Writing Components in a Balanced Literacy Classroom

Writing Components in a Balanced Literacy Classroom

COMPONENT	INTERACTIVE WRITING	SHARED WRITING	GUIDED WRITING	INDEPENDENT WRITING
GRADE	K-2	K-12	K-12	K-12
DESCRIPTION	Teachers and students collaboratively develop text while "sharing the pen" to write it.	Teacher and students work together to compose texts with the teacher serving as a scribe.	Teacher provides explicit instruction and continuous feedback during all stages of the writing process as needed to individual students or small groups of students.	Students compose and write their own texts.
PURPOSE	Provides students with opportunities to learn about and participate in the process of writing Teaches concepts of print Provides opportunities to apply letter-sound knowledge and spelling patterns in context Provides opportunities for students to read and write high-frequency words Helps students understand that reading and writing are reciprocal processes Provides texts that children can revisit and read independently	Demonstrates how the writing process works by focusing on grade level specific features of composing, written expression, and mechanics/usage Teaches and models writing and conventions of print Provides opportunities for students to contribute ideas Models writing a variety of text types Provides written language references for the classroom	Allows teachers to teach the writing process and to model writing strategies Provides opportunities for students to write in different genres with teacher support on assigned and self-selected topics Provides opportunities for students to reflect on their writing and to use feedback (from teacher or peers) to make corrections and revisions Provides opportunities for students to discuss and share what they have written Provides students opportunities to utilize technology when appropriate	Provides opportunities to apply the writing process on self-selected or assigned topics Provides opportunities to write in different genres for different purposes and audiences Provides opportunities for students to produce writing in different forms (e.g., expository, descriptive, narrative, persuasive) Provides opportunities for students to discuss and share what they have written Provides opportunities for students to utilize technology when appropriate
FREQUENCY	Daily in Kindergarten (as needed in grades 1 and 2;any subject area)	Daily (any subject area)	Daily (any subject area)	Daily (any subject area)
STRUCTURE	Whole class or small group	Whole class or small group	Individual or small group	Individual