Focus activity using RAFT

Better writing requires consideration of RAFT: Role, Audience, Format and Topic.

A lesson plan for grade 10 English Language Arts

By Kathleen Bost and Leigh Ann Webb

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Related topics

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• learn how to evaluate a prompt.
• focus on the appropriate audience, purpose and topic for a writing prompt.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 day

Materials/resources

• Transparencies
• RAFT handout
• Various Prompt Topics

Technology resources

http://people.uncw.edu/sherrilld/edn352/raft.html

Pre-activities

Give students a copy of the RAFT handout (see website in Technology resources needed field). Put the RAFT transparency on the overhead. Read the students the information in the block and explain to them that this is an activity they should use when first reading a prompt. The RAFT technique will help them be certain they are focusing on the appropriate purpose, audience and topic. Point out what each letter stands for and what it means.

For example, R stands for what role the writing prompt is asking you to use in your writing. Discuss with the students that taking on the wrong role can dramatically affect the paper. If a student is supposed to write from the point of view of a student government member, but writes instead from the point of view of simply a member of the student body, he/she would not have the same authority. A member of the Student Government Association is the voice of all the students, not just the voice of one. Likewise, when addressing an audience, your wording will depend upon the audience to whom you are writing. The language you use for fellow teenagers would be different from the language you would use in addressing your principal. Format is also important. If a writing assignment asks you to write a letter, you must write in the appropriate letter format. Not writing in the appropriate format would mean the assignment was incorrect. In addition, make sure the students understand the purpose for RAFT. It is a simple technique that is easy to remember and will insure that they can read an information based writing assignment and have confidence that their writing will be headed in the right direction.

They will have an easier time breaking down a prompt and understanding what they are supposed to do with it by using RAFT.

Activities

Modeling/Mini-lesson

Give students a copy of the Focus Activity Sheet with the ten sample writing assignments. Using a transparency, read through the first writing assignment with the students. Write out RAFT below the assignment and (using the questions from the previous handout) ask them to identify what Role, Audience, Format and Topic is being given in the prompt. After going over the RAFT, discuss the following questions with the students:

• How would the role you are taking as the writer effect the way you write this prompt? For example, What kind of public official are you (small town or big city)? Who are your citizens?
• Who is your audience? How does your audience effect the word choice you will use? For ex. Elderly population, teenagers, parents of small children?
• What is required in this format? For example, is it in essay format, letter, speech etc?
• What approach would you use for handling this topic? What kind of points would be good to include?

Be sure to include what type of informational based writing is being required: cause/effect, problem/solution or definition

If the students seem to have a difficult time understanding the technique, continue to go over writing assignments from the handout until they have a good understanding of the use of RAFT.

Guided Practice

Using the remaining writing assignments, have the students get into groups. Assign each group a prompt to do with RAFT. The group should have an overhead transparency with their prompt on it and they should be prepared to address several additional questions about how to focus on the writing assignment and how to begin developing ideas for writing the assignment. They should model their ideas after the ones reviewed in the mini-lesson. Each group should present their prompt to the class. If a group leaves off information that you feel is relevant, ask them to explain further.

Independent Practice

Give the students a list of possible topics, audiences and formats to use. Each student should create a writing assignment of his/her own, modeled after the ones done in class. As they finish the writing assignments, the teacher should be sure to check them for appropriate and understandable role, audience, format and topic. After having written their own assignment, students should exchange with a classmate. After exchanging, the students should use the RAFT strategy on their peer’s writing prompt. In addition to the RAFT, the students should also list ways they could develop the assignment into a paper.

Closure

Allow students to volunteer to read their assignments and share the RAFT technique with the class.

Assessment

In addition to taking up the student written writing assignments and RAFT answers, have a follow up quiz that will test their ability to identify Role, Audience, Format and Topic.

Supplemental information

Comments

RAFT can be used with any grade level and any subject area for helping students focus on a given assignment. Inclusion classes and students who have more difficulty with getting started on a writing assignment will find this technique to be very useful.

This lesson was created as part of the NCDPI Writing Lessons for Writing Features Workshop.