High School Writing Curriculum Combines Mastery Learning and Creative Writing to Improve Student Achievement in Sentence Structure, Fluency, Voice and Grammar.

<BODY> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#000000><font face=papyrus>Transform the Quality of Your Students' Writing Grades 7-12</FONT></U></P> <P><font face=arial><FONT SIZE=2 COLOR=#000000>"Bruce, The proof of any teacher's effectiveness is in the performance of his students, and you and I both know that the work your kids have produced is superb. Their observation skills, their ability to use language to vividly describe their observations, and their rapidly increasing understanding of syntax and sentence structure are among the most impressive I've ever seen as an English teacher, principal, or superintendent in any school at any grade level or program.</P> <P><FONT SIZE=2>The fact that you have produced this level of accomplishment with such young kids is incredible."</FONT></P> <P><font face=arial><FONT SIZE=2 COLOR=#000000>--Bellevue Supt. Mike Riley visits Saari's Bellevue International School writing class*</FONT></STRONG></B></P> </TD></TR> <TBODY> </TABLE> </DIV> <DIV ALIGN="left"><TABLE WIDTH="70%" BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0><TBODY> <TR VALIGN="top"> <TD> <P>   </P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#000000><font face=papyrus>                 To all teachers of writing, grades 7-12:</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>There are no shortcuts to writing achievement breakthroughs within your classrooms.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Yet, many teachers continue to opt for quick fix activities that teach students to spot conventional errors...</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>But that do not guide them to go beyond the language skills they brought with them when they entered the classroom.</UL></EM></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>Our goal is guide students to develop enthusiasm for word choice, for precision, and for finding language that communicates powerfully and clearly. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>A study of Six Traits rubrics will not do it. Daily oral language will not do it. Programs for writing across the curriculum will not do it. Merely assigning more writing will not do it. Neither will school-wide writing across the curriculum programs fulfill this expectation. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>A highly successful teacher of writing must engender a love of language within his/her students, and must have a curriculum that builds enthusiasm for writing at the same time that it overcomes the language laziness and resistance that often goes hand in hand with adolescence. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>Such a teacher has a high goal: to meet students where they are...and then take them to <U>where they are not</U>: toward much higher language choice and sentence construction skill levels. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>Such breakthrough achievements in writing achievement require teachers to <U>transform</U> student awareness of language possibilities, and to equip them with the tools they need to move beyond self-limiting, entry-level language patterns. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>More writing is not the same as better writing; and engaging groups of secondary level sudents in the task of making an elementary level sentence "correct" does not change its nature as an elementary sentence. Neither does it transform their awareness of what might be possible.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Student writing breakthroughs can only be achieved in a writing program that is lively, easy to teach, and that combines systematic, cumulative skill development with short, high interest assignments that are designed for frequent closure and quick turnaround. A program where students put in the effort, master a technique, and then can quickly see the results of their achievement.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>In a high powered writing achievement program, students must be guided to do the work, not study or review rubrics, or prepare for standardized tests. Students will easily surpass standardized test expectations once their classrooms have become laboratories for skill development and application. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>A study of Six Traits rubrics will not do it. Daily oral language will not do it. Programs for writing across the curriculum will not do it. Merely assigning more writing will not do it. Neither will school-wide writing across the curriculum programs fulfill this expectation. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>The Topschools writing program is the product of over thirty years of teaching reading, writing and thinking at the secondary level. My constant goal: how to find the key to unlock student resistance to writing and to thinking about, and valuing written expression. Standardized test score results for my student writers are available <A HREF="TestScores.htm" TARGET="_top">here.</FONT></A></UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>A study of Six Traits rubrics will not do it. Daily oral language will not do it. Programs for writing across the curriculum will not do it. Merely assigning more writing will not do it. Neither will school-wide writing across the curriculum programs fulfill this expectation. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>This is what high energy English classrooms should be about: </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>The excitement of exploring the beauty and precision of language...</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>The acquisition of the skills necessary to write and read increasingly complex and effective sentence patterns...</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Developing the abiliity to generate richer, more varied sentences that naturally compel writers to provide higher levels of evidence and supporting detail...</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>...And the satisfaction of seeing one's writing skills grow on a daily basis. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Why shouldn't a writing class be the most exciting class in the entire school?</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>Imagine a selection of sentences written by your 7th-12th graders as part of a short (two paragraph) creative writing assignment entitled "Still Life: <B> An Old Work Shoe":</B></UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>"...a slothful bootlace curls, loops and winds dronishly through the rusty, metal holes, creating a clustered, knotted look"</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>"...its worn, brass eyelets rusting, the dreary shoe tugs toothlessly at a besmirched, spurious lace..."</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>A study of Six Traits rubrics will not do it. Daily oral language will not do it. Programs for writing across the curriculum will not do it. Merely assigning more writing will not do it. Neither will school-wide writing across the curriculum programs fulfill this expectation. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>"descending and submerging, a criss-cross patterned sole sinks into the damp, boggy soil..."</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>"a seam, ravelling and slipping, arches around the worn and dusty surface...a mucky, sweat-blemished shoe tongue cowers between two mountains of uplifting leather..."</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>"a silver, dulled hook, its metal oxidizing, holds out its ends to clasp on to ancient, threadbare laces..."</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>These sentences are independent creations--not fill the blanks templates created by the instructor. They were crafted by secondary students who were half-way through an 18 week curriculum that developed voice and fluency at the same time that it developed sentence construction skills.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Overwritten as they are, these sentences are emblematic of a dramatically heightened awareness of the precision and descriptive power of language. This awareness is the important thing...and its cross-curricular transferability extends to every writing and reading assignment made in each and every class. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Using the same program that I have used with over 5,000 students, teachers guide their classes through a seamless series of concrete, easily teachable lessons that lead to proficiency. No textbooks are required; no handouts are distributed.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Regardless of background or preparation, teachers now have the opportunity to become the master writing instructors that each aspires to be. I invite all teachers of writing--whether novices or experts--to join me on this instructional journey.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=4 COLOR=#000000><font face=papyrus><B>Topschools Writing Program:</B></FONT> <P><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>9-18 week writing curriculum develops high performance writing, reading and thinking skills for all student participants, grades 7-12. </UL></FONT></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>A study of Six Traits rubrics will not do it. Daily oral language will not do it. Programs for writing across the curriculum will not do it. Merely assigning more writing will not do it. Neither will school-wide writing across the curriculum programs fulfill this expectation. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=4 COLOR=#000000><font face=papyrus><B>Impact for Teachers:</B></FONT> <P><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Topschools writing curriculum guides teachers & students through a seamless sequence of short, high interest writing activities that develop voice, fluency, analytical power, and sentence construction skills. Activities are focused, have clear targets, and provide for frequent closure and student demonstration. Sharing and demonstration of student work develops confidence, as well as pride in new learning. Lessons are designed to be taught effectively, whether the teacher is a veteran or a newcomer to composition and sentence construction. This curriculum addresses and <U>challenges</U> the full spectrum of student abilities--from those below grade level to those in Advanced Placment courses.</UL></FONT></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>A study of Six Traits rubrics will not do it. Daily oral language will not do it. Programs for writing across the curriculum will not do it. Merely assigning more writing will not do it. Neither will school-wide writing across the curriculum programs fulfill this expectation. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=4 COLOR=#000000><font face=papyrus><B>Impact for Students:</B></FONT> <P><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Undeveloped language skills can impose limits on the depth and quality of student thinking. In this curriculum, students learn to design, write and read sentences that force higher order language and thinking skills. With skills like these, students overpower standardized tests that measure student thinking, writing and reading. </FONT></UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=4 COLOR=#000000><font face=papyrus>Overview of Topschools Writing Program:</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Q: How do students learn?</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>A: Students learn by receiving clear instructions about what is expected, clear examples of what is expected, and numerous in-class opportunities to practice and to share their mastery of learning targets.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Q: How do students internalize this learning?</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>A: Repetition and reinforcement are the keys: clear tactics for sentence construction are presented, and students are obligated to reproduce and share these during class in short, targeted writing assignments.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Q: How can students buy into this curriculum and its activities?</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>A: Short, very specific, high interest descriptive writing activities create clear targets, and provide quick closure, success and reinforcement. Students can clearly see their writing skills grow on a daily basis.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial> Opportunities for group collaboration create shared discovery and enthusiasm for learning in the classroom.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Q: Is this another grammar program? I already have a room full of grammar texts.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>A: We all do. And we have all tried to use them, or their workbook derivatives at one time or another in order to teach writing skills. The Topschools program has a heavy grammatical and sentence construction emphasis, absolutely. Because it is about the English language and its use, the contents of the program, when read as a list of topics, look very much like the contents of a grammar book: verbals, appositives, introductory participial phrases and so on.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>But here the similarity ends. The Topschools program is a method; a way of teaching, a way of practicing, a way of engaging students, and a way of sequencing specific learning activities so that each adds to what has come before as they guide the student to mastery. This is the method that has been missing from our instructional practice; and this absence has made writing instruction such a daunting task for so many--especially for students. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>A study of Six Traits rubrics will not do it. Daily oral language will not do it. Programs for writing across the curriculum will not do it. Merely assigning more writing will not do it. Neither will school-wide writing across the curriculum programs fulfill this expectation. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>A study of Six Traits rubrics will not do it. Daily oral language will not do it. Programs for writing across the curriculum will not do it. Merely assigning more writing will not do it. Neither will school-wide writing across the curriculum programs fulfill this expectation. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=4 COLOR=#000000><font face=papyrus>Topschools Writing is Not A Traditional Approach:</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Emphasis on in-class laboratory learning</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Emphasis on interaction, frequent closure, frequent feedback/formative assessment</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>De-emphasis on daily grading�the work is done in class and students know instantly how they stand</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Emphasis on application of new learning NOW</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Emphasis on starting with simple concepts and moving to highly challenging complexity</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Emphasis on short sentence and multiple sentence assignments that target skills and provide quick turnaround and classroom critique</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Emphasis on �getting it," �demonstrating it� and �using it� </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Emphasis on observation & discovery</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Opportunities for group collaboration, but always an emphasis on individual products and accountability</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Required classroom materials: One good quality thesaurus for each student. One dictionary per two students.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=4 COLOR=#000000><font face=papyrus>Sample Mastery Targets for Voice, Fluency and Precision</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Concrete nouns applied</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Abstract nouns applied</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Verbs and verbals applied</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Prepositional phrases & agreement issues </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Powerful word cache development</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Effective thesaurus use</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Troubleshooting six forms of redundancy</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Pathetic fallacy for voice</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Deploying parts of speech for voice and precision</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Powerful introductory & non-essential participial phrases�applied</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Powerful appositives applied</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Verb tense mastery�applied</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Introductory adverb clauses applied for richness & complexity</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Non essential subordinate clauses applied</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Sentence marking activities: keep it simple</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Comma rules applied based on word function and sentence structure</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Simple, compound & complex sentences�applied and constructed</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Short high interest creative writing assignments that become the template for all future assignments that are teacher generated</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#000000><font face=papyrus>Pricing</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Topschools 9-18 week Writing Curriculum CD contents: teacher guide to a seamless series of learning activities that develop proficiency in sentence construction and language use. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>It's not Daily Oral Language: How to improve high school writing achievement: A high school writing curriculum for student achievement: when it comes to teaching sentence structure, voice, fluency and conventions, there are no short-cuts to improved student achievement in literacy and writing. Improving writing achievement for high school students depends upon careful, systematic high school writing curriculum activities. Raising high school writing test scores: teaching sentence structure for writing mastery; grammar curriculum for writing achievement; high school english teachers can use high school writing curriculum to improve student writing performance for high school students in their English classes by emphasizing a structured and creative approach to mastery of composition and grammar. High interest high school writing assignments can help new teachers develop powerful writing schools amongst their high school students. Creative grammar curriculum: sentence structure for voice, conventions and fluency. And yet the "long route" can seem so dreary to so many students!</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>How to improve high school writing achievement: High school writing curriculum: improve student writing in high school. Raise writing achievement: writing curriculum for high school english instruction. High school english writing curriculum increases high school writing achievement and high school writing test scores. Improving writing test scores: a high school writing curriculum that teaches high school writers to develop voice, fluency and mastery of the conventions. Improve grammar and sentence structure curriculum.the Six Traits high school writing curriculum activities are post hoc: they assume that careful, systematic writing instruction--teaching sentence structure, voice, fluency and mastery of writing conventions-- has occurred. It's not daily oral language. Rather than reviewing Six Traits rubrics, an effective high school writing curriculum for high school teachers should aim at developing student writing skills in a sequential fashion. Improving writing test scores: the study of Six Traits rubrics and accompanying Daily Oral Language activities bring little lasting benefit to students who are not yet alert to language possibilities, and who have limited experience in tracking the logical unfolding of complex sentence patterns. Improving high school writing test scores is a natural by product of deliberate high school writing instruction. Improving writing test scores:High school writing curriculum activities for teaching sentence structure, voice, fluency, and mastery of the conventions--reflected in improved writing test scores--:</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>The break-through literacy that we seek in our students' high school writing curriculum activities is best developed through a careful and systematic study of the fundamentals of language structure, grammatical logic and syntax. A high school English curriculum that emphasizes language and sentence pattern development in their writing students can boost student achievement in writing at the high school level. It's not daily oral language. High school writing curriculum: improve student writing in high school. Raise writing achievement: writing curriculum for high school english instruction. High school english writing curriculum increases high school writing achievement and high school writing test scores. Improving writing test scores: a high school writing curriculum that teaches high school writers to develop voice, fluency and mastery of the conventions. Improve grammar and sentence structure curriculum. The Six Traits are not a writing instruction program; rather the Six Traits are a summation of what a carefully developed and sequenced writing instruction program should achieve--especially at the high school level.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>High school writing performance--reflected in improved writing test scores-- break throughs: but this "break-through" beyond subservience to six traits rubrics is only made possible by a high school writing program that combines systematic writing skill development with high interest creative writing assignments that provide numerous opportunities for students to publicly display and share their burgeoning skills in an effective high school writing program. Teaching students how to use parts of speech, subjects and verbs, participial phrases, appositive phrases, simple sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences, compount-complex sentences: grammar curriculum for student achievement.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>How to improve high school writing achievement: his is what high school writing curriculum and english classrooms should be about: high school writing curriculum activities that lead to the excitement of discovering the beauty and expressivity of language...</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Improving writing test scores:...By being immersed in an engaging, guided sequence of skill activities and performances that enable students to transcend their entry level skills, and to see their communicative power increase daily. High school writing curriculum: improve student writing in high school. Raise writing achievement: writing curriculum for high school english instruction. High school english writing curriculum increases high school writing achievement and high school writing test scores. Improving writing test scores: a high school writing curriculum that teaches high school writers to develop voice, fluency and mastery of the conventions. Improve grammar and sentence structure curriculum.Creative grammar curriculum and sentence construction curriculum boost student achievement. Writing mastery and student writing achievement: grammar curriculum and sentence construction curriculum for student achievement.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Sentences like these--reflected in improved writing test scores-- (written by my own 7th graders) are products of a writing program that leads students to proficiency in the six-traits by combining a systematic study of language and sentence structure with <U>high-interest descriptive writing</U> assignments.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>These are original and fully independent student creations--not "fill the blanks" activities scripted by a lazy instructor.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>During the first semester of this field tested writing program (6,000 students in my career), your students will learn to transform nouns into verbs, adjectives and adverbs, thus greatly expanding word choices for expressive sentence construction.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Your students will learn to create a variety of participial and appositive phrases.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Your students will learn to correct the most common forms of redundancy in their own writing.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Your students will learn to select active verbs for sentence power.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Your students will learn to punctuate correctly using grammatical knowledge.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Your students will learn to (joyfully!) craft simple, compound and complex sentences in a wide array of variations and <U>on demand.</U></UL></P> </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Your students will learn to deploy verbals (what are those?) for expressive power!</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000> All this work is accomplished during a high interest, challenging 18-20 week writing unit that centers around student writing itself; not around mastering exercises in a text book. <A HREF="TestScores.htm" TARGET="_top"><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#0000FF>Test score results</FONT></A><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial> for students using this program are on this website</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>There are no short-cuts to improved student achievement in literacy and writing. How to improve high school writing achievement: riting achievement for high school students depends upon careful, systematic instruction. High school english teachers can improve student writing performance for high school students in their English classes by emphasizing a structured and creative approach to mastery of composition and grammar. High interest high school level writing assignments can help new teachers develop powerful writing --reflected in improved writing test scores--schools amongst their high school students. And yet the "long route" can seem so dreary to so many students!</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>The Six Traits are post hoc: they assume that careful, systematic writing instruction has occurred. Rather than reviewing Six Traits rubrics, English curriculum for high school teachers --reflected in improved writing test scores--should aim at developing student writing skills in a sequential fashion. Study of Six Traits rubrics and accompanying Daily Oral Language activities bring little lasting benefit to students who are not yet alert to language possibilities, and who have limited experience in tracking the logical unfolding of complex sentence patterns. Improving high school writing test scores is a natural by product of deliberate high school writing instruction. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>How to improve high school writing achievement: he break-through literacy--reflected in improved writing test scores-- that we seek in our students is best developed through a careful and systematic study of the fundamentals of language structure, grammatical logic and syntax. High school English teachers that emphasize language and sentence pattern development in their writing students can boost student achievement in writing at the high school level. The Six Traits are not a writing instruction program; rather the Six Traits are a summation of what a carefully developed and sequenced writing instruction program should achieve--especially at the high school level.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>But this "break-through" beyond subservience to six traits rubrics is only made possible by a writing program that combines systematic writing skill development with high interest creative writing assignments that provide numerous opportunities for students to publicly display and share their burgeoning skills.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#000000><font face=papyrus>Pricing</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Topschools Writing CD contents include: teacher guides (like tutorials) to activities & sequenced lessons that guide students to high levels of proficiency in sentence construction and language use. </UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>In teaching this program, teachers will also learn--and each teacher who uses this will become the master language practitioner that he or she aspires to be.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Single teacher CD: <FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#0000FF>$159.</FONT><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial> Shipping included.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Teacher CD with 3 months e-mail support:<FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#0000FF> $189.</FONT><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial> Shipping included.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>School site license w/ 3 months e-mail support: <FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#0000FF>$379.</FONT><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial> Shipping included.</UL></P> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Make checks payable to: </UL> <P><UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>Bruce Saari</UL> <UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000><font face=arial>20790 President Point Road</UL> <UL><FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=#000000>Kingston, WA 98346</B></UL></P> <P>Going beyond six traits writing formulas. English writing curriculum. Writing curriculum for high school English classes. High school writing instruction for student achievement. Teacher Writing Inservice for Dramatic Test Score Improvement:Power Writing, Grades 6-12</U>: This three day* summer workshop, given at your location, walks teachers through the theory, methods, assignments and materials that I have used to achieve the outstanding writing performances that are described on theTest Scorespage of this website. This is where rhetoric meets reality: my writing students have doubled the Washington State average on the WASL writing test both times they have taken it ('98 & '99), and for over 29 years they have turned in brilliant performances on the ITBS, CFAS and CTBS as well. Six traits writing: this inservice is designed to help your program achieve the same results. Thus, our emphasis for this inservice will be on doing the writing itself, and on experiencing the instruction directly. Together the workshop participants and I will explore new ways of thinking about--and teaching about--sentences and language values. What we accomplish during this inservice will be the foundation for all future student writing to be done at your secondary school. *Dates and times can be adapted to suit your needs. High Performance Academic Curriculum:Teachers: the following selected curricular offerings are the product of 29 years of personal and professional educational research and development. Tested both in regular public and International Model schools, they have been designed for educators and Charter School creators who seek to provide challenging, essential learning experiences for their students, grades 7-12. Custom-designed curricular programs for teachers and for public school academic departments are available upon request. Teachers: Guaranteed to Raise Your School's Writing Test Scores The proof of any teacher's effectiveness is in the performance of his students, and you and I both know that the work your kids have produced is superb.  Their observation skills, their ability to use language to vividly describe their observations, and their rapidly increasing understanding of syntax and sentence structure are among the most impressive I've ever seen as an English teacher, principal, or superintendent in any school at any grade level or program. <P><B><UL><FONT SIZE=4 COLOR=#000000>Teachers will dramatically improve their students' <U>standardized writing and language test scores</U> by practicing these high performance writing skills within the context of creative and descriptive writing assignments. Using these methods and writing sequences, teachers will transform the study of language into the successful and interesting adventure that it deserves to be.</P> <P>This is not another grammar text book. Instead, this package offers instructional techniques, sequences of activities, and other <U>effective</U> approaches to language and sentence structure <U>that are guaranteed to dramatically improve student performances</U> in secondary level expository and report writing. Mastery learning targets: parts of speech, verbals, three variations on participial phrases, appositives, clauses, adverb clauses, noun and adjective clauses. Includes a unique, copyrighted system of grammatical notation that students will use on the road to sentence writing mastery. Tested successfully with grades 6-12. 154 KB. diskette.</FONT></UL></B></P> Pararaphs parts of speech verbals and participial phrases. Clauses and transitions, as well as connections between sentences. High school writing, writing and composition, essays and troubleshooting sentences and paragraphs k-12 writing. Student achievement and writing test scores are enhanced with an articulated writing curriculum and writing instruction for high school students and teachers. Advanced placement composition and advanced placement writing. High school english teachers need high school writing curriculum that elicits quality writing performances. <P><A HREF="InternationalModel.htm" TARGET="_top"><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=3><B>Teachers Design High Powered Schools: Bellevue International School 1991, Lake Washington International School 1997, Marysville Arts & Technology 2003</U></FONT></B></A> <P><A HREF="Writing.htm" TARGET="_top"><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=3><B>Mastery Learning Writing Curriculum for Student Achievement </U></FONT></B></A></U> <P><A HREF="StartUpFAQ.htm" TARGET="_top"><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=3><B>SLC Myths: Making it Better vs. Making it New</STRONG></B></A> </U> <P><A HREF="Retention.htm" TARGET="_top"><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=3><B>Social Promotion...or Program Accountability?</U></FONT></B></A> <P><A HREF="Home.htm" TARGET="_top"><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=3><B>Transform the Instructional Culture</FONT></STRONG></B></A> <P><A HREF="Articulated.htm" TARGET="_top"><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=3><B>Thematic 9-12 Humanities & Literature Curriculum</U></FONT></STRONG></B></A> <P><A HREF="TestScores.htm" TARGET="_top"><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=3><B>Test Scores</I></U></FONT></STRONG></B></A> <P><A HREF="Academics.htm" TARGET="_top"><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=3><B>Essential Curriculum</FONT></B></A> </U> <P><A HREF="AdvancedPlacement.htm" TARGET="_top"><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=3><B>Articulated Curriculum</FONT></STRONG></B></A> </U></FONT> <P><A HREF="Products.htm" TARGET="_top"><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=3><B>Improving Instructional Effectiveness</FONT></B></A> <P><FONT SIZE=2><A HREF="BruceSaariCV.htm" TARGET="_top">Saari CV</A> </FONT></B></P> <P><FONT SIZE=2 COLOR=#000000>E mail address: saari@topschools.com</FONT></A></P> <P><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top"><B><font face=papyrus><FONT SIZE=2 COLOR=#0000FF>HOME</FONT></B></A></P> </BODY>