Content enhancement to help with organizing the big picture

The practitioner wants to use the POWER (Plan, Organize, Write, Edit and Revise) strategy to help with writing. This writing strategy will be addressed over a period of time, given the amount of content and the number of steps involved in the writing process. Tom entered the program in November and the group had already begun to work on their writing. However, the practitioner has just participated in an online training session and wants to use the POWER strategy with the group.

In October, the practitioner had already introduced the concept of planning, but now wants to use the POWER strategy because it presents the writing process in an easy manner and will help the learners to remember the steps in the writing process. The practitioner has decided to introduce the strategy from the beginning since it will provide a good review on planning and will help the learners understand how the POWER strategy fits with what they have already learned. The practitioner had to think about how he/she would plan, present and instruct the content. He/she decided to use the unit content enhancement routine to introduce the POWER strategy and show how it fits into the "big picture" of writing for all learners, regardless of individual training needs.

Steps to introduce the POWER strategy using the unit organizer

• Introduce the goal: to write effectively.
• Ask the group to brainstorm on how they approach writing.
• Cue: Introduce the term POWER using handouts and an overhead that allows the learners to hear and see the information.
• Give out blank copies of the Unit Organizer device and explain that the group will be beginning a new unit using the Unit Organizer.
• Show a blank Unit Organizer format on an overhead projector and explain that the group will complete this one together.
• In addition, spend a few minutes talking about what it means to be organized at home and with schoolwork, and then talk about the value of the Unit Organizer for organizing information.
• Do: engage learners in completing the Unit Organizer, using guided questions.