(214) 946-3385
info@JaneSchaffer.com
LOGIN TO PAPERLESS JANE SCHAFFERTM
RegisterLogin
Jane Schaffer Writing Program®Jane Schaffer Writing Program®
  • Professional Learning
    • All Workshops and Webinars
    • Public Workshops
    • Live Webinars
    • Private Workshops
    • Self-Paced Professional Development
    • Train-the-Trainer
    • Standards and Testing
    • Request a Training
  • Digital Curricula
    • Login to Jane Schaffer Software
    • About Jane Schaffer® Software
    • Schedule of Live Webinars
    • Self-Paced Professional Development – JSWP only
    • Self-Paced Professional Development – HS English, Math, Science, Social Studies
    • Google Doc Templates
    • Teachers’ Resources
  • Shop
    • Composition Guides
    • Curriculum Guides
    • Digital Products
    • Specialty Items
    • Testing Resources
    • Videos and Video Series
  • The Company
    • About JSWP
    • Our Services
    • White Papers
    • Testimonials
    • Request a Training
    • Become an OnSite Trainer
    • Team Members
    • FAQs
    • Contact Us
    • Support
  • Dr. Louis’ Blog
    • Cart

      0
  • Professional Learning
    • All Workshops and Webinars
    • Public Workshops
    • Live Webinars
    • Private Workshops
    • Self-Paced Professional Development
    • Train-the-Trainer
    • Standards and Testing
    • Request a Training
  • Digital Curricula
    • Login to Jane Schaffer Software
    • About Jane Schaffer® Software
    • Schedule of Live Webinars
    • Self-Paced Professional Development – JSWP only
    • Self-Paced Professional Development – HS English, Math, Science, Social Studies
    • Google Doc Templates
    • Teachers’ Resources
  • Shop
    • Composition Guides
    • Curriculum Guides
    • Digital Products
    • Specialty Items
    • Testing Resources
    • Videos and Video Series
  • The Company
    • About JSWP
    • Our Services
    • White Papers
    • Testimonials
    • Request a Training
    • Become an OnSite Trainer
    • Team Members
    • FAQs
    • Contact Us
    • Support
  • Dr. Louis’ Blog
    • Cart

      0

Blog

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Blog
  • Word Counts: Don’t Count on Them!

Word Counts: Don’t Count on Them!

  • Posted by Dr. Deborah E. Louis
  • Categories Blog
  • Date January 14, 2019

Dear Dr. D,

I have students stating that they struggle to reach the minimum word count while following the Jane Schaffer structure. For example, if the essay is to be 600-800 words, they may have only 450 words but state that they are following the formula. Any advice as to what you would do?

– Julianna K, Grades 7-12

Dear Julianna,

Are they writing only one-chunk paragraphs? Or are they writing two chunks per paragraph? Sounds like they need to increase the chunks as an option!

In an expository essay, the ratio of CD:CM is 2+:1. Are the students writing only two sentences of concrete details? Or are they writing two or more sentences of concrete details (hence, the plus [+])? In my class, if they write only two simple sentences of concrete detail, that’s a “C.” With the ratio at 2+:1, they could write five or six sentences of CDs and two or three sentences of CMs. Don’t allow them to write the minimum — push them.

Are they writing a solid topic sentence and a reflective, thoughtful concluding sentence?
Look at the students’ thesis statements. Sharon Kingston, one of my mentors and a valued friend of Jane’s, used to say, “A thesis statement should be a compound-complex thought; therefore, it should be written as a compound-complex sentence.”

Are the students’ introductions and conclusions 10% of the length of their essays? For example, if the essay is 600-800 words, then the introduction and conclusion might be somewhere between 60 and 80+ words each. That’s a good guideline for students that I use.

Are the students varying their sentence types and sentence lengths? They should be writing simple sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences, and compound-complex sentences of varying lengths. That’s simply good writing and has nothing to do with the formula or word counts.

For the upper level students and more sophisticated students, are you working with syntax? Are they ready for practicing parallelism? Style?

When the students go to college, their professors might ask for a 5,000 word essay. Think 10% intro (500), 10% conclusion (500), and 80% body (4,000). That body could be two body paragraphs (2,000), three body paragraphs (1,300), four body paragraphs (1,000), five body paragraphs (800), etc.

Move each student beyond the formula when s/he is ready. Jane expects teachers to move on-level students beyond the formula.

Keep reading and writing!

Happy New Year!

Dr. D’

  • Share:
author avatar
Dr. Deborah E. Louis

Ph.D. in Humanities

Dr. Deborah E. Louis' passion for educational excellence began as a classroom teacher. For sixteen years, Deborah taught On-level, Pre-AP®, and Advanced Placement® English Language Arts to secondary students of diverse ethnicities and learning styles. In 2010, Deborah purchased the Jane Schaffer Writing Program®, and along with her non-profit organization, Center for Educational ReVision (CerV®), her goal and that of her national team of experts is to provide the highest quality professional learning and mentoring to teachers in the areas of writing, advanced academics, high-stakes testing, and educational technology. Through webinars, workshops, job-embedded training, and teaching materials, Deborah strives to ReVision the educational system, combining traditional and flipped approaches to professional learning for teachers of grades K-12; and differentiating for Special Education, English Language Learners, and Gifted and Talented. Although her mission takes her all over the United States and abroad, Deborah lives in Dallas, Texas USA. She loves music, dancing, archetypal psychology, and continuous learning opportunities.

Previous post

BLIND-SIDED BY WRITING PROMPTS
January 14, 2019

Next post

Special Education
July 2, 2019

You may also like

studentsagainstthewall01
Applying the Jane Schaffer Structure
13 November, 2019
slides-hp-07a
Writing Prompts and Writing Them Well
10 October, 2019
blog-middleschool01
Special Education
2 July, 2019

Search

Latest Courses

Self-Paced Expository In Service (Up to 50 People)

Self-Paced Expository In Service (Up to 50 People)

$2,500.00
Self-Paced In Service:  Analytical Response to Literature (Up to 50 People)

Self-Paced In Service: Analytical Response to Literature (Up to 50 People)

$2,500.00
Self-Paced Argumentation In Service

Self-Paced Argumentation In Service

$2,500.00

Categories

  • Blended Learning
  • Blog
  • Conventions
    • Grammar
  • Etiquette
  • Fun Facts
  • JSWP Advanced
    • AP®/IB
  • JSWP Methodology
    • Commentary
    • Concrete Details
    • Embedding Quotations
    • Formulaic Writing
    • Introductions and Conclusions
    • Ratios
    • The Chunk
  • Modes
    • Argumentation
    • Expository
    • Literary Analysis
    • Narrative
  • Planning and Preparation
  • Prompt Writing
  • Reading Closely
    • Archetypes
    • Core Literature
  • Schafferisms
  • Style
    • Syntax
  • Testimonials
  • Testing
  • Vocabulary
  • Workshop Descriptions

logo-janeschaffer

(214) 946-3385

info@JaneSchaffer.com

Company

  • About JWSP
  • Dr. Louis’ Blog
  • Our Services
  • Testimonials
  • Request a Training
  • Become an OnSite Trainer
  • Team Members
  • FAQs
  • Contact
  • Support

Professional Learning

  • 2019-2020 Schedule
  • Self-Paced Professional Development
  • Standards and Testing
  • Request a Training

My Account

  • My Account
  • Track Your Order
  • Wishlist

COPYRIGHT 2019. Louis Educational Concepts, LLC. All rights reserved.
The Jane Schaffer Writing Program® is a division of Louis Educational Concepts, LLC.

  • Legal Information
  • Privacy Statement
  • JSWP Policies

Apply to Become an OnSite Trainer?

Qualified participants will be trained to deliver meaningful, accurate, and
scaffolded JSWP skills and concepts to their district’s or campus’s faculty.

Learn More

Login with your site account

Lost your password?

Not a member yet? Register now

Register a new account

Are you a member? Login now

Subscribe for Latest Updates

Subscribe for Latest Updates

Teachers of all subjects and grade levels learn about reading and writing strategies, featured curricula, workshops, and webinars.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.