Casework in K–6 Writing Instruction
Connecting Composing Strategies, Digital Literacies, and Disciplinary Content to the Common Core
Series:
Edited By Jenifer Jasinski Schneider
14. “Honey, what does that mean?”: Conferencing with a Struggling Writer (Fourth Grade)
Extract
RUTH SYLVESTER
Abstract
Mrs. Ring prepared her fourth grade students for a mandated writing assessment by assigning them a new writing prompt approximately every two weeks. In an attempt to make the prompt more engaging for students and to build their schema for the topic, she preceded the prompt with activities or a selected piece of literature. The day before assigning the prompt described below, Mrs. Ring read aloud the book The Widow’s Broom (Van Allsburg, 1992) and explained to her students that the read-aloud was intended to launch the writing assignment.
Setting
• Fourth grade
• Public school: 31% minority 43% free or reduced lunches
• Class: 11 males, 9 females; 12 white, 3 black, 5 Latino/Latina
• Teacher [Mrs. Ring]: White female; 10 years’ teaching experience; National Board Certification; MEd in Educational Leadership ← 175 | 176 →
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