RAFT -- A GREAT STRATEGY

[Admin]

Your role as Content Area Literacy Teachers not only entails assessing students' understanding of content through written tests, but also helping them use writing as a tool to learn content. A very interesting and engaging writing strategy we discussed today is RAFT. RAFT is a writing strategy that helps students better understand their role as a writer and how to effectively communicate their ideas to an intended audience. Students focus on the audience they will address, the varied formats for writing, and the topic they will be writing about.

The acronym stands for:
 Role of the Writer: Who are you, as the writer?
 Audience: To whom are you writing?
 Format: what form will the writing take? (a song, letter,comic strip, poem, newspaper article etc)
 Topic: what are you writing about?

Implementing RAFT assignments in instruction encourages students to uncover their own voices and formats for presenting their ideas about content information they are studying.
Below is an example of a RAFT assignment that we developed as a shared writing activity.

You are a red snapper. Write a letter to the fishermen in Anse La Raye explaining to them how their improper garbage disposal practices negatively affect you and your environment.

Now, choose a topic in one of your areas of specialization and design a RAFT assignment for an age group of your choice. Then share your RAFT with us.

I can't wait to read your RAFTs.

[cwinter]

Topic: Algebra
Subtopic: Solving Equations
Age group: 13-15 years (Grade Eight)

RAFT Assignment: You are the variable x stuck in the equation: x/6+11 =15. Send a facebook message to the students of Grade Eight giving them guidance on how they can help you find out what value you represent in that equation.

[iernest]

Subject: Building Technology
Topic: Foundations
Sub-topic: Scaffolding

RAFT: You are the scaffolding of a foundation, write a song explaining to the contractor why it is important for him to use you when constructing a foundation.

[tedward]

Subject: Social Studies
Topic: Natural Disasters ( Hurricanes)
Age Group: 16-17 (Form 5)

RAFT Assignment:

Imagine that you are an island named St. Lucia and your sister (Dominica) tells you that hurricane Tomas is about to hit St.Lucia in the next two days. Write a speech to the people living in St.Lucia informing them of the measures that they can undertake in order to prepare for this dreadful hurricane.

[Admin]

Oh I love your RAFT assignment, Ernest and Winter. . The use of digital text (facebook message) makes it even more appealing to our adolescent learners. I will definitely use this example in my paper, with your permission, of course .


Edward also shared a good one but there is need to refine it.
It should read:

Imagine that you are an island named St. Lucia and your sister (Dominica) tells you that hurricane Tomas is about to hit you in the next two days. Write a speech to your people informing them of the precautionary measures that they can take in order to prepare for this dreadful hurricane.

Thanks Edward, Winter and Ernest for getting the ball rolling.

[mbutcher]

Mathematics
Age 11-12 yrs
You are a mason. Write a paragraph informing your employer of the numbers of tiles she must buy to tile a room that measures 10 m by 10m squares. you must also explain to your employer why she has buy the number of tiles you requested.

[law]

Subject: Chemistry
Topic: Intramolecular Bonding
Age Group: 13-14 (Form 3)

RAFT Assignment:

Imagine that you are an ionic bond. Send a Blackberry message to your neighbour covalent bond, telling him why you are a stronger bonding type than him.

[geugene]

subject: Principles Of Accounts
Topic: Taxation
Age group:15 - 16

You are an accountant, write a proposal to the government of St.Lucia on how they could sensitize young people on the issue of V.A.T.

[kthomas]

Subject: EDPM
Topic: The Computer System
Age group: 14-15

You are a computer, write an email to your users telling them how to take proper care of you.

[gonz12]

Subject: Social Studies
Topic: Communicable Diseases
Sub-topic: AIDS
Age Group: 14-15

Imagine you are the HIV/Aids virus. Design a poster for your school explaining to students how they can prevent and contract you, and that they should treat people who have you equally.

[gjames]

Subject: Social Studies
Topic:Noise Pollution
Age Group: 15-16 years (Form 4)
RAFT
Writing from the point of view of the Ear, Explain to the near by Disco Owner the effects the constant music may have on you every Friday night. Also suggest to the Disco Owner one solution to the constant noise.

[jchicotlouisy]

Subject: Mathematics
Topic: Polygons
Sub-topic: Quadrilaterals
Age Group: 12-14 years

You are triangle. Explain to quadrilaterals how much you differ from them, highlighting your uniqueness in great detail.

[kstange]

Subject: Biology
Topic: Circulation
Sub-topic: Blood Vessels
Age Group: Form 3(14-15 year olds)

You are an artery or a vein. Prepare a debate against a vein or an artery about why your features make you better equipped for the circulation of blood than it.

[lgidharry]

Subject: French
Topic: The community
Age Group: 14-15 years

You are the neglected community of Marseille. Write a letter in French to the mayor telling him how u feel about such negligence and what he can do to improve you.

[kmesmin]

Subject: building technology
Topic: safety
Age group: 13-14
Imagine that you are an oil spill, broadcast a blackberry message to the form 3 students explaining to them how and why it is necessary for them to clean you up as soon as you occur.