Welcome
This module is designed to assist content-area teachers, instructional coaches, and literacy specialists in grades 6-12 in helping students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become proficient readers and writers.
In this module, you will explore the research and practical applications of adolescent writing in the content areas. Students begin reading and writing to learn and apply knowledge in sixth grade, so this content will cover 6th through 12th grades at the sentence, single paragraph, and multi-paragraph levels of writing in all content areas.
Time estimate: 3.5-4 hours
Welcome
This is the 11th module in the Adolescent Literacy series. It focuses on the research and process of writing in content areas. Most content-area teachers weren’t trained to teach writing – yet research shows that writing is one of the most powerful tools for deepening content understanding. This module aims to bridge that gap.
The following topics are discussed in the text, linked resources, embedded audio, and video:
- Writing Fundamentals
- Sentence-Level Writing
- Compositional Writing
- Writing in the Content Areas
- Vocabulary and Prior Knowledge in Content Writing
- Differentiating Instruction
This module aligns with Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement, the importance of evidence-based, differentiated core literacy instruction, and Ohio’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports structure as a Theory of Action to guide the design of effective instruction and appropriate interventions as part of school improvement efforts.
In addition, the module aligns with the following recommendations in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Practice Guide – Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively
- Recommendation 1: Explicitly teach appropriate writing strategies using a Model-Practice-Reflect instructional cycle.
- Recommendation 2: Integrate writing and reading to emphasize key writing features.
- Recommendation 3: Use assessments of student writing to inform instruction and feedback.
Prerequisite
We recommend completing The Simple View of Reading module before enrolling in the present module. Knowledge of key terms related to language comprehension are assumed for smooth processing of this module’s text.
Module Learning Outcomes
Identify the major skill domains that contribute to written expression (foundational skills and compositional skills).
Explain how to use explicit instruction to teach the development and phases of skilled writing through Ohio’s Learning Standards.
Describe how to apply the fundamentals of sentence construction and syntax to connect writing to content.
Identify the components of compositional writing and how it relates to content.
Describe methods of connecting writing to content before, during, and after reading.
Describe methods of building background knowledge and vocabulary to facilitate the clear expression of ideas in writing.
Identify strategies to adapt writing instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners.
Policies and Navigating the Course
Throughout each course, you will see a Course Outline with a green ribbon and the title of the course at the top right corner of the page. The outline displays every section of the course. Click any section to jump right to it.
At any time you are in a module, you can go back to the Home Module page by clicking the Back to Module button located directly under the module outline.
As you go through the course, you will have the opportunity to click the Mark Complete box at the end of each section. When you do this, the sections you have completed will be crossed off in your outline, and you will be taken to the next section of the course.
Your progress will automatically be saved within the learning management system, and you can view your course progress through the progress bar located near the top of most sections.
Exiting and Resuming a Module
Know that your progress will automatically be saved within the learning management system. If you exit the website, once you log back in you can easily access your courses by clicking the on the My Dashboard button located on the gray ribbon on top of every page.
Note Feature within the Modules
Throughout each module, you will notice some Reflection boxes that provide various prompts. Each reflection will be in a grey box with an image of a pen/lightbulb. A built in feature of each module is the ability to take notes and save them for your future use. This feature can be used within any part of the module, but is especially helpful for the reflection activities.
To access the note feature, simply click on the purple Take Notes button fixed in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. When you click on this button, a Take Notes box will appear. This box can be moved anywhere on the screen. Within the box, there is a SAVE button as well as a Print Button.
The easiest way to print all the notes you take from the entire module is to click View All Notes. When you click View All Notes, you will be taken to a page like the one below.
Click the boxes of the Notes you would like to print, and then click Download Selected. All your notes will be downloaded into one document separated by headers.
All Ohio’s comprehensive learning modules are relevant to any educator working to support students’ literacy development. In each module, you will find in-depth narrative text, linked resources, realistic scenarios, reflection activities, and embedded audio and videos.
Each module is self-paced. The approximate time for completion of the module is listed in the Simple View of Reading Module text box on the home page of the module.
Additional information included on each module’s home page include:
- Required prerequisites for the module.
- A more detailed description of the module.
- Helpful downloadable resources for the module including an outline of the module’s content and supporting resources, a step-by-step guide to assist you in navigating the professional learning modules, and an in-depth information about the purpose and key elements of the Ohio Literacy Library.
Certificates
Professional Development Certificates
are available for each comprehensive learning module. To earn a Professional Development Certificate, you must obtain a passing score of 85% or more on the module post-test. Please note that you are only allowed up to two attempts to obtain a passing score to earn your certificate.Badges
When completing professional development modules within All Ohio, you can earn badges based on your engagement in and mastery of content within each comprehensive learning module. You earn
Achievement Badges when you demonstrate proficiency with module content (i.e., obtaining a score of at least 85%), whereas Engagement Badges are awarded based on your level of participation on the site. Your earned Certificates and Badges will be displayed on your “All Ohio Dashboard.”
If you have any issues with accessing the content or functionality of this course, please email: allohioprojectteam@uc.edu
Accessibility information for WordPress can be found at: https://wordpress.org/about/accessibility/
Helpful Resources Related to this Module
Module Resource Guide
An outline of the module’s main content and supporting resources. It includes this module in printable form.
Welcome and Navigation
Step-by-step guide to assist you in navigating the professional learning modules.