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**Writing in the Content Area **
  Welcome !**
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 This site is dedicated to sharing writing ideas and strategies for the content area classroom. My goal is for this site to be living document as we continue to share great writing ideas that work in our classroom. The discussion area is open to all and should be used as a tool to share our ideas and experiences.

 **Why should writing be integrated into the content area classroom?**

 Reading and writing have a reciprocal relationship, because they share many of the same processes. They both fall under the umbrella of "literacy." Proficient readers are typically proficient writers, while struggling readers often struggle to write. The more one reads, the better he or she will write and vice-versa. Research shows that teaching reading and writing together make instruction more effective. Along with this, **integrating reading and writing instruction across the curriculum really helps develop the literacy of our students. ** With this in mind, it is important for reading and writing teachers to collaborate with content area teachers to build an integrated curriculum. There are a plethora of strategies that provide engaging and authentic writing experiences while extending and enriching content area knowledge.

 As a content area teacher, I have heard this many times. Your expertise doesn't have to be in writing in order to integrate writing in your classroom. Yet, your experience and expertise in your field allow you to bring much to the table. It is important to keep in mind that **content area writing should typically focus on content rather than conventions. ** In other words evaluate students according to their "ideas, concepts, and connections." Using a holistic rubric will help you to assess your students.
 * But... I specialize in my content area not in teaching writing! **

You will find that as students apply their content area knowledge though authentic writing experiences, **you are extending their knowledge of the content while contributing to the "refinement" of their writing. ** This is because writing is an important vehicle for learning. Providing writing opportunities help students to contemplate and evaluate the material while they consider the relationships between their content knowledge and their own knowledge. Making these connections are essential for students to fully understand what they are learning. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * Here are some tips:** (Taken from [|/www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/teachersatwork/1385/] and [|http://www.literacymatters.org/content/readandwrite/writing.htm)]

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 * 1) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Writing products let teachers see into the minds of their students.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Choose from an array of writing assignments (with varied audiences and purposes) that are relevant to your content and your students.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Allow students some choice over their topics.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Reduce your assessment anxieties. Use rubrics to facilitate a more holistic approach to assessment. (try [])
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Form a collaborative partnership with a language arts teacher.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Teach your students to use tools for making citation pages.
 * 7) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Show a model and be a model.
 * 8) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Writing tasks should be rooted deeply in meaningful content.
 * 9) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Students should have an opportunity to engage in the writing process, which includes planning and revising across multiple drafts.
 * 10) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Students should be given opportunities to collaborate with others (teacher or peers), incorporate feedback, and reflect upon their work.
 * 11) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Students should have a chance to write frequently and regularly.
 * 12) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Students should know in advance the criteria that will be used to assess their writing <span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">.
 * Additional Resources:**

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