Designing R.A.F.T.S. Writing Assignments Role of the writer

							             Designing R.A.F.T.S. Writing Assignments
Effective writing assignments enable students to write fluently and purposefully for an audience.
R.A.F.T.S. can help teachers identify and incorporate the elements of an effective writing
assignment.

        Role of the writer – helps the writer decide on point of view and voice.
        Audience for the piece of writing – reminds the writer that he must communicate ideas
        to someone else; helps writer determine content and style.

        Format of the material – helps the writer organize ideas and employ the conventions of
        format, such as letters, interviews, and story problems.

        Topic or subject of the piece of writing – helps the writer focus on main ideas.
        Strong verb – directs the writer to the writing purpose, e.g., persuade, analyze, create,
        predict, compare, defend, evaluate.




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                                            R.A.F.T
                                       Classroom Prompts

       R – role
       A – audience
       F – format
       T – topic
       S – strong verb

       EXAMPLE:
       You are Ulysses on you journey home from Troy affter being gone for over
              (role)
       ten years. Write a letter to your wife Penelope explaining why you
                           (format)                (audience)          (strong verb)
        won’t make it home for dinner, AGAIN.
                                                        (topic)




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                                Forms of Writing For Assignments
                                          (An incomplete listing)


Advertisements                          Expense accounts and                    Memos
Affidavits                              defense                                 Menus
Analytical paragraphs/papers            Explications                            Messages to/from the
Anecdotes/stories                       Fact Sheets                             past/future
Announcements                           Five paragraph themes                   Minutes of meetings
Applications                                                                    Monologue
                                        Graffiti                                Mottoes
Bibliography annotations                Greeting card or text
Biographical sketches                                                           News stories –
Blurbs: yearbook pictures               Historical accounts                     paper/radio/TV
Blurbs: TV lists/book covers
Board game instructions                 Imaginative Literature: Fairy           Orations
Brochures                               tales, myths, novels, plays
Bumper stickers                         Indexes                                 Package copy
                                        Instructions                            Paraphrases
Captions                                Internet                                Parodies
Case studies                            Interviews (real/imaginary)             Personalized license plates
Children’s books                        Introduction                            Persuasive: to public
Commentaries                            Itineraries                             officials, to the editor,
Comparison                                                                      recommendations
paragraphs/papers                       Job specifications                      Placards
Computer Programs                       Journal entries                         Poems:
Constitution articles                                                                    Villanelle
Consumer guide or report                Lab reports                                      Haiku
Contest entries (25 words)              Las wills and testaments                         Sonnets
Contrast paragraphs/papers              Legal briefs                            Prayers
                                        Legislation                             Précis
Debate outlines/notes                   Lessons plans                           Prophecies and predictions
Declarations                            Letters:                                Proposals
Definitions                                      Advice                         Psychiatrists’ notes
Dialogues                                        Application/                   Public notices
Dictionary entries                               Resignation                    Public Statements
Directions: Guide to places,                     Complaint
how-to,                                          Congratulation                 Reaction papers
survival manuals                                 From imaginary                 Requests
                                                 places                         Responses and rebuttals
Editorials                                       Inquiry                        Resumes
E-mail                                  Lists                                   Reviews:
Encyclopedia entries                                                                   Books
Environmental impact reports            Math notes/observations                        Movies
Epitaphs                                Math problem solutions                         Outside reading
Eulogies                                Math record books                              Radio/TV programs
                                        Math story problems

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Science fiction                         Ship’s logos                            Slogans
                                        Short stories                           Songs and ballads
Screenplays                             Skits
Sermons                                 Side show scripts
Specifications for reports
Speeches: expository speeches, nominating speeches
Story boards for animation
Story Continuations
Summaries

Table of contents
Telegrams
Telephone dialogues
Test questions
Thumbnail sketches:
         Content idea
         Famous people
         Historical events
         Places
Time capsule lists
Translations
Treaties

Umpire reports
Undercover reports
Wanted posters
War communiqués
Word puzzles and games




 Permission is granted by Northwest Regional Education Laboratory for reproduction by schools for classroom use
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                       Strong Verbs for R.A.F.T.S. Assignments


align                                   understand                              winnow
annotate                                warn                                    analyze
apply                                   amaze                                   annoy
brainstorm                              announce                                assimilate
cancel                                  assess                                  cajole
carve                                   browse                                  capture
charge                                  capitulate                              characterize
coalesce                                censor                                  clarify
communicate                             charm                                   combine
connect                                 collapse                                contemplate
consider                                compare                                 count
construct                               connive                                 critique
contest                                 consolidate                             define
create                                  consume                                 design
decipher                                decorate                                distinguish
delineate                               describe                                elucidate
diagnose                                digest                                  encourage
divulge                                 edit                                    exemplify
embellish                               empathize                               fold
engrave                                 eradicate                               illuminate
explain                                 express yourself                        improvise
harmonize                               identify                                melt
imagine                                 immortalize                             modify orchestrate
inform                                  inspect                                 peruse
investigate                             link                                    ponder
memorize mold                           metamorphasize                          reconcile
participate                             navigate                                record
photograph                              persuade                                reject
quote                                   plagiarize                              remark
reconstruct                             recapitulate                            review scrutinize
reflect                                 regurgitate                             shrivel
relate                                  remunerate                              trigger
remind                                  script                                  visualize
rhyme                                   separate
search                                  shrink
shave                                   summarize
specify                                 tell
suppress                                urge




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