1. Writing Across the
Curriculum
DeKalb High/Middle School

2. Do you use writing in
your classroom?

3. Common Core Standards
• Standards developed for K-12 in Math
and English Language Arts (ELA)
• Forty-five states have adopted these
standards
• Missouri has adopted; plan to implement
2014-2015 school year
(National Governors Assoc. for Best Practices & Council
of Chief State School Officers, 2010)

4. Common Core Standards
• ELA standards include
– Literature & informational text
– Foundational skills
– Writing skills
– Speaking & Listening Skills
– Language Skills
(National Governors Assoc. for Best Practices & Council
of Chief State School Officers, 2010)

5. Common Core Standards
• ELA standards also include literacy in
– Science
– Social Studies
– History
– Technical Subjects
(National Governors Assoc. for Best Practices & Council
of Chief State School Officers, 2010)

6. How can we
prepare our students
for the Common
Core?

7. Writing Across the
Curriculum

8. What is WAC?
• Learning to Write
• Writing to Learn
In ALL disciplines
(McLeod, 1987; McLeod & Maimon, 2000)

9. Benefits of WAC
• Provides students with writing
practice
• Great learning tool for students
• Works on students’ critical thinking
skills
• Shows students’ learning, thought-
processes, and misunderstandings
(McLeod, 1987; McLeod & Maimon, 2000)

10. Fears vs. Solutions
Fears Solutions
• Lack of expertise • Don't focus on grammar
• Write along with students
• Take time away from • Collaborate with
own content to teach teachers
writing • Stagger big writing
assignments
• More grading • Small writing assignments
just as beneficial as big
• Evaluation processes ones
• Evaluate only one-two
elements of writing
(Borchers, 2001; Fincke, 1982; Graham,
Gillespie, & McKeown, 2012; Graves, • Don’t grade everything!
1995; Gribbin, 1991; Kinloch, 2009)

11. What are some ways
you can incorporate
more writing into
your classroom?

12. Some Strategies
• Journals/Diaries/Logs
• Write for a Real Audience
• Write Daily
• Freewriting/Focused Freewriting
• (See Handout for More)
(Jacobs, 2002; Moss 1991)

13. Teachers Should…
• Model Writing
• Provide Expectations Clearly
• Provide Feedback/Conference
• Focus Less on Conventions
(Borchers, 2001; Fincke, 1982; Graham, Gillespie, &
McKeown, 2012; Graves, 1995; Gribbin, 1991; Kinloch,
2009; Moss, 1991)

14. Bibliography
Borchers, D. L. (2001). Writing across the curriculum: A simple approach to
correcting. New England Reading Association Journal, 37(2), 11-13.
Fincke, G. (1982). Writing across the curriculum in high school. The Clearing
House, 56(2), 71-73.
Graham, S., Gillespie, A., & McKeown, D. (2012). Writing: importance,
development, and instruction. Reading and Writing, 26(1), 1-15.
Graves, D. H. (1995). Be a better writing teacher. Education Digest, 60(9), 57-
60.
Gribbin, W. G. (1991). Writing across the curriculum: Assignments and
evaluations. The Clearning House, 64(6), 365-368.
Jacobs, V. A. (2002). Reading, writing, and understanding. Educational
Leadership, 60(3), 58-61.

15. Bibliography
Kinloch, V. (2009). Innovative writing instruction. The English Journal, 98(5),
103-107.
Maimon, S. M. (2000). Clearing the air: WAC myths and realities. College
English, 62(5), 573-583.
McLeod, S. (1987). Defining writing across the curriculum. WPA: Writing
Program Administration, 11(1-2), 19-24.
Moss, B. (1991). Promoting reading and writing in the middle-grade content-
area classroom. The Clearing House, 65(1), 11-13.
National Governors Association for Best Practices, C. o. (2010). Common core
standards. Washington, D.C.: National Governors Association Center
for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. Retrieved
from Common core state standards initiative.