Even if your students seem to be "getting it" as you move through exploring the phenomena and building model ideas over the course of a unit, you may be disappointed in their ability to apply the model to write a final explanation for the anchoring phenomenon (introduced at the start of the unit) or a new phenomenon. There can be several barriers to writing an explanation including understanding the model, understanding how to use the model to generate an explanation, and a number of barriers to expressing oneself in writing (general confidence, English as a second language, prior writing instruction, etc.).
Here are some tips for helping the process of generating and writing an explanation go more smoothly...
- How do you get students to write and help them to write better?
- One option is to allow students to have the model to use as a guide when writing their explanations. You can instruct them to use all the ideas in the model. This helps them structure their writing.
- Introduce the "CER" (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) structure for writing explanations. Often students have trouble even knowing where to start in writing an explanation, and this structure can help them overcome that obstacle. Instruct students to start by writing down their "claim" - what do they think explains this phenomenon?. Then list the "evidence" that they believe backs up this claim. Finally, they need to explain their "reasoning" - how does the evidence support their claim.
- Giving students ample opportunity to discuss their ideas in their groups before writing helps them put their thinking into words. Many teachers choose to run a formative or "practice" assessment prior to administering a final assessment (model application to a new phenomenon) for a unit. Students of course need solid feedback on this task, including feedback on their organization and writing. As this can create yet another grading burden for you as the teacher, consider having students give some of the feedback through a structured peer review.
- Before they write individually students create a group explanation, then see the explanations of other groups in a Gallery Walk. Weaker students are able to see how it’s done, get ideas, build confidence, and ultimately improve their own writing.
- Use a “communication triangle” to structure the writing. Usually when we have students write they are in the role of a novice writing for an expert (the teacher). Often they are focused on trying to figure out “what the teacher wants” and struggle with knowing where/how to start. With this strategy we put students in the role of “expert”, then give them a purpose, a form in which to write, and specify a target audience. This helps them structure their writing and shifts the focus from figuring out what we (teachers) want to explaining what they know. This can be less intimidating and help students improve their fluency. For example, instead of asking students to write an essay on the non-theraputic use of antibiotics in livestock, ask them to write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper explaining their position on the non-theraputic use of antibiotics in livestock. This is just one of many strategies for supporting student writing from “Success in Science” by Arthur Beauchamp et al.
