The focus of the product approach to teaching writing is on having students work towards creating a polished final written product through certain steps.
The main difference between the product approach and the process approach to teaching writing is that the product approach goes in steps, while the process approach goes in stages.
Key Principles of the Product Approach
- Emphasizing clarity, structure, and style in writing.
- Using models of good writing for students to analyze
- Asking for drafts and providing quick revisions.
- Providing specific and focused feedback and editing suggestions on drafts
Here are the six steps of the Product Approach to Teaching Writing
1. Introduce the Topic
Provide students with the title of the topic, e.g. talking about how to spend your leisure time, a visit to the amusement park, etc.
2. Use a Model Text
Select a strong model text for the topic to show clear organization of ideas, excellent word choice, and sentence fluency.
The model text should help students establish expectations for the final product.
Recommendations for Effective Use of the Model Text:
- Provide examples of strong writing in the target style.
- The model text should be at or just above the students’ writing abilities.
- You can use professional writing or strong student examples.
3. Analyze the Model Text
Students study the example text to understand elements like structure, word choice, transitions, etc.
Analyze the model text explicitly by leading discussions and activities where students identify the following key qualities of the model:
- How did the author organize the content?
- What kinds of words and phrases do they use effectively?
- How do they transition between ideas?
4. Ask Students to Write a Draft Based on the Model Text
Encourage students to imitate and apply the model text in their own draft to ensure that they:
- Outline writing using the model structure.
- Compose sections using vivid phrases and words learned from the model.
- Practice smooth transitions based on examples.
5. Support Peer-revision
Ask students to exchange and compare their drafts with each other, and ask these questions to ensure the quality of the drafts:
- Does the draft include a strong hook like the model’s intro?
- Is word choice as clear and engaging as the model?
6. Provide Final Feedback and Get the Final Product
Provide specific and focused feedback and editing suggestions on the drafts tackling the most common flaws that you noticed when going around the classroom, and then ask students to edit their drafts and then deliver you the final product.
This explicit attention and connection to models throughout the process can build students’ internal conceptions of quality writing.
7. Assess the Final Products.
When grading written texts, it is important to assess based on the emphasized elements to ensure quality writing in the final product.
After highlighting areas that need improvement, return written texts to students and encourage them to consider those areas when producing their next writing piece.
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