Fostering the Reading and Writing Connection in Middle School Language Arts How can you encourage students to read, write and like it? How can you tap into the literature that they like and the writing that they do to encourage student engagement? If you have ever asked either of these questions, then this session is for you! Come learn about strategies and tools to use to help students see the connection and enjoyment in reading and writing. Rebecca McKnight The Academy at Lincoln - Greensboro, NC

1. Rebecca McKnight
6th grade Language Arts Teacher
The Academy at Lincoln,
Greensboro, NC
March 6, 2012

2. When we are done, we will …..
 Answer our essential
questions
 Generate a list of
adolescent literature for
our students to read
 Participate in some
activities to help foster
the reading/writing
connection

3. Agenda
Introduction
Goals for the session
Define Reading and Writing
Activities to foster connections
Questions, comments, concerns

4. Info about me…
 I love to read!
 I have a master’s degree in Education from
UNCG and a bachelor’s degree from the
College of William and Mary
 This will be my 15th year in Guilford County. I
have taught at several middle schools
including the Academy at Lincoln.
 I have worked as a school-based Curriculum
Facilitator and as a Curriculum Specialist for
the school system.
 I am teaching, now, because I love to work with
students.

5. Session Objectives
(Essential Questions)
• How can we get students to see
the connections between what
they read and what they write?
• How important is student choice
in the reading/writing process?
• What tools can be used to
encourage students to read and
write?

6. Common
Core
Standards

7. What is the value of fostering the
connection between Reading and Writing in
middle school?
• Improved retention of • Stimulate creativity
information • Increase student
• Deepen Understanding responsibility for learning
• Application of current • Meet developmental needs
research • Resolve management issues
• Build community • Renew enthusiasm for
teaching
• Create equity

8. Education is the
lighting of a fire, not
the filling of a
bucket.
William Butler Yeats

9. Where do the
prompts that my How do I accept
students write about student writing?
come from?
Questions
to think
about ……
How do I model how
What are my favorite
I want students to
texts to use? Why do
read and write for
I love them?
me?

10. • Blogs
• Texts
• Formal vs. Informal Writing
• Facebook and Social Media
• Web 2.0 tools like:
– Storify --Animoto
– Glogster --Dvolver
• E-mail
• Movie Maker
• Journals/Daybooks

11. Reading Strategies Brainstorm
Placemat: Reading Strategies
Brainstorm
What types of strategies and
materials do you use to
teach reading to students in
your classroom?

12. Literacy Skills
• Setting a purpose for reading
• Finding the main idea and supporting
details
• Summarizing/paraphrasing
• Developing vocabulary
• Activating prior knowledge
• Recognizing the author’s point of
view
• Making predictions

13. Literacy Skills continued….
• Recognizing text structures
• Using text features to connect with
and guide through the reading
• Making inferences
• Questioning what you read
• Visualizing what you read
• Making connections

14. Reading
Strategies
should lead to
writing.
Writing
strategies
should
encourage
further reading.

15. What are 3 things that the
brain needs to learn and retain
information?
Ritual Novelty
Challenge

17. Reading
Response Cards
&
Connections
Charts

18. Literature Circles/Book Clubs
• What are they?
• How do you organize them?
• What is their value in use of informational text?
• Resources for organizing your own
• Book Club resources
– http://www.abcteach.com/directory/basics/reading/lit
erature_circles/: Samples of role sheets and forms
– http://www.litcircles.org/: Some additional
information and forms
– http://www.npatterson.net/reading.html: Role sheets

19. It is the supreme
art of the teacher
to awaken joy in
creative expression
and knowledge.”
Albert Einstein

20. • Battle of the Books list
• Journals and
magazines
• Young Adult Literature
• Poetry books
• Picture books
• Professional resources
• Short Stories
• Basal readers
• Internet
• Picture Books

21. Scranimal Activity
Use mentor
text to teach
poetry
elements
Write your Develop
own vocabulary
Make
Imagery
connections

22. Technology
• Web 2.0 tools like…..
– Wordle
– Glogster
– Wallwisher (pre-writing
ideas)
– Dvolver
– Tagxedo
– Google docs
– Gaggle
– Animoto
– Wobooks
• Blogs
• E-mail

23. Dvolver Summaries
– http://www.dvolver.com/live/movies
-623246
– http://www.dvolver.com/live/movies
-623243
– http://www.dvolver.com/live/movies
-623221

24. Choice

25. Real World Writing Purposes:
Adapted from Write Like This by Kelly Gallagher
Purpose Possible Reading Possible Writing
selections Topics
Topic Express and Reflect
Inform and Explain
Evaluate and Judge
Inquire and Explore
Analyze and Interpret
Take a Stand/Propose
a solution

26. • Conversations
• Student Surveys
• Blog writing
• What are they
bringing to class
to read?
• Formal & Informal
Reading and
Writing
workshops

27. 3-D Graphic Organizers
Can be used to ………
Brainstorm ideas for writing
Plan and organize ideas for writing
Organize vocabulary
Share student analysis of text
Share student reflections
Make comparisons
Visually display critical thinking

28. How can 3-D graphic organizers help to
engage writers and readers in my
writing instruction?
• Hands-on way to manipulate and
organize information
• Allows and encourages creativity
• Help spatial learners make
connections
• Small enough to fit into daybooks or
writing/reading journals
• They are fun!

33. Middle School
Reading/Writing
Teacher’s Pledge

34. Resources for strategies and ideas
• Teaching Blogs
– The Organized Classroom
– Secondary Solutions
– Laura Candler
– Teaching Blog Addict
• Websites
• Colleagues
• Professional Resources

35. Questions, Comments,
Concerns

36. Ticket out the Door
Please fill out 3-2-1
session TOD and give it
to me before you leave.
Thanks for coming

37. Contact me at
mcknigr@gcsnc.com
Or
On my cell [(336) 420-6205