Argument Writing, Teacher Guide, Grades 9-12

Book excerpt: Argument Writing Paths to College and Career Jossey-Bass and Public Consulting Group, Inc. (PCG) are proud to bring the Paths to College and Career English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum and professional development resources for grades 6 12 to educators across the country. Originally developed for EngageNY and written with a focus on the shifts in instructional practice and student experiences the standards require, Paths to College and Career includes daily lesson plans, guiding questions, recommended texts, scaffolding strategies and other classroom resources. The Paths Writing Units, Argument Writing, Informative Writing, and Narrative Writing, complement the full instructional program and can also be used independently, providing in-depth writing instruction to support all students in grades 9 12 in meeting grade level standards. To emphasize the relationship between reading and writing, each Writing Unit includes accessible model texts that exemplify key elements of each text type, and source texts that provide a topic for the unit writing assignment. Individual lessons guide students through the writing process, providing instruction on grammar and conventions and highlighting collaboration and reflection as key elements of effective writing. Students' final essays are assessed using a checklist developed by the class over the course of the unit. The organization and distinctive content of the model and source texts in each unit afford teachers the flexibility to implement each unit independently of the others, and at any point during the curriculum. For example, a unit may be implemented to assess students' writing prior to implementation of the standard curriculum, to scaffold writing instruction leading into a writing assessment, or to support struggling writers by addressing gaps in skills as demonstrated in previous assessments. The Paths Writing Units provide teachers with invaluable opportunities to engage students as active participants in their own learning at every stage of the writing process, and to customize instruction to meet the varying needs of all students. ABOUT PUBLIC CONSULTING GROUP Public Consulting Group, works with schools, districts, and state education agencies to build their capacity for instructional and programmatic improvements. We provide curriculum development, coaching, professional development, and technical assistance services. Our work alongside educators and policy makers ensures effective implementation of both the Common Core State Standards and state-specific standards for college and career readiness. As the creators of the Paths ELA curriculum for grades 6 12, Public Consulting Group provides a professional learning program that ensures the success of the curriculum. The program includes: Nationally recognized professional development from an organization that has been immersed in the new standards since their inception. Blended learning experiences for teachers and leaders that enrich and extend the learning. A train-the-trainer program that builds capacity and provides resources and individual support for embedded leaders and coaches.