[LIT] Step Up to Writing

[Cathy Durham]

Funny you should ask. I just got home from a day of review training on Step 
Up to Writing.

Step Up to Writing is a set of strategies and activities for teaching 
students various types of writing. It teaches baby steps for each feature of 
a written piece--topic sentences, transitions, details, conclusions, etc., 
and uses color coding to signal each feature. It goes from K through 12, 
building on each piece step-by-step. SUTW also gives strategies for using 
writing to help students comprehend what they're reading, including teaching 
vocabulary, summarizing, note-taking, and study skills.

Some people would think the writing component is too much like formula 
writing or too structured, but I think it's a really good foundation for the 
basics and provides a good departure point for more advanced writing. 
Students have to crawl before they can walk, and walk before they can run.

Because reading and writing were always so intuitive for me as a student, I 
never thought about all the components that go into a good piece of writing, 
so it has sometimes been difficult for me to communicate with students about 
how to do it. This gives me the tools to work with and the scaffolding that 
many of our ELL and low socio-econ. students need so desperately. I think 
this would also be helpful to those content teachers who are now finding 
they have to teach "writing across the curriculum."

SUTW is also aligned with writing programs or approaches such as "Six 
Traits," etc. I love SUTW and would recommend it to any teacher who is 
struggling with struggling writers.

Cathy Durham




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ljackson" <ljackson at gwtc.net>
To: "A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades." 
<lit at literacyworkshop.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:22 AM
Subject: [LIT] Step Up to Writing


>I need some quick feedback from any persons familiar with this program. 
>Our district has the opportunity to include some related training, but I am 
>unsure how this fits with our currect expectations and goals for writing 
>instruction.  Is this a program?  Is this an approach?  Limitations? 
>Benefits?
>
> Lori
>
>
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