Writing conversations are grounded in types of writing, the traits of writing, and the writing process.

1. Clear Writing Expectations

• Common Conversation: "What does clear and concise writing look like in all subjects?"

• Language: Focus on clarity, coherence, and organization of thoughts. Regardless of the subject, students should be expected to structure their writing in a way that is easy to follow.

• Try: "How can we help students organize their thoughts more clearly when writing in our subject?"

2. Writing to Learn

• Common Conversation: "How can writing help students process and reinforce what they are learning?"

• Language: Encourage the idea that writing is a tool for learning, not just assessment. Phrases like "writing to think" or "writing to process" help students understand that writing helps deepen understanding in any subject.

• Try: "In what ways can we use writing to help students better process the concepts they are learning in our classes?"

3. Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER)

• Common Conversation: "How can we use the CER framework across disciplines to structure students’ arguments and explanations?"

• Language: Introduce the CER format: Claim (what you think), Evidence (proof from texts, data, or problems), and Reasoning (how your evidence supports your claim). This is useful in subjects like science, history, and even math.

• Try: "How can we structure writing assignments around the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning framework to support student thinking?"

4. Text-Based Writing

• Common Conversation: "How do we teach students to use evidence from texts to support their ideas?"

• Language: Emphasize the importance of textual evidence and citation. Encourage phrases like "support your claim with evidence from the text" or "where in the text can we find that?"

• Try: "How can we help students better cite and reference specific parts of a text or data set in their writing?"

5. Writing Across Genres

• Common Conversation: "How can we expose students to different types of writing?"

• Language: Discuss how each subject can contribute to students’ experience with various genres—expository, persuasive, narrative, and informational. For example, writing lab reports in science, persuasive essays in social studies, or procedural writing in math.

• Try: "How can we introduce different genres of writing within our subject, such as persuasive essays, narratives, or reports?"

6. Audience and Purpose

• Common Conversation: "How can we help students understand that writing varies depending on the audience and purpose?"

• Language: Use terms like audience, purpose, and tone to explain how writing changes depending on whether students are writing an explanation for a peer, a report for a teacher, or a persuasive piece for a broader audience.

• Try: "How can we help students understand that the purpose of their writing will change the way they present their ideas?"

7. Revision and Editing Process

• Common Conversation: "How can we help students view writing as a process?"

• Language: Focus on the writing process—drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. This emphasizes that good writing takes multiple attempts and can always be improved.

• Try: "How can we show students that revising their writing helps them better understand their ideas?"

8. Academic Vocabulary

• Common Conversation: "How do we support students in using subject-specific language in their writing?"

• Language: Encourage the use of academic vocabulary specific to each subject (e.g., terms like "hypothesis" in science, "analysis" in history, or "rational numbers" in math). Regularly ask students to integrate key terms into their written work.

• Try: "How can we ensure students are integrating subject-specific vocabulary into their writing, and that they understand what these terms mean?"

9. Writing for Different Purposes

• Common Conversation: "How do we emphasize that writing serves different purposes across content areas?"

• Language: Help students identify whether they are writing to inform, argue, describe, or explain. Ask them, "What is the purpose of this piece of writing?"

• Try: "How can we help students identify when they are writing to inform, explain, or argue, and what makes those types of writing different?"

10. Rubrics and Feedback

• Common Conversation: "How can we give consistent feedback on writing across all subjects?"

• Language: Use a common rubric or set of criteria across subjects that includes clarity of ideas, use of evidence, organization, and mechanics. Feedback should be constructive, focusing on growth areas like "Next time, try to support your claim with stronger evidence."

• Try: "What are some criteria we should use when providing feedback on writing assignments across subjects, so students have consistent expectations?"