W-I-C-R

WICR- The foundation strategy of AVID

Learn More about WICR by watching this PPT: WICR

Writing
Writing encompasses almost anything you want your students to put in print form – it can be scientific writing, creative writing, prewriting, poetry, rhymes, definitions, vocabulary, equations, quick writing, question-writing, journaling, etc. Writing is basic to thinking, learning, and growth. It allows your students to think in complex ways, building critical thinking skills, and developing knowledge of oneself and the outside world, with which he/she exists.

Writing also helps clarify and order experiences, while simultaneously demonstrating how much one knows about any given topic. The more fluent the writer, the more successfully one can compete academically.

The basic writing strategies promoted in AVID are:
The Writing Process:

  • Class and Textbook notes
  • Responsive Writing
  • Learning Logs and Journals

 

  • Pre-write
  • Draft
  • Revising
  • Editing
  • Final Draft

Inquiry
Inquiry-based learning focuses on the student as the learned, developing skillful, open-ended questioning skills. Being able to recognize different levels of questions is beneficial for all students in many areas of learning. Students in AVID understand the three levels of questions design by Art Costa, which is critical for student success.

AVID inquiry strategies for success are included in:
Collaboration
Collaboration takes as many forms in AVID classrooms as the teachers who design the lesson plans. Any time a student collaborates with another student, learning is less threatening and more inviting. All the clichés work: there is strength in numbers; two heads are better than one…
One of the most commonly used, successful collaborative strategies in the AVID classroom is the tutorial group. Tutorials, which are essential in AVID (combines writing, inquiry, reading, collaboration) , reinforces previous learning and encourages students to think ahead. Students will internalize what they have studied and learned if they are able to collaborate with others and make connections.

  • Skilled questioning
  • Socratic seminars
  • Quick writes/discussion Critical thinking activities
  • Writing questions (Tutorials )
  • Open-Minded Activities
  • ***Costa Levels of Questions Explanation
  • Costa Lesson Plan Costa Game

 

Some Collaborative AVID strategies include:
Reading-
Reading is the key to understanding in all content areas. Keeping reading as a focus in AVID develops reading comprehension, awareness of the different reasons for reading, and understanding of the different structures of texts. Readers read for three purposes: 1- information, 2-problem solving, and 3-entertainment or recreation.

  • Group projects
  • Student groups
  • Jigsaw activities
  • Cooperative learning strategies
  • Kagan strategies
  • Read-arounds
  • Response/edit/revision groups
  • Peer editing
  • Group assessments- with both individual and group grades
  • Games
  • Group presentations

 

Some AVID reading strategies include:Reference: http://www.greatneckms.vbschools.com/avid_docs/WICR.pdf

  • SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review)
  • KWL (What I know, what I want to learn, What I learned )
  • Reciprocal teaching
  • Think-alouds
  • Literary circles