Using Question Exploration as a Scaffold for Essay Writing
by Bulgren, Janis
Date: 2008
Conference presented: 30th Annual SIM Conference
Abstract:
The ability to write good answers to complex questions is becoming increasingly important across content areas. However, the time content teachers have to develop and teach writing skills in content classes is understandably limited. One response is to combine writing instruction scaffolds with continuing research-based content instruction. One such research-based routine is the Question Exploration Routine with its associated Question Exploration Guide. These focus on a critical question in a content area, helping teacher and students explore, answer, and generalize learning about an important content question. Research has shown that the Question Exploration Guide also provides a way to help students scaffold and write a five-paragraph essay. Results indicate that all students in an experimental condition, including those with disabilities, performed better on measures of content knowledge and on writing when scored with the 6-Trait Writing Analysis than did those in a control condition. Descriptions of the essay-writing scaffold and data will be presented. In addition, extensions to other Content Enhancement devices such as Concept Mastery and Concept Comparison will be explored.
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