EDER657 - Writing: Theory, Research, Differentiated Instruction and Assessment

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Nil

Unit rationale, description and aim

Writing is probably the most complex literacy skill that children learn in schools. Writing requires integration of a number of complex skills, including generating and organising ideas, grammatical and syntactic knowledge, knowledge of text structure, transcription skills and adaptation of word choice. Content knowledge, attention and stamina are also required in order to write a text. The recent NAPLAN and PISA results indicate that the writing skills of Australian students are not progressing as expected, and more effective writing instruction is required in primary and secondary schools to prepare students for further studies and future professions. It is therefore critical that teachers working with developing writers understand how writing is conceptualised in writing research, can analyse and assess research on effective writing instruction for diverse students, can design evidence-based differentiated instruction for their students, and know how to assess their students’ writing and evaluate the effectiveness of their writing instruction.   

In this unit students examine different theoretical models of writing development and the processes and strategies they identify as important for quality writing instruction. They will analyse the best available evidence-based instructional approaches for improving writing quality, and effective strategies to teach sentence level as well as text level writing. This includes effective instruction for different text types and structures along with their purposes and linguistic features. The students will examine and experiment with promising evidence and strategies for creating motivating environments for diverse students, including collaboration and use of digital technologies. Finally, the students will analyse the research on effective feedback and assessment practices in writing. 

The aim of this unit is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to lead their colleagues in developing effective writing instruction and assessments for students with diverse needs.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED

On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards: 

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - LEAD

On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards: 

Content

Topics will include:

• Theoretical models and key components of writing development
• Process models of writing (e.g., Hayes & Berninger, 2012)
• Sociocultural models of writing
• Text transcription skills including handwriting, keyboarding and word processing
• Pre-writing: building knowledge and ideas
• Sentence structures and punctuation
• Collaborative and creative writing activities
• Strategy development
• Self-regulation and reflexive approach to writing

• Considering the purpose and context
• Purposes and structures of different text types (narrative, descriptive, expository and persuasive) along with their linguistic features
• Grammar in context: teaching sentence structures with a focus on form and function
• Authentic purpose and audience
• Strategies for creating motivating environments, including multimodal texts, creativity and digital technologies

• Evidence-based models of text writing
• Self-regulated strategy development (SRSD)
• Writing to Learn
• Writing workshops
• Process writing
• Inquiry based writing

• Effective feedback and assessment practices
• Metalinguistic knowledge
• Metatalk
• Formative and summative assessments
• Self and peer assessment
• Progress monitoring and program evaluation
• Evaluation of writing quality
• Detecting writing problems and difficulties 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

The writing unit is offered in multi-mode format and supported by a unit Learning Management System (LMS) site. In all modes, students are required to use the online learning platform that provides asynchronous access to lectures, readings, and quizzes. In a weekly attendance mode, students are required also to attend tutorials, presentations, and discussions in person in specific physical location/s whereas in an intensive mode the required in-person sessions take place during weekends or other blocks of time determined by the school. In online mode, students are required to participate in a series of interactive online workshops in addition to the regular online learning.

Engagement for learning is the key driver in the delivery of this unit. The unit will facilitate active participation in pedagogical approaches that demonstrate alignment of teaching, learning and assessment and incorporate: 

• Online digital resources, including reference readings, database and document searches, and recorded lectures from experts;
• Online or face-to-face small group collaborative learning to foster reflective practice following a personal analysis, evaluation and synthesis of relevant literature and instructional and assessment practices in different schools; 
• Online forum and chat tools to build a community of learners; and 
• Problem-based learning sessions to develop necessary skills and analyse and apply learning to school case studies. 

This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester.

Mode of delivery: This unit will be offered in one or more of modes of delivery described below, chosen with the aim of providing flexible delivery of academic content.

• On Campus: Most learning activities or classes are delivered at a scheduled time, on campus, to enable in-person interactions. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
• Intensive: In an intensive mode, students require face-to-face attendance on weekends or any block of time determined by the school. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for you students to prepare and revise. 
• Multi-mode: Learning activities are delivered through a planned mix of online and in-person classes, which may include full-day sessions and/or placements, to enable interaction. Activities that require attendance will appear in a student’s timetable.
• Online unscheduled: Learning activities are accessible anytime, anywhere. These units are normally delivered fully online and will not appear in a student’s timetable. 
• Online scheduled: All learning activities are held online, at scheduled times, and will require some attendance to enable online interaction. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to successfully complete this unit, the students need to complete and pass all three assessment tasks. The first two tasks offer students opportunities to demonstrate knowledge of writing theories, research, instruction and assessments, and the third allows them to show their skills in designing effective practices for their students and schools. 

The first task (20%) consists of weekly quizzes that assess understanding of the core content of lectures and readings and provides students an opportunity to continuously monitor their own learning. The second task (30%) requires students to demonstrate their understanding of issues associated with writing theory and research by explicating their own instructional theory. The third task (50%) is related to knowledge of evidence-based instruction and assessments, and requires the students to apply their knowledge and skills to designing evidence-based writing instruction and assessment for their current or future students.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

ACARA National Literacy Learning Progressions https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/national-literacy-and-numeracy-learning-progressions/national-literacy-learning-progression/writing/

Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Olson, C. B., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers: A Practice Guide. NCEE 2012-4058. What Works Clearinghouse.

Graham, S., McKeown, D., Kiuhara, S., & Harris, K. R. (2012). A meta-analysis of writing instruction for students in the elementary grades. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104(4), 879-896. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029185

Graham, S., Hebert, M., & Harris, K. R. (2015). Formative assessment and writing: A meta-analysis. The Elementary School Journal, 115(4), 523-547. https://doi.org/10.1086/681947

Gillespie, A., & Graham, S. (2014). A meta-analysis of writing interventions for students with learning disabilities. Exceptional Children, 80(4), 454-473.

Harris, K. R., Ray, A., Graham, S., & Houston, J. (2019). Answering the challenge: SRSD instruction for close reading of text to write to persuade with 4th and 5th Grade students experiencing writing difficulties. Reading and Writing, 32(6), 1459-1482.

Harris, K. R., Graham, S., Friedlander, B., & Laud, L. (2013). Bring powerful writing strategies into your classroom! Why and how. The Reading Teacher, 66(7), 538-542.

Hochman, J. C., & Wexler, N. (2017). The writing revolution: A guide to advancing thinking through writing in all subjects and grades. John Wiley & Sons.

Mayes, A. S., Coppola, E. C., & Fa, B. (2020). Using theatre to develop writing skills: The story pirates idea storm. The Reading Teacher, 73(4), 473-483.

Myhill, D., Jones, S., & Lines, H. (2018). Supporting less proficient writers through linguistically aware teaching. Language and Education, 32(4), 333-349.

Myhill, D., Jones, S., Watson, A., & Lines, H. (2013). Playful explicitness with grammar: A pedagogy for writing. Literacy, 47(2), 103-111.

Purcell‐Gates, V., Duke, N. K., & Martineau, J. A. (2007). Learning to read and write genre‐specific text: Roles of authentic experience and explicit teaching. Reading Research Quarterly, 42(1), 8-45.

Ryan, M., Weber, L., Barton, G. and Dutton, J. (2022). Exploring the impact of a reflexive, co-designed program of professional learning for the teaching of writing in elementary school classrooms. Literacy Research and Instruction. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388071.2022.2130115

Ryan, M., Khosronejad, M., Barton, G., Kervin, L. & Myhill, D. (2021). A reflexive approach to teaching writing: Enablements and constraints in primary school classrooms. Written Communication. 38(3), 417-446.  https://doi.org/10.1177/07410883211005558 

Slavin, E.R., Lake, C., Inns, A., Baye, A., Dachet, D., Haslam, J. (2019). A Quantitative Synthesis of Research on Writing Approaches in Years 3 to 13. London: Education Endowment Foundation. The report is available from: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Writing_Approaches_in_Years_3_to_13 _Evidence_Review.pdf