A supplemental writing curriculum designed for primary English language arts instruction.

Abstract

The purpose of this curriculum project was to develop a combination of writing programs/strategies that would be most effective as a supplemental writing curriculum for kindergarten and first grade. Writing is an important literacy skill. It gives students an opportunity to express themselves, understand others’ perspectives, and prepare for a successful future. In order to become productive members of society, students need to be taught the conventions of writing, carrying their knowledge with them when they leave school. There is an assortment of different writing programs available to teachers. This study reviews three popular writing programs/strategies, specifically: Writing Workshops, 6+1 Traits, and Step Up to writing. The project examines the positive and negative characteristics of each program with the aim of combining specific aspects of each program into an effective supplemental curriculum for kindergarten and first grade.