Translanguaging STrategy: Interactive Writing

Tip #1 Pair students by first language when possible. It's ok to include both English learners and native speakers of English in the group.

Tip #2 Encourage students who share the same first language to discuss their ideas in their first language.

Tip #3 Students with greater verbal proficiency in English can share their ideas orally in English.

Tip #4 Maintain a visual word wall nearby with relevant content and significant visual supports for students to pull from. Include the equivalent words in students' home languages.

Goal: Use all of a student's language resources (home language and English) to develop writing skills.

What: Small or Whole Group Writing

Who: Students learning how to write AND students learning how to write in English.

Procedure:

  • Interactive Writing involves creating a short shared writing piece between students and the teacher.

  • The content comes from what the students say. Students discuss and share their ideas orally before writing begins.

  • The teacher writes the words that are too difficult.

  • Students write or spell the words they know how to write in English.

  • The teacher creates balance between what the students write and what she writes based on students' proficiency levels.

  • This allows students to interactively write a piece that is more complex than what they could do on their own.

  • Interactive writing supports the development of students' ability to correctly use elements of English including grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, vocabulary, word order, sentence structure, and different types of writing.

Examples of Student Contributions:

  • Write high frequency words they know how to spell.

  • Write content vocabulary words they know how to spell.

  • Write parts of words they know how to spell.

  • Identify letters to write based on sound.