Authentic Writing Meets Formative Assessment with RAFT Writing

The translation of knowledge, opinion and understanding into a written response can be a challenge for a number of students. Teachers across content areas often discuss the challenge of not only improving the quality of student writing, but also having it be a reflection of what students know. The typical protocols for developing written voice involve a variety of strategies and resources including pre and post writing strategies. Graphic organizers, journaling, conferencing, word webbing and collaborative authoring and review through online documents are just a few of the strategies employed. Typically students are presented with a prompt and asked to formulate a written response that includes supporting evidence. The guiding words used in such prompts are typically who, what, when, where, why and how. 

RAFT writing takes a more holistic approach to the process, but segments the objective into four components that students can easily understand. It also provides an authentic and engaging connection to the content.

• Role of the Writer: Who are you as the writer? A movie star? The President? A plant? 

• Audience: To whom are you writing? A senator? Yourself? A company? 

• Format: In what format are you writing? A diary entry? A newspaper? A love letter? 

• Topic: What are you writing about?

* Read Write Think - http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/using-raft-writing-strategy-30625.html

Image - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3ab2Wr-rVYj7kolKOrWONYFPdXrbpyb8E2SDfv0p553MuKV_EqDaK75hq3Kcnh0PCm9Z5PT84ON_g-muduYZhhab9LahLEvLTOZ-m6NU6ctDyCp10g6g_C_IdSrV7LXys74VqpDBqeQ/s640/RAFT+Graphic+Organizer.png

The flexibility, choice and alternative formats offered with this strategy offer differentiation and authenticity to the task at hand. The final product presents a higher order understanding of the content presented.

I recently observed a U.S. history course in which the students were being introduced the the viewpoints of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists with regards to the ratification of the Constitution. A simplified explanation of the objective was for students to understand the supportive and opposing views of establishing and investing in "big government"

The RAFT writing strategy may be applied to this lesson in a variety of formats:

• Role - A concerned citizen

• Audience - State Senator

• Format - Letter

• Topic - Your concern regarding the proposal to unite all of the schools in Morris County, NJ into a single school district. 

• Role - George Washington

• Audience - Self

• Format - Diary Entry

• Topic - The opposition to the ratification of the constitution

The infusion of a RAFT writing task may be utilized to introduce a topic or as a formative or summative assessment.   There are a variety of resources available including online random generators.  I have curated many of them within the Wiki linked below.
RAFT Lesson Ideas

Quick Write - An Underutilized Instructional Strategy

During a recent classroom observation I observed the use of a quick write strategy. While this is not new or something I have not used myself I reflected on its value. A quick write strategy is simple by design, but powerful in many ways.  A teacher poses a high quality question to the class and asks students to jot down their thoughts regarding the question. After providing some time the teacher asks students to share their thoughts.

The quick write strategy offers the following advantages in the classroom:

• All students in the class are provided the opportunity to reflect on the question and organize a response. 
• Students who are slower processors are provided time to formulate a response before sharing with the class. 
• Teachers may use this strategy as a formative assessment by circulating the room to view what students have written.
• Students may use this as a self-assessment by analyzing what they wrote in comparison to what other students in the class share. 
• A quick write might be assigned as a "do now" in order for students to activate prior knowledge or  as a closure activity to reflect on a lesson. 

The quick write instructional strategy provides an opportunity for everyone in the class to have a voice and reflect on the content. It levels the playing field and ensures active participation and engagement.