SMILE is an acrostic formed from the five essential elements of this comprehensive, TRAIT-based writing approach.
The SMILE approach to teaching writing revolutionizes the way in which educators present key concepts of expository and narrative writing to their students. Teachers are equipped with tricks (mini-lessons) behind the writing traits.
Children instantly connect with SMILE lessons. Familiar games, appealing illustrations, movement, song, and hands-on experiences become the backdrop for instruction. Students are allured by lessons because the activities are captivating and relevant.
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| Skills: |
The "nuts and bolts" of expository and narrative writing form the basis of instruction in SMILE. Lesson concepts emerge from the six traits: organization, ideas, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. |
| Motivation: |
Movement, rhymes, music, games, and visually appealing illustrations play an integral part of the hands-on, interactive lessons. |
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Instructional Strategies: |
Graphic organizers, skill icons, and other appealing visual aids accompany the lessons. |
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Lesson Plans: |
Activities are designed to appeal specifically to children and are written in an easy-to-follow lesson plan format for teachers. SMILE supports a spiraling curriculum approach. The writing process, which involves pre-writing, drafting, proofing and editing, revising, and publication, is built into the program. |
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Evaluation: |
Teacher facilitated discussion groups and peer editing sessions boost self-esteem and offer accountability that students need in order to succeed in a data-driven instructional community. Student-friendly checklists and corresponding analytical rubrics keep peer interaction focused and purposeful. | |
