The Process Approach to Writing

The Process Approach to Writing

1. prewriting

   • topic selection
     • let students choose own topics
       • key to good writing
       • greater chance students will invest more of themselves
     • help students discover the important things in the world around them
     • go beyond personal narrative
     • brainstorm
       • clustering
       • freewriting
   • planning
     • older students
       • discussing
       • brainstorming
         • free flowing spontaneous activity
       • creating semantic maps or webs
       • reading
       • consulting web sites
       • basic references
       • devising a plot outline or general outline
     • younger students
       • discussing topics
       • drawing a picture
   • rehearsing
     • writing in his/her head
     • composing articles
     • stories
     • way of looking at life
     • throughout the day, be alert to possible sources of writing topics and record these in journal notebooks

2. composing

   • act of writing a piece
   • put thoughts down on paper without concern
     • neatness
     • spelling
     • mechanics
   • worrying about spelling takes away job of creating
     • time to revise and edit later
   • first draft
   • focusing on audience
     • helps shape our writing
       • backgrounds and interests of readers
     • things to ponder
       • what is my topic?
       • why am i writing this piece?
       • who will read my piece?
       • what might they already know about the topic?
       • what do they need to know?

3. revising

   • mechanical corrections
   • adding or deleting material
   • changing sequence
   • better lead
   • adding details
   • more vivid words for overused expressions
   • modeling the revision process
     • original draft on overhead
     • pose pertinent questions
     • how to add details
     • clarify confusing passage
     • switch sentences around

4. editing

   • check carefully for mechanical errors
   • tools
     • pencils
     • dictionary
       • indispensable tool
     • easy style guides
     • editing checklists
       • support evolving executive function
       • encourage focus on conventions of writing
         • looking at writing objectively and abstractly
   • peer editing

5. publishing

   • anthologies
   • books
   • bulletin boards
   • web site
   • dramatized
   • entered in contests
   • school publications
   • magazines
   • charts
   • posters
   • ads
   • brochures
   • announcements
   • sets of directions
   • book reviews
   • video/audio tapes
   • blogs
   • wikis
   • author's chair

6. conferences

   • opening
   • following
   • process
   • peer conferences
     • listen carefully
     • lead with positive comment
     • concrete suggestions
     • suggestions in positive terms
     • authors' circle
       • when ready to share, gather around table
       • take turns
       • only rule, must have something they wish to share