Kathleen Marshall & Cheryl Wissick University of South Carolina

1. Improving Written Language through Effective Intervention and Technology: Strategies and Instruction Kathleen Marshall & Cheryl Wissick University of South Carolina DLD Workshop State CEC February 2011

2. Evidence-based practices • What are evidence-based practices (Graham & Harris, 2011)? • What skills are included in written language? • What additional skills are related to written language performance? • How we can use what we know in our classrooms?

3. General Guidelines for Written Language Instruction • Assessment • Identify specific areas of difficulty: fluency, syntax, vocabulary, content, conventions – assess carefully! • Progress monitoring – more info on that later! • May want to preface writing instruction with oral sharing of information for assessment & practice: • telling stories, • taping stories – • NOTE: *this will not teach written language.

4. General Guidelines for written language instruction • Pair instruction in reading with instruction in written language • Relationship between reading and spelling • Relationships between reading and writing expression instructional strategies: • Planning, • Main idea, • Summarizing

5. General guidelines for written language instruction • Teach students transcription skills • Handwriting, spelling, typing • Experience is not enough • Practice is not enough • Direct instruction of skills

6. General guidelines for written language instruction • Use word processing and related software as a primary tool for writing • Technology and UDL • Motivational role in learning written language skills • Expanding opportunities for instruction, practice, and evaluation • Multiple means for integrating additional instruction into multiple educational environments. http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/ Keyboarding Skillsby Diana Hanbury-King 0-8388-1707-6.

7. General guidelines for written language instruction • Teach grammar, vocabulary, and “usage” skills • Use direct instruction • Capitalization, punctuation, nouns, adjectives, main idea, sentence structure, etc.

8. Specific guidelines for written language instruction- what to teach • Teach executive function skills • Use strategies and direct instruction • Teach summarization skills • Teach self-evaluation/self-monitoring skills • number of words written, story grammar, punctuation checklist • Goal-setting: Can move from teacher-generated to student-generated • number of words, • number of adjectives, • correct use of pronouns – gender/number,

9. Specific guidelines for written language instruction- what to teach • Teach students to plan, revise, and edit compositions • Teach existing strategies or develop your own • Have students work together to work on this process • Adapt the process approach for writing to include more direct instruction for students with disabilities in written language

10. How to teach: Two major approaches addressed in all areas • Direct Instruction: Teach foundational skills and concepts in written language • Strategy Instruction: Use, create, and teach strategies for complex skills

11. SpecificGuidelines for Written Language Instruction using direct instruction & strategy instruction • Select one factor/skill at a time when working with a child with numerous problems, or group skill areas (punctuation). • Incorporate self-evaluation into all instruction. • Increase productivity - at least 3 free writing sessions each week, in addition to instruction. One skill at a time Evaluate and practice

12. Instructional Tools: Prompts or guides for teaching; Pictures, word prompts, strategies, graphic organizers, story maps Direct Instruction Approach to Teaching Writing • Error analysis:Skill selection/Scope and sequence; 4 major strands for beginning writing • Identify categories of knowledge - concepts, strategies

13. Length/complexity of written product: Word, words, sentences, paragraphs , stories. Move from easy to difficult in all categories of instruction Direct Instruction Approach to Teaching Writing • Task Format: Gradual move from easy to difficult; selection response, completion response, generations response

14. Example of direct instruction • When teaching paragraph writing – determine important elements of skill and teach understanding or concept of paragraph before you teach actual writing. The rule can be used to guide writing and evaluation.

15. Paragraph • A paragraph is a group of sentences about one topic. • What is a paragraph? • A group of sentences about one topic • Preskills: concept of sentences and concept of topic

16. Spring Spring is coming soon. The birds all start to sing in spring. The flowers start to bloom too. This is a paragraph. It is a group of sentences about one topic.

17. Romeo I have a dog named Romeo. He is a collie. Romeo likes to chase squirrels. He is a smart dog. This is a paragraph. It is a group of sentences about one topic.

18. Luke I have a dog named Luke. Luke is black. Green is my favorite color. I like peaches. This is not a paragraph. It is not a group of sentences about one topic.

19. Pizza I like pizza. Pepperoni Sausage Cheese Mushrooms This is not a paragraph. It is not a group of sentences about one topic.

20. Summer Vacation Summer vacation is coming soon. I will go on trips to visit my family. We will go to the beach. A good thing about summer vacation is I get to read lots of good books. This is a paragraph. It is a group of sentences about one topic.

21. Pineapple The pineapple is a sweet fruit. You can buy pineapples at the store. Pineapples come from Hawaii. This is not a paragraph. It is not a group of sentences about one topic.

22. Evaluation:Self-monitoring example

23. Evaluation/self-monitoring #2 • Paragraph: A group of sentences about a topic.

24. Teaching Strategies • A strategy is a series of steps that may include verbal associations, concepts, or rules that are designed to complete a task or solve a problem. • Examples: • Answering comprehension questions • Writing a paragraph

25. Teaching Strategies • First, each step must be identified and pre-taught. • Identify the best way to lay out and match the steps to the student’s needs. • Decide if steps should be illustrated or stated. • If using verbal prompts, make sure they are appropriate for the student. Note: Strategy instruction should involve teaching NO new skills - It involves linking together previously learned skills!

26. Teaching a strategy - continued • Model steps of the strategy: If there are verbal steps or mental modeling, say aloud. • Leading 1: Teacher guides (orally, if necessary); Student performs steps of strategy. • Leading 2: Student performs steps of strategy and uses prompts/says verbal prompts. • Testing: Student performs steps of strategy without prompts.

27. Example Strategy • Developing quick writing skills of middle school students with disabilities (Mason, Kubina, & Taft, 2009) • Building on self-regulated strategy development (SRSD): (Graham & Harris, 2003)

28. POW + TREE • POW • PICK my idea • ORGANIZE my notes • WRITE and say more • TREE • TOPIC sentence • REASONS – 3 or more • EXAMINE • ENDING Strategy Instruction including modeling, guided practice, and independent practice Self-regulation including goal-setting, self-monitoring and self-reinforcement

29. Approaches for Teaching Spelling • Five step study strategy Student says word Student writes & says word Check the word Write word from memory and check Repeat 5 steps • Spelling Activities?

30. Approaches for Teaching Spelling • Teacher writes word • Student reads word • Student reads letters • Student writes word • Student “takes a picture” • Student closes eyes spells word, and visualizes letters • Student writes word and checks for accuracy Visualization Approach

31. Integrated instructional approach • Process Approach to teaching writing • Prewriting brainstorming • Composing • Editing • Direct Instruction adaptations to Process Approach • Preteach critical skills • Focus expectations on skills taught • Gradually increase level of independence & reduce prompts. Problem = No direct skill instruction & potential for reduced participation Advantage = preparing students by teaching fundamental skills first & holding students accountable

32. Adapted Process Approach to teaching/practicing writing • Selecting a topic (teacher, group, peer) • Planning (outline, illustrate plan, develop story elements - teacher guidance, group, peer-pair, individual) • Writing strategy, related vocabulary, oral presentation • Teacher guidance, group, peer/pair, individual Prewriting Composing

33. Adapted Process Approach to teaching/practicing writing • Teacher input - Select skills for revision based on previous direct instruction, prompt, checklist • Meeting 1: Editor listens to story & reads along, makes notes - 2 questions (Is anything not clear? Where could details be added?) Discuss revisions • Meeting 2: Discuss revisions, Edit for mechanical errors, use checklist Revising Editing