What is the writing process?

The writing process teaches students to internalize the steps for producing a finished piece of writing
and should entail the recursive phases of pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. When
students internalize the process approach, they are prepared to produce logical and well written
documents which convey an appropriate message for a specific audience in personal, academic, and
professional contexts.

All stages in the writing process may be condensed in a timed writing, but they are addressed, even
briefly. Internalizing the writing process helps students improve on demand or timed essay
performance. In a professional environment, the same steps in the writing process should be employed
for presentations and even emails. In scientific and technical contexts, where the purpose for writing
may not be production within a limited time frame but rather ease of replication, working through the
writing process is still a valuable exercise. Learning, implementing, and internalizing the writing process
helps students to produce effective writing for a variety of purposes including writings that may not
proceed through the full writing process.

The writing process compared to the building of a house: How might a teacher illustrate the
writing process with students?
Students may be able to understand the
value of each stage of the writing process
if it is compared to more familiar activities,
such as drawing ones home or making a
lunch. It is important for students to
understand that while all writing
assignments may not formally progress
through each stage of the writing process,
to become a better writer, students must
An architect and a practice each stage. Students can be
homeowner discuss introduced to the writing process by
what sort of house using drawing as a metaphor for
is desired. writing.

Drawing the Writing Process

Illustrating the Writing
Process

Pre-Writing: The pre-writing

stage helps expand or narrow
focus, and identify and/or
organize ideas. It is the planning
phrase of the writing process.
The Idea and Organization Traits
are important in the prewriting
phrase as the writer considers
narrowing or expanding the
writing focus and selects an
organizational structure that will
most effectively showcase the
students ideas.

Students having difficulties with Pre-

Writing may benefit from:

quick writes
free-writing and writing
workshops (narrative)
keeping journals or learning logs
multi-sensory museum boxes or
 station activities
(informative/explanatory)
role-playing or dramatization
activities (argument)
outlining the form, audience,
topic, and purpose [FAT P]
concept mapping software, such
as Inspiration

Pre-Writing Resources:

Graphic Organizers: Read-Write-

Think | EduPlace
Brain Pop
Videos: Prewriting | Outlining
Outlining: Student Document

Drafting : This stage involves the

students in organizing ideas into a
coherent structure. The goal of drafting is
to translate ideas into written organization
without being constrained by word choice,
sentence structure, conventions, and
presentation. Models of exemplar writing
help students build a visual map in order
to draft their ideas according to
specifications. Informal conferences with
teachers or peers can occur during this
phase to provide feedback to the writer.

Students struggling with Drafting may

benefit from

storyboards, planning guides or

other graphic organizers
collaborative drafting (teacher
and student, small group)
chunking instruction time
An architect draws the designs for a house to communicate with the owner and the builder. A builder audio recording software, such
lays the foundation and creates the frame (structure) of the house according to the architect's plan and as Audacity
with respect to code. text recognition software, such
as Kurzweil 3000 or Dragon
Naturally Speaking
Student Writing Models
thesis writing resources: Crafting
a Thesis, Thesis and
Support, Additional Thesis Help
Writing Introductions
Writing Body Paragraphs
conclusion writing
resources: Conclusions, Strategi
es for Conclusions
 Revising: This stage focuses on
improving student writing. Students
rethink, rework, and refine their writing.
Students apply their knowledge of
language skills and sentence structure in
order to become better writers. The first
five Traits are critical to effective revision
of the content: Idea, Organization, Voice,
Word Choice, and Sentence Fluency .

Students having difficulties

with Revising may benefit from

Praise-Question-
Polish (narrative)
text-mimicry
reformatting longer writings into
separate pages/parts, cutting
them up, and moving them
around to
reorganize (informative/explanat
ory)
The builder makes changes to the house plans as needed. A roof is added and all other fundamental
panel critique (argument)
parts of a homeplumbing, electrical wiring, etc. are added to the structure. peer-review color-coding
activities (green dot for
understanding, yellow dot for
questions, red dot for
confusion/inaccuracies)
teacher-created checklists
Basic Checklist Creator
Detailed Checklist Creator
(grades 5-8)
Detailed Checklist
Creator (grades 9-12)
Checklist for Informative Writing
Using Transition Words
Transitions

Editing: This stage involves the

beautification of the piece and should be
undertaken when all revisions to the
content are complete. The writing is
revisited to correct errors in grammar,
mechanics, and usage and made be done
independently or by engaging in peer
editing. The Conventions Trait is the most
prominent at this phase of the writing
process.

An interior designer A strong foundation in the conventions of

and the owner paint and Standard English is important, but not
furnish the house. A essential to students working
landscaper beautifies the on Editing their own or a peers writing.
exterior of the house. Students may benefit from

mini-lessons
 teacher-created checklists
gradual release of responsibility
model
Sample Peer Review Sheet

Publishing: This stage involves sharing

the writing with an intended audience and
may involve preparing a neatly
handwritten or word processed copy of
the final draft and the addition of
illustrations or other graphic elements.
Publication may extend to a multimedia
presentation or lead to a public
performance. In most cases, the teacher
is a member of the audience and is
encouraged to give credit for the process
and the completed piece at this stage.
The Presentation Trait is emphasized
during this phase of the writing process as
the writer works to make the piece
appealing and inviting to the audience.

While sharing ones writing is an important

goal of instruction focused on
the Publishing stage, students may need
The new homeowner assistance with document design and
invites friends, family, formatting, selecting illustrations and
and neighbors to an creating graphs, and adding other
Open House. components to make it easier for an
audience to approach the writing.
Students may benefit from

panel critique
gallery walks
interdisciplinary partnerships

Revisiting: This post-publication stage

occurs after the essay is published and
graded. Based on teacher direction, the
students may return to the composition to
rework language of the text. In the same
way that athletic coaches and players
recognize that reviewing game tape and
sometimes returning to fundamentals is
the only way to continuously improve
performance, teachers and students
As a house ages, as a homeowners family grows, repairs and additions may be desirable. should use finished pieces to practice
composition skills in preparation for future
 assignments.

For example, a teacher might recognize

after grading the set of papers that
students did not vary sentence
beginnings. Given this information, the
teacher might ask the students to return to
a piece of writing and revise three
sentences so that they begin with verbals.
Or, a teacher may direct students to
practice writing different types of
conclusions in preparation for another
assignment. Similarly, a student may
review his/her writing portfolio and select
a piece from a previous year to expand.

As students develop increased

independence, teacher guidance during
the Revisiting may be relaxed in favor of
revisiting past writings to expand or
narrow focus, to integrate research and
other sources, or to present the writing to
a different audience. Students may
benefit from

deconstructing exercises
recontextualizing
concept mapping
research activities

RESOURCES Resources for Teachers and Students:

Resources for Grades 7-12

Instructors and Students (Perdue
OWL)
Graphic Organizers: Read-Write-
Think | EduPlace
Style and Content in Specific
Areas
OWL Purdue Lesson on
Summarizing vs. Paraphrasing

Audio and Video:

Brain Pop
Videos: Prewriting | Outlining
Podcast: The Writing Process: A
Case Against Requiring Outlines
Video series: AuthorJanet
Angelillo on
student Revising (Scholastic)
Safari Montage Playlist: (K-
8) (9-12)
Interactive:

Write It (Scholastic): An online

writing resource thats packed
with engaging ways to build your
students writing skills. The site
provides teachers and students
with:
o Resources from Literary
Cavalcade and other
Scholastic publications.
o Units of lessons and
activities which focus on
specific genres like
Poetry, Essay, Short
Fiction, Memoir, Humor,
and Journalism.
o An Interactive Online
Community for students
and teachers to share
and discuss writing
o Teacher's Guide