Article 1: Investigating the Process Approach to Writing Instruction in Urban Middle Schools
Patthey-Chavez, Genevieve G., Lindsay Matsumura, and Rosa Valdes. "Investigating the Process Approach to Writing Instruction in Urban Middle Schools." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 47.6 (2004): 462-76. Print.
This article highlights how many schools try to reform writing in urban settings but don’t really take all factors into account. These reforms have not led to a change in the learning of at-risk students. The article also highlights how student-teacher interaction is very important. The importance of teacher feedback and opportunities to revise has also helped students to become better writers and helped them to develop their ideas. The study in this article concluded that when students receive content level feedback (meaning feedback about the content of their writing) as opposed to surface level feedback (grammar, punctuation, word choice etc.) students performed better. When students were asked to develop their essays, they would follow through. This article explains how the type of feedback given to students is very important to their work. Writing with the writing process must be used to aid students in learning. Teachers need more support and advice on how to provide meaningful feedback to students’ writing.
Article 2: Assessment-Driven Improvements in Middle School Students' Writing
Andrade, Heidi, Colleen Buff, Terry Joe, Erano Marilyn, and Paolino Shaun. "Assessment-Driven Improvements in Middle School Students' Writing." Middle School Journal 40.4 (2009): 4-12. Print.
This article focuses on improvement by the use of three main goals: Make assessment processes, criteria and standards clear to students, provide frequent and useful feedback to students about the quality for their work, use assessments to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of student work to plan instruction. It is also described how assessment should be done before the assignment, during and after the assignment. It is important for students to get regular feedback on their work. Feedback promotes learning and achievement. Teachers can also use students to help assess other students. Self-assessment is also important for students. They used a common rubric to assess all students for most assignments.
Article 3: Guiding Principles for Supporting Middle School Writers
Lacina, Jan. "Guiding Principles for Supporting Middle School Writers." New England Reading Association 48.1 (2012): 78-83. Print.
This article examines four different guiding principles that should be used for supporting middle school writers. The principles were used at an urban school that had a Latino majority with 92% of their students being low-income. The guiding principles included teaching explicit writing strategies, write collaboratively, have a specific product goal and study models of writing. Certain strategies and topics examined include: engaging students, modeling examples, giving writing purpose, writing collaboratively, proving a variety of writing assignments for students, creating outcomes, products and goals, using the ‘think aloud’ process, blogging, reading and a list of literature that is suitable for an urban school at the middle school level.
Article 4: Picturing a Writing Process: Photovoice and Teaching Writing to Urban Youth
Zenkov, Kristien, and James Harmon. "Picturing a Writing Process: Photovoice and Teaching Writing to Urban Youth." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 52.7 (2009): 575-84. Print.
This article examines the use of visually based research in regards to literacy and teaching writing. This article is explaining how students are given open ended questions to answer along with the freedom to answer them any way they want by taking pictures to capture their feelings. Students were more engaged with critical analysis of their pictures because these photos meant something to them. The better relationship a teacher can develop with a student, the better their writing becomes. Their work was showed to a variety of audiences which made the students more engaged. Students who were given longer periods of time to work, produced better work. Students also need teachers to listen to them about their lives. The major result of this article was: if teachers give students the freedom to write about things they are interested in, they will produce better work. Also, if teachers give students
Book 5: Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools
Kozol, Jonathan. Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools. New York: Crown Pub., 1991. Print.
This book discusses the various inequalities that take place in public schools all across America. Most of the inequalities described in this book take place in urban public schools. Although this book was written in the 90s, it is still very relevant today. The book discusses terrible health conditions, a lack of resources and a lot of psychological despair amongst the lives and schools in an urban population. The book examines different schools in all different locations across America.
Patthey-Chavez, Genevieve G., Lindsay Matsumura, and Rosa Valdes. "Investigating the Process Approach to Writing Instruction in Urban Middle Schools." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 47.6 (2004): 462-76. Print.
This article highlights how many schools try to reform writing in urban settings but don’t really take all factors into account. These reforms have not led to a change in the learning of at-risk students. The article also highlights how student-teacher interaction is very important. The importance of teacher feedback and opportunities to revise has also helped students to become better writers and helped them to develop their ideas. The study in this article concluded that when students receive content level feedback (meaning feedback about the content of their writing) as opposed to surface level feedback (grammar, punctuation, word choice etc.) students performed better. When students were asked to develop their essays, they would follow through. This article explains how the type of feedback given to students is very important to their work. Writing with the writing process must be used to aid students in learning. Teachers need more support and advice on how to provide meaningful feedback to students’ writing.
Article 2: Assessment-Driven Improvements in Middle School Students' Writing
Andrade, Heidi, Colleen Buff, Terry Joe, Erano Marilyn, and Paolino Shaun. "Assessment-Driven Improvements in Middle School Students' Writing." Middle School Journal 40.4 (2009): 4-12. Print.
This article focuses on improvement by the use of three main goals: Make assessment processes, criteria and standards clear to students, provide frequent and useful feedback to students about the quality for their work, use assessments to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of student work to plan instruction. It is also described how assessment should be done before the assignment, during and after the assignment. It is important for students to get regular feedback on their work. Feedback promotes learning and achievement. Teachers can also use students to help assess other students. Self-assessment is also important for students. They used a common rubric to assess all students for most assignments.
Article 3: Guiding Principles for Supporting Middle School Writers
Lacina, Jan. "Guiding Principles for Supporting Middle School Writers." New England Reading Association 48.1 (2012): 78-83. Print.
This article examines four different guiding principles that should be used for supporting middle school writers. The principles were used at an urban school that had a Latino majority with 92% of their students being low-income. The guiding principles included teaching explicit writing strategies, write collaboratively, have a specific product goal and study models of writing. Certain strategies and topics examined include: engaging students, modeling examples, giving writing purpose, writing collaboratively, proving a variety of writing assignments for students, creating outcomes, products and goals, using the ‘think aloud’ process, blogging, reading and a list of literature that is suitable for an urban school at the middle school level.
Article 4: Picturing a Writing Process: Photovoice and Teaching Writing to Urban Youth
Zenkov, Kristien, and James Harmon. "Picturing a Writing Process: Photovoice and Teaching Writing to Urban Youth." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 52.7 (2009): 575-84. Print.
This article examines the use of visually based research in regards to literacy and teaching writing. This article is explaining how students are given open ended questions to answer along with the freedom to answer them any way they want by taking pictures to capture their feelings. Students were more engaged with critical analysis of their pictures because these photos meant something to them. The better relationship a teacher can develop with a student, the better their writing becomes. Their work was showed to a variety of audiences which made the students more engaged. Students who were given longer periods of time to work, produced better work. Students also need teachers to listen to them about their lives. The major result of this article was: if teachers give students the freedom to write about things they are interested in, they will produce better work. Also, if teachers give students
Book 5: Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools
Kozol, Jonathan. Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools. New York: Crown Pub., 1991. Print.
This book discusses the various inequalities that take place in public schools all across America. Most of the inequalities described in this book take place in urban public schools. Although this book was written in the 90s, it is still very relevant today. The book discusses terrible health conditions, a lack of resources and a lot of psychological despair amongst the lives and schools in an urban population. The book examines different schools in all different locations across America.
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