Writing for Learning

This course explores writing across the curriculum through PLN’s research-based best practices. PLN’s frameworks - The Four Lenses of Learning and The Five Reading Writing Talking Processes - provide the theoretical foundations and structure for this course. These research-based frameworks shape how educators examine texts and how they reflect on oral and written composing lessons.

Through the demonstration of a variety of writing strategies, participants identify approaches for all students to be actively engaged in writing across the curriculum. Participants experience these practical writing strategies during course sessions and then adapt and implement them to meet the needs of their students in their subject-specific courses. These regular writing experiences help students become accustomed to the habit of writing as they build their stamina and fluency in writing. While students develop as writers, their understanding, processing, and learning of content is deepened. Participants reflect on the following practice questions throughout the course:

Why do students write?
How often do students write?
When do students write?
How does feedback support students’ thinking and writing development?

Participants deconstruct written text and identify the skills and experiences students need in order to create varied kinds of polished text. Course topics include reading comprehension and background knowledge, summarization, point of view and reasoning, sentence construction, and inquiry.