A Writing Framework for the Secondary Social Studies Classroom

1. A Writing Framework for the Secondary Social Studies Classroom The PEA Strategy

2. Adapting the strategy to fit student needs? • Generative questions: • How can I get students to write more? • How can I get students to use more analysis in their writing? • How can I improve student organization? • How can I improve the clarity of student writing?

3. Guiding principles – students’ needs • Students will need… • to write with a purpose in mind. • a defined process for writing. • a framework for complete writing.

4. How do we get from here to there?

5. Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) • Explicit instruction of a strategy for a particular writing purpose that breaks down a larger writing task into concrete,manageable parts. • Use of mnemonics to support memory retention of the strategy parts. • Field-tested within an RTI framework • Whole group • Small group and one-to-one (Graham & Harris, 2003; Mason et al., 2011)

6. Research Support for SRSD • Over 40 studies using the SRSD model of instruction have been reported (elementary through high school) • Significant findings in four main aspects of student performance: • Quality of writing • Knowledge of writing • Approach to writing • Self-efficacy • Meaningful and sustained improvements found with a variety of students including students in content areas as well as with students with learning and/or emotional/behavior difficulties (Graham & Perin, 2006)

7. Key Components of SRSD Instruction • Gradual Release of Responsibility Model (GRRM) • Stage 1: Discuss it (mnemonic parts) • Stage 2: Model it (think-alouds; using examples of exemplar work) • Stage 3: Memorize it (reviewing the mnemonic) • Stage 4: Support it (use scaffolding; critical and longest stage) • Stage 5: Independent performance (goal: “covert” self-instruction) Graham and Harris (2003)

8. Result: An Adaptation of SRSD • The PEA strategy: • Point • Evidence • Analysis

9. How did I embed the Key Components of SRSD into the “PEA” Strategy Writing Intervention?

10. Journals, Content, Writing

11. Let’s Try it… • Using the highlighting strategy we are going to practice “Points” practice • PEA strategy in practice

12. Thank you! • Contact Information: • Chris Sielaff, Binghamton High School • sielaffc@binghamtonschools.org • Erin Washburn, Binghamton University • washburn@binghamton.edu