Access

Recruiting Interest

• Provide student choice in narrative topic (either real event of choice or imaginative story of choice).

• Think about an event that has occurred in your life - describe the event in chronological sequence.

• Provide prompts to help engage students in narrative topics.

• Post anchor charts detailing the characteristics of narrative writing - anchor charts should include pictures and words to provide access for all students.

• i.e., plot elements, character development, point of view, writing and punctuating dialogue, sensory details, etc. 

Perception

• Provide access to mentor texts in various ways.

• i.e., teacher read aloud, listen to an audio recording, have students partner read.

• Provide a visual of required components of narrative writing

• i.e., plot elements, character development, point of view, writing and punctuating dialogue, sensory details, etc.

Physical Action

• Provide student choice in method of writing.

• i.e., hand written, typed, speech to text

• Provide tools to students based on method of writing

• i.e., handwritten - pencil grips, paper copies of graphic organizers, different paper choices, etc.

• i.e., typed - digital copies of graphic organizers, keyboards, specific apps, etc.

• Provide opportunities for alternate seating throughout the writing process. 

Build

Sustaining Effort & Persistence

• Vary the length or complexity of narrative writing to fit student needs.

• Create checkpoints and timelines for student accountability. 

• Peer conferencing with clear expectations (“glows and grows” - glows are areas of strength and grows are areas they could improve by expanding or refining).

• Individual writing conferences with clear feedback focused on effort and improvement. 

Language & Symbols

• Review narrative components as a class.

• Provide students a note/guide sheet with definitions and examples of each narrative component.

Expression & Communication

• Provide graduated support for students.

• For example, for events unfolding in chronological sequence - have students orally develop short sequences of events, share with a partner, and provide feedback on success

• Provide student choice in publishing format.

• i.e., paragraph format, book format, movie with subtitles, etc.

Internalize

Self Regulation

• Provide students with narrative component checklists.

• Set realistic goals and timelines with students for completion of each stage of the narrative writing process.

• Timelines should include accountability check ins with both peer partner and teacher.

• Model ‘getting stuck’ in the writing process and strategies to overcome this challenge.

• i.e., reading a mentor text, conferencing with a peer and/or teacher.

Comprehension

• Use mentor texts to teach and model specific characteristics of narrative writing (be sure to highlight essential elements).

• i.e., plot, characters, dialogue, point of view, sensory details, etc.

• Model the writing process (brainstorming - publishing).

• Provide opportunities for students to make connections to concepts. 

• For example: for sensory details have students describe photos or items/artifacts in groups.

• Provide graphic organizers for each stage of the writing process and the various components of narrative writing

• i.e., brainstorming, drafting, revising/editing, publishing, plot map, punctuating dialogue, etc. 

Executive Function

• Provide exemplar essays to demonstrate mastery. 

• Students can use exemplar essays as an example to see what proficiency looks like, to gather ideas on how to format their narrative, or as a model for any of the narrative components. 

• Create a writing portfolio to organize and manage resources and graphic organizers.