Use a fundamental concept of content area writing, known as quick writes, to help students master content area materials through writing. Use techniques such as a 30-second journal entry at the end of class and other short writing activities based on content of individual subjects. Practice such routines as having students write daily for at least five minutes in every subject.
Tailor content area writing to the subject . Assign students laboratory logs or field trip notes for a science class, for example. Suggest writing timelines or letters to historical figures for history content area writing. Suggest writing analyses of moods different music evokes or writing reviews of music pieces for music class. Include physical education classes in content area writing by having students work together to create a rule book for a sport. Use content area writing in as broad-based a way as possible by having students write quick writes often for all subject areas.
Use student journals to engage students in the learning through writing process: a writing technique suited to all content areas. Encourage students to explore each content area both in terms of textbook and classroom instruction content and in writing out their own views of the instructional materials. Provide students opportunities for frequent content area writing in their journaling books and about their different subject areas.
Work with a teacher who has a writing specialty to help guide students in effective use of content area writing to develop better understandings of their content area texts and classroom instruction.
Keep quick writes assignments flexible as to assignment criteria. Limit your assignment directions to fundamental guidelines versus strict regulations. Combine the more flexible quick writes on content area with longer, more formal writing assignments like reports or essays and use the revision process of the longer assignments to promote student understanding of the coursework.
Use reviews of the students' content area quick writes, including end-of-day journal entries, to help you evaluate their understanding of the class material. Apply the student quick writes on curriculum content as a means of identifying a good starting point for the next day's class.