Developing Writing and Thinking Skills Across the Curriculum
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
HARVARD INSTITUTE JULY 2007
Dr John Collins: Developing Writing and Thinking Skills Across the Curriculum
Although we did not expect to cover ‘technical’ issues during the Institute, John Collins presentation (in the entertaining but controversial style of a Woody Allan / James Stewart hybrid) was interesting from the perspective of a secondary head, struggling to develop a more cohesive approach to developing writing and thinking skills across the curriculum, without adding to the already considerable burden faced by teachers with respect to assessment.
The Strategy’s Potential?
Based on two decades of work in schools with practicing teachers, Collins’ system potentially has several benefits. Arguably the strategy has the potential to:
.
· promote writing fluency and literacy
· provide a vehicle for assessing prior knowledge.
· identify learning outcomes in writing / thinking for pupils and parents
· provide opportunities for self and peer assessment of writing and thinking.
· provide focussed and quality formative feedback.
· refine speaking and listening skills
· ensure that pupils read and reflect on their work.
· support pupils in taking more responsibility for their own learning.
· improve the pace of learning.
· increase pupil engagement in the learning process.
· promote collaborative and active learning strategies
· provide an effective means of differentiation
· support behaviour management (“it shuts up the highly verbal kids”)
· generate evidence for HMIe relating to a ‘language across the curriculum’ policy.
· provide a vehicle for quality assurance (in line with Elmore’s advice that the most effective means of quality assurance during a classroom observation is to check the level of thinking skills required in the routine writing tasks to establish how children and young people are being asked to engage with the content they are taught).
· provide improved communication with parents regarding their child’s strengths and development needs in writing and thinking.
· reduce teacher workload!
The Mechanics of the Strategy
The simple system outlines five different types of writing assignment, and the outcomes expected for each, to support and encourage pupils to ‘think on paper’. This is accomplished by using frequent, and usually short writing assignments, to increase pupils’ active involvement in lessons, check their understanding of concepts, or support thinking about content.
Parents are also trained to understand the system, to ensure they know what to expect of the teacher, the various types and purposes of assessment being used, and how to diagnose their child’s strengths and weaknesses.
The Rationale
In his book ‘Developing Writing and Thinking Skills Across the Curriculum: A Practical Program for Schools’, Collins explains that research indicates: “it is best to separate the creative (idea getting) and critical processes (idea evaluation) because the effective use of one, hinders the effective use of the other. The system…defines different types of writing and, by so doing, removes the psychological barriers to creativity by establishing times when it is all right to be “just creative” (Type One), times when a controlled progression of creative and critical thought are required (Types Two to Four), and times when the critical function is at its peak (Type Five)”. He continues: “It takes away one of the primary obstacles to good writing: fear – fear of evaluation by unknown or hidden criteria, and fear of failure.” (page 4)
Type One Writing
Type One Writing is defined as “ writing to get ideas in paper; in many ways it is analogous to brainstorming. It is the idea generating, recollecting, data gathering, exploring, or questioning phase in the writing and thinking process” (1) (Page 4).
These assignments are completed in class in less than ten minutes, where pupils are asked to write a specified amount (number of lines rather than number of sentences) in a specified time (eg 5 to 10 minutes). In all writing types (1 to 5), pupils are asked to use double spacing (to facilitate their own editing) and to note the type of writing task at the top of the page, to inform the pupil’s writing, and to clarify parental expectations of the teacher. Writing at all levels (1 to 5) can take any form: eg lists, imaginative or narrative essays, comparisons, analysis etc.
Type One Writing commonly precedes or replaces classroom discussion at the start of a lesson, and has the advantage of involving all children – even the silent majority. For example pupils may be asked to write a number of specified lines, depending on stage, ability and motivation levels, about what they know about a topic before a particular unit of study begins, or make reference in some way to learning outcomes of a previous lesson. The only check that is made by the teacher is, firstly, that the pupil completed the necessary length of piece, and secondly, that the pupil is engaged in the writing / thinking / learning process. Teachers can differentiate within the lesson by asking individual pupils to write fewer or more lines than the others.
Level One Writing, therefore, can be used to assess prior learning, understanding and engagement. In line with collaborative learning strategies it asks pupils to think and write first, and talk later. It requires only one draft, can take any form and can mix fact and opinion.
Collins also highlighted the strategy’s efficacy in behaviour management, during his presentation, as “ it shuts up the highly verbal kids for a while”. It should be achievable for all.
The teacher does not formally assess this writing. He or she simply checks that the pupils has completed the length of piece required (however reading the piece will provide valuable information on prior learning). Pupils are therefore given the opportunity to write freely with no risk of failure attached. The teacher, or another pupil will tick the work if it meets the required length.
One example in a History lesson, may be to ask the pupil to write all they know about the Egyptians before the unit begins. If they do not know much, then they can simply write questions. Collins then sometimes asks a few pupils to read their responses aloud to the class and asks them to categorise the ideas in three columns: facts about the topic, questions about the topic and miscellaneous. The advantage here is that the pupils start talking, listening, and thinking about the topic they will study.
Some other examples noted in Collins book include: “Here are two statements about sportsmanship (quotes from two sports figures). Tell how they are similar and different. Give a five to ten line summary of last night’s reading. List five materials you will need to conduct an experiment to prove ……” etc.
Type Two Writing
Type Two Writing is designed to test pupils’ understanding. This encourages pupils to write what they know about a topic, or how they feel in response to a prompt. It is a type of ‘quiz’ that asks for a correct answer to a teacher’s prompt. The only evaluation criterion in this case, is that the content must be correct. “It asks for definitions, facts, explanations, or opinions, supported with details” (p8). . This type of writing supports the pupil in making the distinction between padding a response, and using writing to develop and elaborate ideas.
Instead of asking one pupil in class to provide an oral answer to a question, the teacher may ask all pupils to provide a Level Two response. The teacher could also issue several tasks of this nature in a lesson, but only choose to assess one. The pupil will be unaware which tasks will be graded.
Examples of Level Two Writing tasks include: ‘List three possible causes for this chemical reaction’; ‘Define three of the five terms on the board.’ ‘Explain two main points from yesterday’s lesson’ etc.
The teacher can evaluate this exercise relatively quickly. If for example a child is asked to list ten facts about Siberia, the child is instructed to underline the facts to facilitate quicker marking.
Type Three Writing
Type Three Writing is writing that has “substantive content and meets up to three specific standards called ‘focus correction areas’ (FCAs). At this point the pupil moves from simply producing and recording ideas (Type Two) to refining the way they present ideas” (p15).
This Type is also differentiated from Type Two writing, as pupils must complete two other steps on completion of the writing task: These are oral reading / editing of the passage, and ‘focus correcting’.
The pupil reads their work aloud to themselves (in a soft voice) and then asks themselves three key questions: Have I completed the assignment, produced readable work, and met the focus criteria? Pupils then revise their draft in the double spacing if necessary. The reading aloud allows pupils to ‘feel’ if a sentence works well. This ‘institutionalises’ the process of review and reflection, as it forces the pupil to read their work before they hand it in for assessment.
FCAs will change over time as the pupil refines their writing and thinking skills. Examples relating to assessing writing style include: no unnecessary words; use of powerful verbs; no long confusing sentences; no passive voice etc. The assessment of content and critical thinking skills may include: technical vocabulary used; comparisons and contrasts made; examples used to support opinion etc. The assessment of organisational skills may include; introduction tells reader what the writer intend to say, and how it will be done; conclusion reinforces thesis; transitions helps reader move from point to point etc. The assessment of narration may include: character physically described; sensory details used; uses dialogue to establish characters etc.
Pupils are asked to write the FCAs at the top of the page at the start of the exercise, to maintain their focus on the assessment criteria / skill, inform teacher evaluation, and inform parents and other audiences what skills the paper should demonstrate. They should also note the number of points awarded for each tasks. This type of writing is formally evaluated by the teacher, and returned for redraft. However pupils again support the teacher in this task (eg 50 points allocated for ten underlined facts on the subject, and 20 points for the use of correct vocabulary, each word circled by the pupil). This enables the pupil to evaluate which of the FCAs were met, and which weren’t, before handing the piece in for teacher evaluation.
Type Four Writing
Type Four Writing is “Type Three writing that has been read aloud and critiqued by another. It requires two drafts and is the most effective and efficient of all of the types, at improving writing skills” (p23).
On this occasion the pupil reads their work aloud in a soft voice to support editing. They then however read it to a neighbour, who will help them to critique the work according to the FCAS. They can edit on the paper or attach a redraft for filing. Spelling is best addressed as an FCA in type four writing where peer assessment can assist
Type Five Writing
“Type Five Writing is of publishable quality. It can go outside the classroom without explanation or qualification (requiring several drafts)”. For example, a type five piece of writing may begin with a type one exercise to generate ideas. This may then become the basis of a type four assessment that demands appropriate contact, organisation and sentence variety. After a second draft of type four, self and peer review, with oral reading, teacher feedback and multiple revisions, the type five piece will be completed
Further Information
Further information about publications, workshops and consultancy services can be found on the web site at collinseducationassociates.com
Having had the direct experience of undertaking the various types of writing tasks during Collins lecture, I was impressed by the simplicity of the strategy, which could be used in all departments, and the effectiveness of reading work aloud, to oneself and to a neighbour, in particular. I will feel more secure in my evaluation of this strategy however, when I speak to the specialists in my English department!
Eileen Brown