Wilkes County Schools Writing Instruction Plan

1. Wilkes County SchoolsWriting Instruction Plan Anna Lankford Elementary and Middle School Director Wilkes County Schools

2. Goals for the Writing Instruction System • To use assessment results to inform instruction throughout the year • To encourage student writing in all content areas throughout the year • To encourage all teachers to focus on the writing process • To assess writing throughout the year, rather than in a single-day traditional assessment

3. 2008-2009 • Formed Writing Committee to write county writing plan • All grade levels (K-8) had 2 On-Demand and 2 Content-Specific Tasks • Timelines developed for K-8 • All tasks were written (except for 4th and 7th grade On-Demand) by instructional specialists • 4th and 7th grade switched papers between schools for scoring • Uploaded scores in MOODLE • 4th grade teachers, 6-8th grade teachers, EC, AIG, Media, and Testing Coordinators completed Writing Instruction MOODLE training • Set up Writing Portfolios

4. WCS Writing Instruction PlanElementary 2009-2010 • K-5 Writing Instruction Plan • 4th grade Writing Instruction System • Revised Writing Pacing Guides • Instructional Specialists trained teachers • On Demand – September/May • Content-Specific- Tasks more focused on objectives being taught • Big 6 • Scoring in-house • Red Writing Portfolio

5. WCS Writing Instruction PlanElementary 2009-2010 K-2 • K-2 Lucy Calkins Units of Study for Primary Writing • On Demand (Small Moments) • Content Specific Task ( How-To, All About) • Super 3 3rd and 5th • Follow same format as 4th grade • On-Demand Tasks written at CO • Teachers had content specific tasks in August • 5th grade must complete one task electronically • 3rd grade has option to complete tasks electronically

6. Support DocumentsElementary • K-2 Writing Rubric • Third Grade Writing Rubric • 4th and 5th Grade Writing Rubric • Writing Task Tracking Form • Content Specific Tasks for grades 3-5

11. WCS Writing Instruction Plan Middle School • 6-8 Writing Instruction Plan • 7th grade Writing Instruction System Pilot • Instructional Specialists trained teachers • On Demand – September/May • Content Specific Tasks- Notebook of tasks for teachers 1st math/science/social studies 2nd exploratory areas • Big 6 • Scoring in-house • Red Writing Portfolio

12. WCS Writing Instruction Plan Middle School 6th and 8th grades • Follow same format as 7th grade • On-Demand Tasks written at CO • Teachers had content specific tasks in August • Must complete tasks electronically

13. Paradigm Shift and Training • Assessment model------Instructional Model • Writing across the curriculum • Training • 2008-2009 -4th, 6th-8th grade teachers, EC, AIG, Media, Testing Coordinators • 2009-2010 – All 3-8th grade teachers including PE, Music, Art, EC, AIG, Media, and Testing Coordinators Super 3 and Big 6/ ARRA Library Books and Resources • 2010-2011 – K-2 teachers

14. Changes for 2010-2011 • More flexibility for teachers to create their own content specific writing tasks to match their instruction • Continue to provide staff development in Writing Across the Curriculum • Move towards a digital portfolio

15. Contact Information Anna Lankford Elementary and Middle School Director Wilkes County Schools lankfora@wilkes.k12.nc.us 336-667-1121 ext 7035