Writing Policy


WRITING POLICY
Lakewood Elementary School


CRITERIA FOR THE WRITING PROGRAM

In order to provide multiple opportunities to develop complex communication skills for a variety of purposes and use a variety of language resources, we will make sure students:
  1. Engage in three categories of writing: writing to learn, writing to demonstrate learning to the teacher, and writing for publication.
  2. Experience authentic, meaningful writing at all grade levels:
  1. Writing for a variety of purposes
  • Opinion (Elementary)/Argumentative (Secondary) to support claims
  • Informative/explanatory texts
  • Narrative to develop real or imagined experiences or events
  1. Writing for a variety of audiences
  2. Experiences that reveal ownership and independent thinking
  3. Writing in which students draw on their own experiences, learning, reading, and inquiry to complete writing tasks
  1. Experience the writing process at all grade levels: planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing, and reflecting upon writing. 
  2. Be provided consistent and timely feedback throughout the writing process to guide and improve writing skills. 
  3. Experience writing in both on-demand and writing-over-time situations. 
  4. Write as a natural outcome of the content being studied in all curriculum areas. 
  5. Read and analyze a variety of print and non-print materials (e.g., artwork (2D and 3D), photographs, electronic text, graphics, illustrations, web images, maps, multimedia) including persuasive, literary, informational, and practical/workplace materials. Use readings as models for student writing. 
  1. Learn about and use appropriate resources for writing (e.g., personal interviews, observations, print materials, and technology) driven by different instructional purposes with different audiences for the student to consider.
  1. Intentionally schedule time within the instructional day for writing instruction and experiences while also providing learning opportunities that occur naturally across content areas to explore ideas and design products.
  2. Relevant learning opportunities include contact with community members, postsecondary partners, and businesses.
  3. Apply appropriate writing skills to oral communication.
  4. Engage in real world and creative communication appropriate for meeting Kentucky Academic Standards.

WRITING GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS
To provide multiple opportunities for students to develop complex communication skills for a variety of purposes, teachers will:
  1. Teach and require students to use higher-order thinking skills whenever possible.  
  2. Assign three categories of writing: writing to learn, writing to demonstrate learning, and writing for publication in order to provide authentic, meaningful writing at all grade levels that includes:
  1. Writing for a variety of purposes:
  • Opinion (Elementary)/Argumentative (Secondary) to support claims
  • Informative/explanatory texts
  • Narrative to develop real or imagined experiences or events

  1. Writing for a variety of audiences
  2. Writing about experiences that reveal ownership and independent thinking
  3. Writing in which students draw on their own experiences, learning, reading, and inquiry to complete writing tasks 
  1. Teach the writing process at all grade levels: planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing, and reflecting upon writing including, but not limited, to on-demand and writing-over-time assignments. 
  2. Provide consistent and timely feedback throughout the writing process to guide and improve students’ writing skills. 
  3. Incorporate writing as a natural outcome of the content being studied in all curriculum areas. 
  4. Instruction includes the complex processes, concepts, and principles of literacy using differentiated strategies to make instruction accessible.
  5. Assign students to read and analyze a variety of print and non-print materials including persuasive, literary, informational, and practical/workplace materials using these readings and materials as models for student writing. 
  6. Provide appropriate resources for writing driven by different instructional purposes with different audiences for the student to consider.
  7. Demonstrate, through strands of literacy, an understanding of cultural differences and work effectively with people from a range of social and cultural backgrounds to build on and articulate ideas.
  8. Students apply technology as a tool throughout the writing process.
  9. Allow student choice and exploration.
  10. Provide experiences for students to apply appropriate writing skills to oral communication skills and real world and creative communication experiences appropriate for meeting Kentucky Academic Standards.
SCHOOL-WIDE STRUCTURES AND MONITORING GUIDELINES
To ensure every student has a writing/communications portfolio that demonstrates student interests, the integration of writing and communication skills across the content areas, includes samples of work that show interests and growth over time, follows the student from grade to grade, and follows the student to any school he/she attends, the principal will:
  1. Ensure curriculum is vertically and horizontally aligned to Kentucky Academic Standards.
  2. Assign a literacy team to develop a written plan for implementing and monitoring writing portfolios.
  3. Ensure the plan includes guidelines for incorporating student and teacher use of technology tools.
  4. Ensure the implementation of the Writing Policy and Writing Plan.
  5. Ensure that the Writing Policy and the Writing Plan are reviewed annually and revised (if necessary). 
  6. Ensure teachers receive job-embedded professional learning opportunities integrated in the workday and provide regular and consistent time for teachers to collaborate on programmatic improvements and exchange ideas. 

CRITERIA FOR THE WRITING PLANS
Writing plans will be separate from this policy and will be specific for each level. These plans will reflect this policy and will be adjusted based on the testing data, classroom data, and program appraisal data. 
To ensure the writing process includes reflection, assessment, and feedback, the writing plan will incorporate:
  1. Active participation of students in decision making about contents of the portfolio.
  2. The use of the portfolio for determining student performance in communication.
  3. The procedures for reviewing the portfolio in order to determine strengths and weaknesses in student writing and the overall writing program.
  4. The procedures for grading the portfolio including feedback to inform instruction.
  5. Guidelines for providing students descriptive feedback on the portfolio.
  6. Opportunities for students to improve their writing and communication skills based on portfolio feedback.

POLICY EVALUATION
We will evaluate the effectiveness of this policy through our school improvement planning process.

Date Adopted:  January 2019

Date(s) Reviewed or Revised:

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