Writing with Multilingual Learners in the Elementary Grades

Writing with Multilingual Learners in the Elementary Grades

Date(s) & Time(s)

October 24, 2019   ~  9:00 am - 3:00 pm
October 25, 2019   ~  9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Workshop Description

This two-day workshop focuses on writing instruction that supports the use of the
Teaching and Learning Cycle as way to empower multilingual writers, not only to produce successful
academic writing, but, more importantly, to communicate effectively for a variety of purposes and
different audiences. We want students to know how to leverage writing as a powerful tool to
understand the world, express themselves effectively, learn from one another, and argue for the
things they believe in. This vision requires intentional, language-focused instruction and is
strengthened when it occurs through authentic writing tasks in the content areas.
In this interactive workshop we will explore a pedagogical approach that apprenticesmultilingual
learners into writing in various academic genres. Specifically, we?ll look at examples of this in science
and consider how this approach develops multilingual learners? writing skills and their awareness of
how language works in written form. This will allow them to become effective and informed writers
not only in science but across content areas.
Together, we will explore how to:
? build content area background knowledge with the whole class so that students are equipped
to write knowledgably about the topic
? explore the language of mentor texts with students in order to unpack highly valued ways of
using language in a specific genre
? jointly construct a text with students based on what was learned from those mentor texts
? support students as they apply their learning about language choices in a target genre to their
independent writing
? engage students in a cycle of review, reflection and revision to increase the effectiveness of
their own writing
Tools and resources in this workshop can easily be adapted for various

Location

Learning Resource Center Central
200 Riverview Plaza
large conference room
Trenton, NJ 08625

Registration

Registration Closed

Contact Information

Lori Ramella
Office of Supplemental Educational Programs
New Jersey Department of Education
PO Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625-0500
609-376-3807

>> ML@doe.nj.gov