Writing with RAFTS

A RAFT (Role/Audience/Format/Topic) is simply a writing strategy that engages the student by asking them to assume a role with a particular viewpoint about a topic and then to expand on the topic by addressing an audience. Students can utilize their creative and imaginative talents when writing in the RAFT format. This strategy is very useful at the end of a unit or at the close of a lesson.

How it works:

ROLE: You can assign or allow students to assume a role so that they may “write themselves into” a part of a lesson or topic. AUDIENCE: The student chooses the audience to whom he/she is writing. FORMATE: This is the form that the writing will take. TOPIC: Topics are usually determined by the teacher drawn upon the material of a particular lesson or unit.

EXAMPLE A:

R (role): Magazine reporter/writer A (audience): Magazine readers F (format): Interview article T (topic): The effectiveness of battle strategies of Union and Confederate generals for the Battle of Gettysburg

The student will pretend to be a reporter covering the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War. The student will create interview questions to ask Generals Meade and Lee about the effectiveness of their battle strategies. The student will provide possible answers that each general might have given to such questions.

With the above RAFT, the article can be addressed to soldiers or spectators about the particular topic, the effectiveness of battle strategies. EXAMPLE B:

Role: water molecule Audience: 6th grade student in a science class Format: comic strip Topic: What happens to water as it moves through the water cycle?

A RAFT does not have to be a major production, but does afford students to opportunity to write outside of a language arts class. Students generally like the creative aspects of a RAFT especially when they are given several choices about format, audience, and role.

EXAMPLE C:

R: a colonist in America in 1608 A: a friend in England F: letter T: conditions in America

Some suggested ROLES and/or AUDIENCES for RAFTS

Ad agency local politician Administrator movie star Another school museum curator Artist national politician (current or past) Athlete newspaper editor/reporter Business executive older student Cartoonist other class Chamber of Commerce parent Character in a book/story pen pal Charity poet Classical musician publisher College radio station Community figure relatives Corporation restaurant Dancer rock star Doctor/dentist sales person Drama club or director scientist Ecologist social leader/activist Elderly individual store Historian teacher Historical figure theater audience Homesteader travel agent Hospital patient TV character Journalist TV station Lawyer Writer Younger student

A role or audience can be anything from an atom to a math formula to a slice of pizza traveling through the digestive system. Student can also brainstorm to generate more roles and/or audiences.

FORMATS FOR WRITING

The following list offers only some formats for writing in the RAFT strategy. The possible formats are myriad.

Acceptance letter job specification radio play Advertisement joke radio script Advice journal/diary entry recommendation Apology legal brief CD/record album cover Application letter to the editor rejection letter Argument letter reminiscences and memoirs Autobiography list requests Bill board magazine resignation Blog entry marriage proposal resume Book jacket math notes review or critique Bumper sticker memo riddle Caption message to future satire Cartoon/comic strip metaphors science notes Children’s story/poem minutes of a meeting sermon Commercial monologue ship’s log Complaint music video sketches Confession news story skits Congratulations nomination speech slide show script Contest entry obituary slogan Dialogue/conversation observation papers song Dictionary entry pamphlet sound tape Dramatic monologue petition speech Editorial photo essay story board Epitaph photos/captions suicide note Essay placards sympathy note Eulogy play telegram Expense account poetry telephone or text dialogue Farewell poster travelogue Fiction prayer TV script Film profiles/portraits undercover report Flyer promotional brochure wanted poster Graffiti prophecy/prediction war communiqué Human interest story protest warning Inaugural speech psychiatrist’s notes will Inquiry public address written debate Invitation public notice yearbook

Again, there are many formats to use with the RAFT writing strategy. Allow your students to be creative with the many Web 2.0 applications that are available.