Double Entry Journal #10

Why is it the responsibility of all teachers to provide writing instruction for their students?

            If students are going to be successful in school then they must be able to read and write.  Throughout every subject students will encounter some form or type of reading and writing.  If students need to know how to read and write for all curriculum areas, then why shouldn’t all curriculum areas be responsible for increases those reading and writing skills?  As it states in this article “reading and writing across the curriculum are essential to learning.”  The more students’ practice reading and writing the better their skills will become, and the best way to ensure this is to implement a little in every subject

Name and describe four research-based strategies to support writing instruction for students.
 1.  Use low-stakes writing assignments: Asking a student to write does not always mean assigning long papers and essays.  Use short answer writing assignments such as summarizing or outlining
  2.  Provide multiple forms of feedback: Teachers should stress about giving feedback on everything students write.  Allow students time to look at and critique their own writing as well as each others.

 3.  Employ variety in texts and their presentation: Reading materials need to be varied in many different ways.  Students should have a variety of things to read about and not just the normal text book.  Reading should also include all materials and not just books, such as newspapers, magazines, comics, etc.  Provide a variety to keep students interested and wanting to read more.
 4.  Employ a variety of levels of reading difficulty: Students read at a variety of different levels therefore teachers need to have materials available for every student.  Materials need to range in difficulty therefore all students can learn at their own level.