.What are shared and interactive writing?
Shared and interactive writing are both a crucial stage to the Workshop Model. Shared and interactive writing are when the teacher and the students work together to create collaborative text (examples could be: lists, summaries, letters, paragraphs or poems). For shared writing, the teacher scribes as both parties contribute thoughts and ideas to the process (a shared experience). Interactive and shared writing encourage our learners to talk about the experience and make decisions as a group (genre and wording for example) as the learners offer suggestions, collaborate with partners or the whole group and interact positively with their peers. The group generates, expresses and refines the ideas and information. The final composition is often displayed in the classroom or distributed to each student for future reference. The only difference between shared and interactive writing is that instead of the teacher acting as the sole scribe, the students are invited to actively contribute to the physical writing.
Why are shared and interactive writing important?
During shared and interactive writing, the generation of ideas are co-constructed with students during collaborative discussion, learners develop understanding of the purposes, intrinsic motivation, and techniques of writing. Students engage with forms and functions, as they observe and participate in writing events facilitated by us. They develop and expand word knowledge as well as further understand purpose, perspective and audience. Once the text is revised and published, the shared or interactive writing is used as a mentor text for students to review the competencies and metacognitive strategies they interacted with to further hone their individual writing processes. Shared and interactive writing are ways to engage learners in composing and learning about different genres, forms, literary elements or devices and letter or text features as their participation builds ownership and joy for writing.
Shared and interactive writing are both a crucial stage to the Workshop Model. Shared and interactive writing are when the teacher and the students work together to create collaborative text (examples could be: lists, summaries, letters, paragraphs or poems). For shared writing, the teacher scribes as both parties contribute thoughts and ideas to the process (a shared experience). Interactive and shared writing encourage our learners to talk about the experience and make decisions as a group (genre and wording for example) as the learners offer suggestions, collaborate with partners or the whole group and interact positively with their peers. The group generates, expresses and refines the ideas and information. The final composition is often displayed in the classroom or distributed to each student for future reference. The only difference between shared and interactive writing is that instead of the teacher acting as the sole scribe, the students are invited to actively contribute to the physical writing.
Why are shared and interactive writing important?
During shared and interactive writing, the generation of ideas are co-constructed with students during collaborative discussion, learners develop understanding of the purposes, intrinsic motivation, and techniques of writing. Students engage with forms and functions, as they observe and participate in writing events facilitated by us. They develop and expand word knowledge as well as further understand purpose, perspective and audience. Once the text is revised and published, the shared or interactive writing is used as a mentor text for students to review the competencies and metacognitive strategies they interacted with to further hone their individual writing processes. Shared and interactive writing are ways to engage learners in composing and learning about different genres, forms, literary elements or devices and letter or text features as their participation builds ownership and joy for writing.
What do shared and interactive writing look like?
- Shared and interactive writing are learning experiences designed for small groups or the whole class with a duration of around 5 to 20 minutes. Plan lessons for different types of writing that presents particular collective challenges or introductions to genres, forms, devices or elements. Something to consider is to develop some background and language knowledge on the topic of interest and establish a purpose for the writing. In a shared experience, you are the scribe and write all the generated ideas and information. If engaging in an interactive write, use your discretion on when and what you want your students to write. Traditionally chart paper is used but other options could be text on a computer or paper and pen on a document camera. Small white boards are also a tool that can be used to help model the processes.
As you write, ask the students for input regarding aspects of the text you are creating and encourage expanding and deepening ideas with description and evidence. Hands up or paired discussion and sharing out are always skills we can draw on. “What should we write here? How should our story begin? Turn and tell your partner what I should write here?” can be posed to spawn conversation. Remember to consider the purpose of the shared or interactive experience - what strategies and skills are the focus. Demonstrate in-the-moment revision during shared writing as necessary to construct a strong draft. Reread the text to students from time to time to discuss what needs to be written next or to monitor whether or not the text conveys information clearly. Read the completed text to students. Have students summarize the competencies and strategies learned during the experience. Post the text in an accessible spot in the classroom or make individual copies for future reference, and provide opportunities for students to read or use the text multiple times.
Useful Videos
Please watch the videos below. They will provide some examples on how you could approach shared and interactive writing in your classroom.
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Learning together on the ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Nation.
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