English Language Arts and Reading.8.10.B.i

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The student is expected to

develop drafts into a focused, structured, and coherent piece of writing by:

 

organizing with purposeful structure, including an introduction, transitions, coherence within and across paragraphs, and a conclusion; and

writing process TEKS talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Composition: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--writing process. The student uses the writing process recursively to compose multiple texts that are legible and uses appropriate conventions.

Provide students with a writing checklist to use as they organize the structure of a piece of writing. Instruct students to use their experiences with texts in class in addition to their personal background knowledge to enhance their writing.

The writing checklist can include the following:

  • The essay has a clear introduction that captures the reader’s attention.
  • The essay has meaningful transitions that support the reader’s train of thought while reading.
  • The essay is coherent within and across paragraphs.
  • The essay has an effective conclusion that supports the points made in the essay.


Further Explanation

Students are expected to determine the best order in which to present the content of their compositions so that it is easily accessible to the reader. Students create an introduction that orients the reader to the focus or topic of the composition and/or engages the readers, encouraging them to continue reading. Students use transitions to add depth and detail to an idea or to introduce a new idea. Students consider the intended purpose of their compositions to create an effective conclusion, such as the importance of a point made in the composition, a feeling they want the reader to experience, or a directive they want the reader to follow.

having a clear and tightly connected relationship among all the parts in an effective speech or piece of writing achieved by ordering ideas, sentences, and paragraphs logically
the closing of a text or speech that reinforces and summarizes the message
Once students have planned their rough drafts, the next step in the writing process is to start organizing thoughts into sentences and paragraphs. This initial draft often includes frequent errors. Students should not focus on writing in a polished manner during this stage.
As students produce rough drafts, they are expected to bring focus by narrowing their topics and refining their writing. Students write topic sentences, add relevant details, and determine the most effective way to organize and present their ideas in a manner that best reflects their intended purpose. The order and logic of the writing should make it easy for the reader to follow.
in a piece of writing, the opening paragraph(s) used by a writer to encourage the audience to read what follows In informational, persuasive and argumentative pieces, it indicates what the paper will be about.
Students are expected to create an introduction (opening paragraph) that orients the reader to the focus or topic of the composition and/or engages the readers, encouraging them to continue reading. Students should use transitions to add depth and detail to an idea or to introduce a new idea. Students should also consider the intended purpose of their compositions to create an effective conclusion. The conclusion could stress the importance of a point made in the composition, a feeling they want the reader to experience, or a directive they want the reader to follow.
a word or phrase purposefully used to help sustain a thought or idea, linking sentences and paragraphs together smoothly so that there are no abrupt jumps or breaks between ideas

Research

1. Davidson, M., & Berninger, V. (2016). Informative, compare and contrast, and persuasive essay composing of fifth and seventh graders: Not all essay writing is the same. Journal of Psychoeducation, 34(4), 311-321.  doi:10.1177/0734282915604977

Summary: Middle schools students write three genres using background knowledge, graphic illustrations to enhance mental images, and oral reading (listening comprehension).  The results of the study suggest that students exhibited considerable difference between the genre, writing quality, organizational skills, and length. The study will provide teachers with an overview of approaches that may support students to write in multiple genres. Importance is placed on assessing genres. 

2. Klein, P. D., & Rose, M. A. (2010). Teaching argument and explanation to prepare junior students for writing to learn. Reading Research Quarterly, 45(4), 433–461. Retrieved from https://dx.doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.45.4.4

Summary: In this study, Klein and Rose examine how students respond to various writing tasks and assignments. The teachers used the process writing approach, which included creating an outline, drafts, and a final paper. The revision and edit process lends itself to implementing teacher and peer oral and written feedback. The study reveals that there are specific as well as varied means to teach the writing process to students. Students must use prior knowledge and have access to relevant external sources (i.e. internet).

3. Composition Writing Studio. Argumentative essay/commentary. University of Purdue’s Online Writing Lab. Retrieved from https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/argumentative_essays.html

Summary: This online resource offers a complete overview of the writing processes and the components involved in each. The overview includes definition of terms, examples, graphs, charts, and additional resources.