2. Universal
Writing
Instruction that
Creates Equity
within the
Classroom
When a teacher ceases to
learn she/he ceases to teach.
…There is much learning to
be derived from the teaching
process. But the teacher
must remain the student if
the teacher is to grow.
~Emmanuel
Essential Questions:
• What do we want our students to
know and be able to do? How will we
know they have learned it? How will
we behave if they have not learned
it? What will we do if they already
know it?
• How does content understanding
support all students to become
independent and strategic writers of
narrative, informative and argument
text?
• What teaching decisions and moves
will empower and enable students to
develop deep understanding of
content?
With the Vermont Educational Quality
Standards (VT EQS) in mind, we need to
make sure all students are taught the most
important knowledge and skills needed to
proceed in life and make sure they have
learned it.
Guided by the essential questions listed
above, I can provide professional
development to suit the needs of your school
or school district that supports writing
across the curriculum, with a focus on
writing instruction that is supported by solid
universal instruction (Tier 1).
Teachers will:
• learn how understanding content
impacts writing proficiency.
• discover resources for pre and post
writing prompts
• explore three writing types
addressed in the Common Core
ELA and Speaking and Listening
State Standards.
• use backward lesson design to
create content area units
• examine text with an eye towards
scaffolding and close reading
• promote conversational
competencies
• learn organizational writing
structures
• design teaching moves which
support all learners
• promote content understanding in
order to produce proficient and
effective writing
• assess student learning by
creating task specific CCSS
aligned rubrics
discussion
under-
standing
content