How will students learn about the mechanics of writing—spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and handwriting?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Instruction in the mechanics of writing occurs within two contexts: embedded in the writing workshop through focus lessons and editing checklists as well as explicitly, in isolation (e.g., skills such as letter formation and spelling). Students are provided instruction on the mechanics of writing during the focus lessons that begin each writing workshop. The students' needs determine which mechanical skills are taught. For example, the observant teacher notices when many of the students are not capitalizing the names of the months in their pieces and teaches a lesson on the importance of capitalizing the name of each month. Or the teacher might notice that the students write in short, choppy sentences and decide to teach a lesson on sentence combining. Second, when the writers have decided that the content of their pieces is just right and they wish to publish their pieces, they then turn their attention toward the mechanical details. They search their pieces, attempting to discover their errors. They circle the words they think are misspelled. They look for words that should be capitalized but are not, or words that are capitalized but should not be. They look carefully at how their letters are formed, circling those they think look odd. They search for places that need punctuation marks. They look carefully at the grammatical structures they have used. They might search with a friend after they have searched alone for their errors. Then the students and the teacher edit the pieces to be published, and the teacher provides one-on-one direct instruction on one or two rules the students need in order to correct mistakes in their pieces, bearing in mind that the pieces will be read by a particular audience.