Writing Stages

Activities / Procedures

Pre-writing:

·      Planning: selecting topics, generating ideas, organizing ideas, and related concepts to write about.

·      Determining purpose, audience and writing form.

·      Think

·      Brainstorm

·      Create webs or map of ideas

·      Read related information

·      List ideas

·      Make notes

·      Outline important points to include

Drafting:

·      Putting prewriting ideas into writing

·      Reading and rereading to see if it makes sense

·      Conferencing with teacher and peers to discuss and review writing

·      Have writing materials ready

·      Get ideas down

·      Concentrate on meaning and content

·      Skip lines and write on one side of paper

·      Circle unfamiliar words

·      Label: “Work–in-Progress”

·      Follow prewriting organizer

·      Remember: First drafts are not expected to be perfect.

Revising:

·      Making content changes discussed during peer or teacher conference(s).

·      Conference with peer and/ or teacher

·      Reread, reword, rewrite for clearer meaning

·      Use self- revising checklist

Editing:

·      Making punctuation, grammar, spelling and corrections;

·      Conferencing with teacher or peer to proofread and edit.

·      Reread

·      Check for spelling, capitalization, punctuation, form, verb agreement

·      Proofread

·      Use peer-editing and/or self-editing checklist

Sharing or Publishing:

·      Preparing and sharing writing on a regular basis.

·      Display for others to read in class and in school

·      Read work to others

·      Write to others

·      Write for class newsletter, local newspaper, etc.