Writing Prompts

Had a good second class. One of my favorite activities to do with students is writing prompts. For one, they are suitable for task initiation goals and writing goals. More importantly, they communicate how the student is doing. Even if that isn’t the question, you can gauge students’ effort level by how they write. Not even the volume, although that says something as well. It’s the thought, have I given this activity any of my thought processes. Usually, if a student does that, they will quickly reach a paragraph. If they are struggling to write down their thoughts, they will be able to express themselves verbally.
Writing structure and punctuation are all on display. That helps me determine what areas a student needs to work on. That’s it. There is no need to give a kid a bad grade. It is all about building instruction that works for the kids. I love the energy of the students in the class.