages children to question, learn and take pride in their writing.

Designing a Good Writing Classroom

A good writing classroom acknowledges that writing is a process that occurs over an extended period of time; consequently, sustained writing activities that follow the process from brainstorming and prewriting through drafting and revision are essential. To create an experience that heightens student interest and makes writing a tool for learning, thinking, and assessing information, a good writing classroom allows students some degree of choice in what they write. Most importantly, a good writing classroom features assignments in which writing becomes an opportunity to enhance student comprehension of the chosen topic.

A good writing classroom revolves around the following three principles:

Creating a safe writing environment/community for students
Provides examples of many genres/applications for writing
Teacher involvement in writing

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Creating a Safe Writing Environment

Creating a safe writing environment for students requires support not only for the development of better writing skills but also for the students’ self expression. When coupled with the goals of creating authentic writing experiences outlined above, some techniques might include:

Journal writing
Personal writing
Unassessed shared writing
Displaying student work and making it central to learning
Peer coaching/response groups
Encouraging students to take risks with their writing
Adopting student-friendly standards written in the language of students
Providing time for writing

Writing Resources in the Classroom

A good writing classroom exposes students to a variety of writing, as well as ensuring ease in the writing process through availability of writing materials such as dictionaries, thesauruses, paper and pencils. Books are displayed prominently in the classroom, and both peers and the teacher are available to respond to student writing. Additionally:

Writing is integrated into all subject areas
Writing models are provided — both student examples and examples from published authors. The class could also create a group model together.
Grammar mini-lessons — a particular skill is taught for no more than 10 minutes
after which the students apply this to their own writing. Usually the skill taught is one that students are having difficulty using in their own writing

The Teacher's Role

The most important element in the writing classroom is, of course, the teacher. Teachers can assist their students in becoming better writers in the following ways:

Reading aloud to students (from both prose and poetry)
Providing opportunities for prewriting
Writing with students
Posting a checklist with writing goals (created with student engagement)
Establishing clear expectations of students
Making writing an on-going activity
Showing students how conventions help to clarify their writing
Modeling revisions of their own writing
Publishing student work

Resources on the Internet

University of Pittsburgh's Writing Across the Curriculum
(Be sure to check out their guidelines.)
National Writing Project
Pittsburgh Public Schools
Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series
Shakespeare in the Schools
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
Pitt's campus map