Shared Writing

Shared writing builds on what the teacher has already demonstrated through model writing and is the important scaffold students need in order to attempt their own successful writing.

— Regie Routman

Definition

Shared writing is a short focused writing demonstration in which the teacher and students compose collaboratively using chart paper, white board or overhead. The teacher acts as expert and scribe for the students while demonstrating, guiding, and negotiating the creation of meaningful texts, focusing on the craft of writing as well as the conventions. Texts are typically short and completed in one session, although they may be longer and written over several days or weeks.

Teacher Role

Before	During	After
Connects skills, strategies and/or procedures to what teacher has previously modeled Chooses meaningful topic Identifies resources for instruction using teacher, student and author as sources Gathers students close for instruction	Tells students “what we’re doing and why” Begins writing and pauses to invite students’participation Shapes students’ language Looks for opportunities for all students to participate Moves along quickly Stops and rereads as you go Expands on the students’ ideas, paraphrases their thinking, and demonstrates what cohesive writing looks like and sounds like Keeps session short and focused (10-15 minutes)	Reinforces focus of the session Encourages students to apply skills, strategies, and/or procedures in their independent writing Sends students out to write Uses the product from the shared writing session as a resource and support for reading and writing

Before

During

After

Connects skills, strategies and/or procedures to what teacher has previously modeled

Chooses meaningful topic

Identifies resources for instruction using teacher, student and author as sources

Gathers students close for instruction

Tells students “what we’re doing and why”

Begins writing and pauses to invite students’participation
Shapes students’ language
Looks for opportunities for all students to participate

Moves along quickly
Stops and rereads as you go
Expands on the students’ ideas, paraphrases their thinking, and demonstrates what cohesive writing looks like and sounds like
Keeps session short and focused (10-15
minutes)

Reinforces focus of the session
Encourages students to apply skills, strategies, and/or procedures in their independent writing

Sends students out to write

Uses the product from the shared writing session as a resource and support for reading and writing

Student Role

Before	During	After
Comes to whole group area	Understands and communicates “what we’re doing and why” Listens Observes Interacts/contributes to the text Rereads the text Collaborates	Uses skills, strategies and/or procedures during independent writing Use the written text to read or uses as a resource for writing, editing, or further writing

Before

During

After

Comes to whole group area

Understands and communicates “what we’re doing and why”

Listens

Observes

Interacts/contributes to the text

Rereads the text

Collaborates

Uses skills, strategies and/or procedures during independent writing

Use the written text to read or uses as a resource for writing, editing, or further writing

Rationale

The strategies that writers use are constructed, not transmitted.

Shared writing is a terrific context in which students can practice and reinforce the strategies we model, making it more likely that they will apply those strategies when they write.

Shared writing is also an ideal social setting in which to get learners to focus on concepts of print, words, rich language, and how stories and texts work.

— Regie Routman