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.
Demonstrated Proficiency of ELA.8.10.E
As students complete the revision process for a piece of writing, have them share their completed written work with the audience for which it was written. For example, a literary essay such as an adventure story, mystery, humorous piece, fantasy, or short story might be shared with a younger audience to enjoy. Perhaps join with an elementary class to share.
Further Explanation
Students are expected to prepare refined, completed drafts for specific intended audiences. Students should consider the intended audience during all stages of the writing process—brainstorming to final revising and editing—so the intended purpose for writing is achieved.
Supporting Information for ELA.8.10.E
Research
1. Kinsey, B., & Comerchero, V. A. (2012). Language in style: Formal language and tone. Communique 41(1), 37. Retrieved from https://www.nasponline.org/publications/periodicals/communique/issues/volume-41-issue-1
Summary: This one-pager addresses how language and words imply assumptions, beliefs, and biases. The one-pagers provides examples of how word choice and the sequence of words significantly change the meaning and underlying questions posed by the use of language. The authors advocate that writing should be appropriate for its audience and the writing style generally should be formal.
2. VanDerHeide, J., & Juzwik, M. M. (2018). Argument as conversation: Students responding through writing to significant conversations across time and place. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 62(1), 67–77. doi:10.1002/jaal.754
Summary: In this article, the author presents an instructional model that reconnects to the why of writing. The model of information reasoning requires students to learn how to make a claim, provide supporting evidence of that claim, and create additional examples of the claim through the use of analogies and stories. In this study, students were asked to write a letter in response to an ongoing conversation that was of particular importance to them. Personal experience helps to develop the students' ability to advocate for a position through writing. The approach requires scaffolding on argumentative writing instruction. This study includes multiple templates to guide the writing of the responses. This approach fosters the opportunity for students to participate in conversations that have a historical background. In doing so, students engage in topics of debate that have continued over time and in various spaces. Students are invited to participate in these discussions through their writing positions as arguing for or against a position.