Guided Writing Practice for WIDA Tier A
A set of picture-supported writing prompts for 2nd-grade English learners, built around everyday school scenes like a classroom and school lunch. Students write short sentences with word banks and First-Then-Last sequencing frames, building the Tier A skills tested on the WIDA Writing assessment; it can serve as one full prompt in a sitting or as 10-minute practice throughout the year.
“I need to create practice for Tier A of the WIDA Writing assessment to have as guided practice for our English learners. It would be nice if it was one entire writing prompt, but then also 10 minute practices that students could implement throughout the year until testing”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use one full prompt as a guided writing session in a 30-40 minute block, reading the picture and word bank aloud together before students write independently.
- Discussion question: What is happening in this picture, and which word from the word bank helps you say it?
- Scaffold for students still building English: offer sentence starters such as "The students ___" and let them point to pictures or say their sentence aloud before writing.
- Extension for advanced students: ask them to add a detail (where, when, or how) to each sentence, or to retell the First-Then-Last story using two more connecting words.
- For the 10-minute practices, pick one picture and one sequencing frame per session so students can repeat the routine across the year with growing independence.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free“I need to create practice for Tier A of the WIDA Writing assessment to have as guided practice for our English learners. It would be nice if it was one entire writing prompt, but then also 10 minute practices that students could implement throughout the year until testing”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use one full prompt as a guided writing session in a 30-40 minute block, reading the picture and word bank aloud together before students write independently.
- Discussion question: What is happening in this picture, and which word from the word bank helps you say it?
- Scaffold for students still building English: offer sentence starters such as "The students ___" and let them point to pictures or say their sentence aloud before writing.
- Extension for advanced students: ask them to add a detail (where, when, or how) to each sentence, or to retell the First-Then-Last story using two more connecting words.
- For the 10-minute practices, pick one picture and one sequencing frame per session so students can repeat the routine across the year with growing independence.
Guided Writing Practice for WIDA Tier A
A set of picture-supported writing prompts for 2nd-grade English learners, built around everyday school scenes like a classroom and school lunch. Students write short sentences with word banks and First-Then-Last sequencing frames, building the Tier A skills tested on the WIDA Writing assessment; it can serve as one full prompt in a sitting or as 10-minute practice throughout the year.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free