What is Guided Writing?
Similar to guided reading groups, guided writing allows teachers to focus on a specific writing goal that a small group of students is struggling with.
Teachers work with a handful of students on a writing strategy to help enhance their skills—whether that’s punctuation, grammar instruction, or incorporating adjectives to liven up their writing. There are many goals you can target in guided writing groups.
Sitting with a small group of students helps target writing strategy practice.
Why Do Guided Writing?
Guided writing groups allow you to give focused attention and practice on a specific writing goal with students who are struggling in that area.
For example, if you notice many students are struggling with expanding their sentences to include more descriptive language, you can pull them aside to work on this targeted skill.
How Do You Do a Guided Writing Session?
Just like a guided reading session, guided writing follows a structured format:
Select a targeted, specific writing goal. The smaller the goal, the quicker and easier it is for students to achieve with targeted practice. (Use my handy Writing Strategies List if you're not sure where to start).
Select 3-5 students who need support with this specific goal and would benefit from focused practice.
Start with a real-life example of your writing goal. For instance, showcase a photocopied sample that uses quotation marks correctly, and have students highlight and mark it up.
Practice using whiteboards or pencil and paper. Keep tasks short and focused—5 to 7 minutes is perfect for these sessions.
Repeat the sessions over multiple days until you notice mastery of the writing goal among the group.
Need Help? Download My FREE Writing Strategies Page
I’ve compiled a list of typical writing struggles for students in grades 3–6. Download a copy to help you choose strategies and prompts I use in my own classroom.
Cheers,
Maryana @ 3 Peaks Classroom
