EDC U 356 Supporting all Children in Becoming Writers

3 Credit(s)

What does it meant to write well? How do we teach students to become effective writers? This course will explore methods and strategies for effective writing instruction in the elementary grades. Emphasis will be placed on the gradual release of responsibility as a model for effective teaching: the importance of ongoing observation and assessment to inform instruction; and the value of “teacher as writer”. The course also aims to teach participants how to prepare students for college and career readiness as identified in the MA ELA Framework for Literacy and Language Arts incorporating the Common Core State Standards. Using the standards as a guide, students will develop knowledge of text types and purposes for writing: opinion/argument writing: informational/explanatory writing: and narrative writing. Participants will also explore strategies for teaching students how to match audience, task and purpose.