Deconstructing a writing prompt.pdf
What is a Prompt? Basically, a prompt is a question or an instruction that tells you what you're supposed to write. For example, a prompt might instruct you to write about… • a story you have read • your opinion on a topic • something you have experienced • a research topic National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
Deconstructing a Prompt (constructing means to build) Deconstructing means to take apart How do I do that?
To deconstruct a prompt: 1. Read it 2. Take it apart 3. Understand what you need to do 4. Determine how to respond to the prompt correctly National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
Identifying Key Parts of a Written Prompt
Hints
Does the prompt give you suggestions to get started? • Pay careful attention to the wording of the prompt. • Look for suggestions in the prompt to get you started (ideas to think about, verbs that tell you what to do). • Use key words from the prompt to construct your thesis statement.
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
Identifying Key Parts of a Written Prompt You can use the word RAFTS to help you remember how to deconstruct a prompt.
Role
What role do you take as the writer? (student, citizen, expert) Who is your audience? (class, parent, teacher, friend) Audience What kind of response are you writing? Format Task Strong key words
(essay, letter, descriptive) What are the verbs in the prompt asking you to do? (advise your classmate, justify your opinion, explain why…) What are the key words that you need to include in your response? Hint: Use these words to construct your thesis statement.
Example of Deconstructing a Prompt
Prompt: Select a person you know who does a good job in his or her profession. This person may be an entertainer, an athlete, a character in a story, or simply a successful family member. Write a multiparagraph essay describing why you think this individual is so good at his or her job. Include specific examples and details to support your response.
What role do you take as the writer? (student, citizen, expert) Role
I am writing this as a student.
Who is your audience? (class, parent, teacher, friend) Audience
My audience will be the teacher.
What kind of response are you writing? Format
I am writing a descriptive multi-paragraph essay.
What are the verbs in the prompt asking you to do? Task Strong key
Select a person, write an essay describing why he/she is good at his/her job, include examples and details
What are the keywords that you need to include in your response? Profession, successful
Your Prompt: Are after school jobs helpful or harmful for students? After reading One Last Time, “Teens Need Work, Not Just Cash” and “Teens at Work” , write an essay in which you argue whether having a job affects students positively or negatively. Support your position with evidence from the texts.
With a partner, re-read the prompt and deconstruct it using the RAFTS model. Role
Audience
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
Format
Task
Strong Key Words
Writing Task:
Are after school jobs helpful or harmful for students? After reading One Last Time, “Teens Need Work, Not Just Cash” and “Teens at Work” , write an essay in which you argue whether having a job affects students positively or negatively. Support your position with evidence from the texts.
Role Audience Format Task Strong
The most important prewriting activity is to think about what you are going to write about. Good writing is about… • Clarifying the topic/deconstructing the prompt • Identifying strong feelings about the topic • Forming an opinion about the topic
icon National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
Writing to a Prompt Review
Write one to two complete sentences describing how you deconstruct a prompt. Read your sentences to a partner.
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
Deconstructing a Prompt (constructing means to build) Deconstructing means to take apart How do I do that?
To deconstruct a prompt: 1. Read it 2. Take it apart 3. Understand what you need to do 4. Determine how to respond to the prompt correctly National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
Identifying Key Parts of a Written Prompt
Hints
Does the prompt give you suggestions to get started? • Pay careful attention to the wording of the prompt. • Look for suggestions in the prompt to get you started (ideas to think about, verbs that tell you what to do). • Use key words from the prompt to construct your thesis statement.
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
Identifying Key Parts of a Written Prompt You can use the word RAFTS to help you remember how to deconstruct a prompt.
Role
What role do you take as the writer? (student, citizen, expert) Who is your audience? (class, parent, teacher, friend) Audience What kind of response are you writing? Format Task Strong key words
(essay, letter, descriptive) What are the verbs in the prompt asking you to do? (advise your classmate, justify your opinion, explain why…) What are the key words that you need to include in your response? Hint: Use these words to construct your thesis statement.
Example of Deconstructing a Prompt
Prompt: Select a person you know who does a good job in his or her profession. This person may be an entertainer, an athlete, a character in a story, or simply a successful family member. Write a multiparagraph essay describing why you think this individual is so good at his or her job. Include specific examples and details to support your response.
What role do you take as the writer? (student, citizen, expert) Role
I am writing this as a student.
Who is your audience? (class, parent, teacher, friend) Audience
My audience will be the teacher.
What kind of response are you writing? Format
I am writing a descriptive multi-paragraph essay.
What are the verbs in the prompt asking you to do? Task Strong key
Select a person, write an essay describing why he/she is good at his/her job, include examples and details
What are the keywords that you need to include in your response? Profession, successful
Your Prompt: Are after school jobs helpful or harmful for students? After reading One Last Time, “Teens Need Work, Not Just Cash” and “Teens at Work” , write an essay in which you argue whether having a job affects students positively or negatively. Support your position with evidence from the texts.
With a partner, re-read the prompt and deconstruct it using the RAFTS model. Role
Audience
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
Format
Task
Strong Key Words
Writing Task:
Are after school jobs helpful or harmful for students? After reading One Last Time, “Teens Need Work, Not Just Cash” and “Teens at Work” , write an essay in which you argue whether having a job affects students positively or negatively. Support your position with evidence from the texts.
Role Audience Format Task Strong
The most important prewriting activity is to think about what you are going to write about. Good writing is about… • Clarifying the topic/deconstructing the prompt • Identifying strong feelings about the topic • Forming an opinion about the topic
icon National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
Writing to a Prompt Review
Write one to two complete sentences describing how you deconstruct a prompt. Read your sentences to a partner.
National RtI Writing Demonstration Project
