Growing As Informational Writers

Self Assessments and Peer Feedback in Informational Writing

In the Writing Workshop, fourth graders are currently writing informational drafts. They are using their power as communicators to inform and teach readers about a topic they know well. They collected ideas for their topic, organized the structure of their writing and drafted their first informational piece of the unit. 

After completing their first draft, writers were reflective by self assessing their writing using the Information Writing Checklist. They checked the areas they felt they had included in their drafts such as organization, strong leads, ending, elaboration, etc.  The areas they may have left out or not yet developed, will most likely become their writing goals to develop in their next draft.

 

Peer feedback is one of the most effective ways that writers in the workshop can grow and improve their writing. After each writer reads a classmate's piece of writing, they share useful and specific feedback that will help the writer. Often times, feedback includes a compliment on a technique the writer used well, and a piece of advice the writer could use when working on their next draft. 

 As the unit continues, we look forward to continue growing as reflective learners and writers by using our self assessments and peer feedback.