Running head: WRITING CONFERENCES 1

Providing Formative Feedback Through Writing Conferences

Laurinda Hedrick-Litteral

CIRG 615 Module 4 Option 4

Marshall University
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Conferencing with students is an integral part of the writing process. By celebrating

successes and setting goals for continued improvement, a writer can make significant progress,

simultaneously gaining confidence and enhancing their piece of writing. One success builds on

the next, developing confident and capable writers. By conducting worthwhile and effective

conferences, we are gradually building the students’ skill sets with the aim for independence.

Writing conferences can be done in a whole group setting, by quick shares, roving

conferences, one-on-one conferences, or peer conferences (Routman 2005). Incorporating

various types of writing conferences with various focuses helps develop stronger and more

independent writers. As Routman suggests, independence is the goal of all excellent teaching

(2005). We want readers and writers to self-adjust, self-monitor, and become their own critic.

Effective writing conferences take many different forms. They can be short or long,

formal or informal, teacher lead or student lead, and in various sized groups (Routman 2005).

Regardless of the type of writing or purpose of the conference, writing conferences share much

of the same characteristics. Conferences should begin with something positive- recognize and

celebrate accomplishments in the student’s writing. Ask questions, as needed, to guide

conversation. Give specific and relevant feedback. Collaborate with and guide the student to

establish a goal or goals for continued improvement. Conduct follow-up conferences to continue

to monitor and foster improvement and independence.

I observed two teachers conduct one-on-one writing conferences with students. A 5th

grade teacher in my building has been working on developing a narrative introductory paragraph

with her students. The assigned topic is a scary story. Students collaborated in small groups to

generate ideas. She provides students with a graphic organizer for the introduction. Students

individually develop a catchy beginning, topic sentence, three ideas, and a wrap-up sentence.
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The three ideas mentioned will later be developed into body paragraphs. She stated that as the

students develop as writers throughout the year, she gradually scales back the use of graphic

organizers. As she conferences with students, she has a rubric that serves as guide for their

discussion. She scores and records a grade for current progress as of when the conference takes

place. Throughout the week, she will meet with and record a grade for each student in her

classroom.

She began by conferencing with Student 1, a level 3 ESL student. The teacher met some

of the criteria of effective writing conferencing. She began by giving positive feedback on his

catchy beginning. She then went on to give grammar suggestions, giving leading suggestions for

how to improve the middle details and wrap-up sentence. Finally, she scored the student’s

current progress. She did give direct and specific feedback; however, the conference was

dominated by the teacher and the student had little input, limited opportunity to speak, and was

given no authority to evaluate areas that need improvement. Thinking of myself as the learner, I

would feel stifled and frustrated if I were given a grade on a work that is in-progress and one I

know I’m going to be working to improve. Conferencing is a type of formative assessment- an

opportunity to check in on students’ progress, guide progress, and modify teaching. Formative

assessment should not be graded.

The second teacher I observed during a writing conference is a 3rd grade teacher in our

building. I know from working with her last year that she places a strong emphasis on writing

and conferencing with students. Currently, her students are working on a paragraph in response

to a recent reading about a character helping someone. She began the writing conference by

asking him about his feelings, then proceeded to give him positive feedback on things he did

well on in his paragraph. She prompted discussion with him about how his topic relates to the
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topic they recently read about, providing guidance as needed. She had the student read parts of

his paragraph aloud, again complimenting his strengths, then asked him what he thought would

be a good goal for improvement. She provided support as needed to guide him in this part of the

conversation but still allowed him determine the direction he wanted to take for improvement. I

thought this was an excellent technique. As they came up with the goal together, she referred him

back to their writing checklist. Throughout the conference the teacher facilitated the conversation

to go back and forth between them. She provided prompting and direction as necessary. She gave

him ample time to think and respond, rather than filling the empty space with her own talking.

Routman mentions multiple purposes of a writing conference: listening, affirming, reinforcing,

assessing, teaching, scaffolding, and setting goals with students’ input (2003). This 3rd grade

teacher, a graduate of the Marshall University Literacy Program, accomplished nearly every

purpose Routman encourages during the five-minute writing conference I observed. I feel her

conference was an exemplary model for how writing conferences should be conducted.

Both teachers I observed place a strong emphasis on writing in their classrooms. I’m able

to recognize positive attributes of both conferences that I will be able to utilize in the future.

Writing conferences should be student-centered, positive experiences. Productive conferences

give students ownership and motivation to succeed as writers. Any age and level of student can

benefit from effective writing conferences.

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References

Routman, R. (2005). Writing Essentials: Raising Expectations and Results While

Simplifying Teaching. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.