This document compares two methods of writing instruction: writing workshop and interactive writing. Writing workshop involves individual writing time, conferencing with teachers, and sharing writing in a closing meeting. Interactive writing involves the whole class attending to letter sounds and words while the teacher shares pen duties. The study tested 24 Hispanic kindergarten students in Georgia on their writing ability before and after using each method to determine which better helped students become independent writers.

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Comparing Two Methods of Writing Instruction
by Catrina Reid
Writing
Workshop
Interactive
Writing

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Introduction
 Writing is an essential skill
that will benefit students for
the rest of their lives
 Writing has an effect on the
development of students’
academically, emotionally,
and socially.
 Two Methods: Writing
Workshop and Interactive
Writing

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Writing Workshop
 Work Time
 Actual writing
 Conferencing
 Students conference with
the teacher about their
progress
 Opening Meeting
 (Mini-lesson)
 Activating Hook
 Reading a book
 Looking at a video
 Closing Meeting
 Students share their writing

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Interactive Writing
 Whole Group
 Attend to details: letters, sounds, and words
 Negotiating, constructing, and rereading text
 Teacher shares the pen

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Setting
 In an urban classroom of 24 students
 Doraville, GA
Participants
 24 students
 85% Hispanic population

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The Test
 Pre-Test (Writing sample before the research begin)
 1 writing sample from Writing Workshop
 1 writing sample from Interactive Writing

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The Research
 Testing:
 Was the student able to choose their own
topic?
 Did the student use their own imagination to
develop their story?
 Was the student able to write at two
sentences about the same topic?
 Did the student use a capital letter to begin
the sentence and a period at the end?

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Main Goal
Independent Writers at the Kindergarten Level