-   

-   

-   **Appendix A:** **Teacher Survey on Writing Instruction**

**NOTE FOR REVIEWERS:**

**This survey is designed to measure the degree to which teachers
implement the approach to writing instruction that is the focus of the
study. Each item is included intentionally to measure an aspect of one
of the ten instructional practices that are key elements in the 6+1
Trait Writing intervention.**

**The survey modules as presented here are organized and labeled
(according to the ten instructional strategies) for ease of review. When
the survey is administered to teachers, the module headings will be
removed, the item order scrambled, and the rating scale will appear at
the top of each page.**

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
                                      

                                      
  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Subject Area:**

  **Purpose of Lesson:**
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

In the following space record any actions, activities or other
influences on learning writing in the classroom during the observation
session. Include the actions of both the teacher and students.

  -------- --------------------------------------------------------------
           

           
  -------- --------------------------------------------------------------

  ----------- ------ ---------- ------ ------------ -------- --------------
                                                             

                                                             
  ----------- ------ ---------- ------ ------------ -------- --------------

  -- -------------------------------------- ------------------------------
                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            
  -- -------------------------------------- ------------------------------

  -- -------------------------------------- ------------------------------
                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            
  -- -------------------------------------- ------------------------------

  ----------- ------ ---------- ------ ------------ -------- --------------
                                                             

                                                             
  ----------- ------ ---------- ------ ------------ -------- --------------

  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             
  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             
  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             
  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  ----------- ------ ---------- ------ ------------ -------- --------------
                                                             

                                                             
  ----------- ------ ---------- ------ ------------ -------- --------------

  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             
  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  -- --------------------------------------- ------------------------------
                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             
  -- --------------------------------------- ------------------------------

  ----------- ------ ---------- ------ ------------ -------- --------------
                                                             

                                                             
  ----------- ------ ---------- ------ ------------ -------- --------------

  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             
  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             
  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             

                                             
  -- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
                                      

                                      
  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

                                                              
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

                                                              
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

                                                              
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

                                                              
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

                                                              
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

                                                              
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

                                                              
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

                                                              
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

                                                              
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
                                                              

                                                              
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

**Teacher Survey on Writing Instruction**

The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) and the Anchorage
School District are collaborating on a study of classroom writing
strategies in the district. The goal of this survey is to better
understand how teachers currently teach writing and what classroom
activities students engage in that pertain to writing. There are no
right answers -- except honest and accurate ones! Regardless of your
teaching style or your attitude toward different approaches to writing,
we want to know about what you really do in the classroom.

[Confidentiality]{.underline}: This survey is conducted by the Northwest
Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL). The purpose is NOT to evaluate
you as a teacher, but to better understand what teachers really do in
their classrooms. Please answer all items completely and honestly. Your
answers will be tabulated by the Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory, and summarized across all staff members. Identifiable
individual data will not be reported. Your individual answers will be
handled by NWREL only and WILL NOT be provided to your school or
district. Reports will include only the overall, average responses of
teachers across the district.

The next sections ask you to rate the level of emphasis on a large
number of potential instructional strategies. Please circle one number
for each question, using the rating scale below:

+----------+-----+---------+------+-----------+-------+-------------+
| **0**    | **  | **2**   | *    | **4**     | **5** | **6**       |
|          | 1** |         | *3** |           |       |             |
+----------+-----+---------+------+-----------+-------+-------------+
| Not      |     | Emp     |      | E         |       | Emphasized  |
| em       |     | hasized |      | mphasized |       | very        |
| phasized |     | s       |      |           |       |             |
|          |     | omewhat |      | often or  |       | often and   |
| at all   |     |         |      | strongly  |       | strongly -- |
|          |     |         |      |           |       | very        |
|          |     |         |      |           |       | descriptive |
|          |     |         |      |           |       | of my daily |
|          |     |         |      |           |       | classroom   |
+----------+-----+---------+------+-----------+-------+-------------+

  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
       **Teach language of rubrics**           **Rating**

  A1   In my classroom, students talk about    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       the traits of writing.                  

  A2   In my classroom, students use "trait    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       vocabulary" appropriately across the    
       curriculum.                             

  A3   In my classroom, students talk about    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       their own writing or that of others     
       using trait concepts and language.      

  A4   I use trait language in lessons.        0 1 2 3 4 5 6

  A5   I use trait language in giving students 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       feedback about their writing.           

  A6   Trait definitions and age-appropriate   0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       rubrics are readily available and/or    
       posted in my classroom.                 

  A7   I communicate the trait model of        0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       writing to parents and community        
       members.                                
  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
       **Read, score & justify scores on       **Rating**
       papers**                                

  B1   Students in my classroom get actively   0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       involved in self assessment, scoring    
       their own papers to understand their    
       own strengths and weaknesses as         
       writers.                                

  B2   I demonstrate scoring with students,    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       using example papers to highlight and   
       explain the scoring criteria.           

  B3   Examples of student writing are         0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       displayed around my classroom and used  
       as part of classroom instruction.       

  B4   Students in my classroom score the      0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       papers of fellow students as part of    
       learning how to think about and discuss 
       writing.                                

  B5   In my classroom, students spend time    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       discussing and justifying the scores    
       given to particular writing passages.   

  B6   Students in my classroom evaluate       0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       writing passages from literature as     
       part of learning how to think about and 
       discuss writing.                        

  B7   Students in my classroom evaluate a     0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       variety of writing forms (e.g.,         
       posters, leaflets, letters, essays).    
  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
       **Teach focused revision strategies**   **Rating**

  C1   In my classroom, students spend time    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       revising their writing, as a separate,  
       conscious step in the writing process   
       after reflecting on their initial draft 
       writing.                                

  C2   In my classroom, students use the       0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       concepts and language of the traits of  
       writing while revising their writing.   

  C3   In my classroom, students talk about    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       their strategies for revising their     
       writing.                                

  C4   As part of my writing instruction, I    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       teach specific strategies for how to    
       revise initial drafts into more         
       polished final versions.                

  C5   Revision strategies for writing are     0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       posted in my classroom.                 

  C6   Printed materials that show how to      0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       revise writing are readily available in 
       my classroom.                           
  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
       **Participate personally in writing     **Rating**
       process & ask for feedback**            

  D1   I talk with students about my own       0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       writing experiences, using trait        
       concepts and language.                  

  D2   In my classroom, I use examples of my   0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       own writing when teaching students      
       about writing.                          

  D3   As part of helping students learn about 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       writing, I ask them to give me feedback 
       on my own writing.                      

  D4   To demonstrate how to think about       0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       writing, I reflect aloud on strengths   
       and weaknesses of my own writing.       

  D5   To demonstrate how to think about       0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       writing, I reflect aloud on the         
       thinking that went into my own writing  
       choices about specific ideas and words. 

  D6   I talk with students about the          0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       importance of receiving and considering 
       feedback on our writing.                

  D7   I model for students how to receive and 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       reflect on feedback about my own        
       writing.                                
  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
       **Read a lot of materials to            **Rating**
       demonstrate writing quality**           

  E1   I make a point of reading to students   0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       examples of effective writing within    
       various subject areas (e.g., science,   
       math, social studies).                  

  E2   Students in my class actively engage in 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       critiquing the materials we read in     
       class.                                  

  E3   I take time with my class to discuss    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       and analyze the quality of writing they 
       encounter in their reading assignments  
       for various subject areas (e.g.,        
       science, math, social studies).         

  E4   In my classroom, we read and discuss    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       the quality of many kinds of printed    
       materials (e.g., posters, leaflets,     
       letters, articles, essays, books)       

  E5   In my classroom, we read and discuss    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       the quality of many kinds of writing    
       (e.g., explanation, persuasion,         
       storytelling)                           

  E6   I give my students reading assignments  0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       that vary in quality, so that we can    
       more clearly identify how effective     
       writing differs from ineffective        
       writing.                                
  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
       **Create effective writing prompts**    **Rating**

  F1   When I give writing assignments to      0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       students, I create and provide specific 
       prompts for them to write toward,       
       including identification of the         
       audience and purpose for the writing.   

  F2   In my classroom, students are asked to  0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       write for a wide variety of different   
       audiences (e.g., other students,        
       newspaper readers, people from other    
       cultures).                              

  F3   I give my students opportunities to     0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       select what forms of writing they wish  
       to work on (e.g. essays, posters,       
       presentations, brochures).              

  F4   I ask my students for feedback and      0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       ideas about the writing assignments we  
       use in my classroom.                    

  F5   My students help design the writing     0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       assignments we use in my classroom.     

  F6   I give students writing assignments     0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       that require them to write for a        
       variety of purposes (e.g., explanation, 
       persuasion, storytelling).              

  F7   Students in my classroom must practice  0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       writing in many different forms (e.g.   
       essays, posters, presentations,         
       brochures).                             
  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  ---- --------------------------------------- ------------------------------
       **Weave writing lessons into other      **Rating**
       subjects**                              

  G1   I make a point of integrating writing   0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       tasks with student assignments in other 
       subject areas (e.g., science, math,     
       social studies).                        

  G2   In content areas (e.g., science, math,  0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       social studies) my students receive     
       detailed feedback and scores on their   
       writing, not just on their content      
       knowledge in the other subjects.        

  G3   For each subject area (e.g., science,   0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       math, social studies) I explain to my   
       students the specific writing criteria  
       that are important for that subject     
       area.                                   

  G4   Students in my classroom practice       0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       writing as part of their work in other  
       subject areas.                          
  ---- --------------------------------------- ------------------------------

  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
       **Students set goals and monitor        **Rating**
       progress**                              

  H1   As part of my class planning and        0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       instruction, I have explicit goals and  
       learning outcomes for student writing.  

  H2   Students in my classroom participate in 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       real publishing opportunities (e.g.,    
       writing competitions, commercial        
       publications, school-wide newsletters). 

  H3   Students use scores on their writing to 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       identify their own strengths,           
       weaknesses, and needs for further       
       practice and learning.                  

  H4   In my classroom I have a systematic way 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       for students to store and organize      
       their writing.                          

  H5   I make sure my students save samples of 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       their writing and keep track of how     
       their individual writing skills develop 
       over time.                              

  H6   Students in my classroom set goals for  0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       improving specific writing skills, and  
       target their efforts on strengthening   
       the weaker aspects of their writing.    

  H7   I plan my class so that students have   0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       time and support for the writing        
       process.                                
  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
       **Map writing into curriculum**         **Rating**

  I1   As part of my class planning and        0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       instruction, I use explicit curriculum  
       goals for writing.                      

  I2   As part of my class planning and        0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       instruction, I target specific learning 
       outcomes for writing.                   

  I3   When planning how I will cover various  0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       subject areas (e.g., science, math,     
       social studies) I include goals for     
       writing skills that are relevant to     
       each of those areas.                    

  I4   I included writing activities in        0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       curriculum units and lesson plans       
       across subject areas (e.g., science,    
       math, social studies).                  
  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------
       **Teach how to construct effective      **Rating**
       paragraphs & essays**                   

  J1   Students in my classroom actively       0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       employ a writing process to develop     
       their essays or other writing projects. 

  J2   Students practice writing paragraphs    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       and essays for a variety of purposes in 
       my classroom.                           

  J3   I demonstrate for my students how to    0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       revise non-fiction paragraphs and       
       essays.                                 

  J4   I provide my students examples of       0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       effective non-fiction paragraphs and    
       essays.                                 

  J5   As part of classroom writing            0 1 2 3 4 5 6
       activities, I require my students to    
       learn and use terms related to the      
       writing process.                        
  ---- --------------------------------------- -----------------------------

Counting this year, how many years have you been teaching?
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ (PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY!)

Counting this year, how many years have you been teaching
[writing]{.underline}? \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

What writing program do you use in your teaching?
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Please list any training you have received related to teaching writing
in the last two years:

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

How many hours per week on average do your students spend [in
class]{.underline} practicing their writing? \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

How many hours per week do your students spend [doing
homework]{.underline} that includes significant writing?
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

We must ask for your name and contact information below so we can link
your answers on this survey to your answers on a later survey, and to
other data from your school. [Please do provide this information, and
print legibly, otherwise we will not be able to use your survey
answers]{.underline}. See the reminder below about how your identity and
individual answers will be protected throughout the study.

Your Name:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
(PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY!)

Your School:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Your gender: \_\_ Male

\_\_ Female

[Reminder on Confidentiality]{.underline}: Your answers will be
tabulated by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, and
summarized across all staff members. Your individual answers will be
handled by NWREL only and will not be provided to your school or
district. Reports produced by NWREL will include only the overall,
average responses of large groups of teachers across the district.

Thank you for completing the survey. If you have any questions or
concerns, please contact Dr. Michael Coe of the Northwest Regional
Educational Laboratory, at 800.547-6339.