Special Edition - Beyond the Reading Wars Vol. 44, Issue 3

CLICK HERE FOR FOUNTAS AND PINNELL PDF ON INTERACTIVE READING

Why Join the Missouri State Reading Council?*

MSC-IRA is committed to promoting literacy statewide. MSC-IRA members share an interest in following the current trends in literacy and reading instruction. Membership in MSC-IRA provides opportunities to learn about the latest developments in literacy education and to meet and interact with local leaders as well as leaders across the state. Information about the newest teaching materials and professional publications is shared at meetings. MSC-IRA co-sponsor’s both the Write to Learn and Missouri Early Learning Conferences to provide opportunities to gain insights into special issues and concerns in reading such as the new Missouri State Standards, Title I, balanced literacy, parent programs, research-based teaching strategies, and much more.

Benefits of Membership in MSC-IRA*

● Learn about the latest developments in literacy education

● Meet and interact with the best in local literacy leaders as well as those across the state

● Receive information about the newest teaching materials and professional publications

● Gain insights into special issues and concerns in reading such as Title I, balanced literacy, parent programs and research based teaching strategies by attending our annual conference

● Receive the support and camaraderie of others who share a common interest in literacy

Diana Houlle,

Director of Membership for MSC

*Editors note. We are in the process of becoming affiliated with the International Literacy Association, formally the International Raading Association. Labels, logos and names will change as that change takes effect.

The Power of Three

The “We-Do” model is a simple tool that helps you tailor the type and amount of practice students receive. It consists of three instructional strands, three corresponding types of writing sessions and three levels of practice.

The three instructional strands tell us what students need to learn in order to write well.

The Three Instructional Strands

1. Language Conventions

Using language conventions is the process of getting print onto the page. It includes:

●Encoding, which is the process of using letter/sound correspondence and spelling knowledge to write,

●High-frequency words, which are words that are used often and do not follow common spelling or sound patterns,

●Conventions, which includes skills such as capitalization, punctuation, and handwriting.

2. Language Composition

Language composition is the process of composing out loud using more sophisticated grammar and vocabulary. This consists of:

●Using correct and increasingly sophisticated aspects of grammar (at both the sentence and genre level),

●Using correct and increasingly sophisticated vocabulary (at both the sentence and genre level).

3.Application

Application is the process of applying what you have learned about language conventions and language composition to a shorter piece of writing. It includes:

●Going through the writing process

●Applying language conventions and language composition.

The Three Corresponding Types

of Writing Sessions

Sessions are where you give students supported practices with each of the instructional strands. These sessions are brief (no more than 15 minutes) so that students stay engaged and still have plenty of time to write/practice outside of these sessions independently.

1. Interactive Writing (Language Conventions): Andrea McCarrier, Gay Su Pinnell, and Irene C. Fountas detail this type of collaborative writing in their book entitled, Interactive Writing (2000). In the “We-Do” model, interactive writing often serves as a time for students to practice and apply what has currently been taught during word study/phonics and conventions instruction.

2.Write-Aloud: (Language Composition) During write- aloud, students and teachers work together composing pieces out loud across many genres. Together, they formulate sentences that are grammatically correct and complicated, and then they practice those sentences out loud as a group, as well as in partnerships

3.Writing Process (Application): During writing process sessions, the teacher and students work together quickly and efficiently to take their writing through the steps of the writing process. This is typically done on shorter pieces of writing.

The three levels of support ensure that students get the appropriate level of support they need to be successful. You don’t want to over scaffold and rescue children from doing the work, but you also don’t want to under scaffold leaving a child unable to be successful. The ultimate goal of tailoring the practice is to ensure that every child is able to transfer what they have learned to their own writing pieces. Some children will need to cycle through all of these levels. Some will need parts of it, and some will need none of it.

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Special Edition - Beyond the Reading Wars Vol. 44, Issue 3 | Page 24