Four Square Writing Method

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Four-Fourth Writing Method is a way to teach writing to children in school. Although primarily used to teach persuasive writing, it has also been used to help teach deconstruction. This method was developed by Judith S. Gould and Evan Jay Gould.

Originally developed for elementary school students, but also used in high school classes.

Video Four Square Writing Method

Method

This method is primarily a visual framework to help students by formulating ideas in an organized manner before writing an essay.

The concept generally works as follows:

1. Large boxes are drawn and divided into four small squares of the same size. An additional rectangle is drawn in the middle of the overlapping image of each of the other four boxes. A total of five rectangles are made.
2. Students write full topic sentences in the middle box.
3. Then, the students write three sentences that develop a central topic thesis, placing one in each of the following boxes: top left, top right, and bottom left. The left-up box contains a supporting opening sentence, and the next two boxes contain other supporting information.
4. Finally, the student writes the summary phrase in the bottom right box. The summary sentence explains how the reader feels about the topic.

The above rule variations may require more or less development in each rectangle, depending on grade-level or student maturity.

Maps Four Square Writing Method

Results

The results show consistent improvement in students' ability to write persuasively. A study at Springview Elementary School, at Allendale Charter Township, Michigan, noted, "significant growth was observed in student writing in both classes."

Another study, conducted at an American high school in Miami-Dade County, Florida with older students, showed an increase in FCAT score, although it was not marked as a primary school student in Michigan. It has been noted that one teacher has far greater success with the program than the other, and that the teacher should be thoroughly trained to get the best out of this method.

Kingsley Elementary School in Kingsport, Tennessee also tested the Four Square Writing Method. After teaching students using this method, the student's writing score increases by 49 percentage points in the first year. The same students used it again the following year, and their score rose an additional nine percentage points.

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Four Square Series

In 1999, Judith S. Gould and Evan Jay Gould wrote the first book in a series dedicated to the Four Square Writing Method. This series is published by Teaching & amp; Learning Company, an Education Company Press Lorenz. In February 2014, the series included 16 books, 2 poster papers, and a set of wall charts.

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References

Source of the article : Wikipedia