COPS

**COPS**

**Content** Writing

**Grade Level** This can be modified to use with any grade.

**Curriculum Standards** For this page, I will use the seventh grade standards.

RLA.O.7.2.4 use the five-step writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, publishing) to generate topics, plan approaches, and develop expository and persuasive writing task RLA.O.7.2.6 use sophisticated transitional words and cues to signal organization of a composition

**Description of Practices** COPS is a mnemonic device that can help students remember how to edit a writing composition. Listed below is what each letter stands for. Each letter has questions that the writer or editor can themselves.

C- Capitalization -- Are the first words in each sentence as proper names capitalized? O- Overall -- How is the overall appearance and readability (ex. spacing, legibility, indentation of paragraphs, complete sentences etc.) P- Punctuation -- Is the punctuation correct? S- Spelling -- Are the words spelled correctly?

COPS is a mnemonic that first must be clearly explained and if you are using this with younger students, you could tell your students to pretend to be cops to when examining their papers.

**Implementation Considerations** In what type of setting would you use this? Self-contained, co-teaching, small group, whole group, etc?

This can be used in many different settings.In a self-contained classroom, a teacher can use this method by asking the students the COPS questions. In a co-teaching classroom this can be used in many ways. It could be used in either a small group, whole or individual setting. However, the COPS mnemonic helps students edit a paper so this process will mostly happen individually.

In a one-teach one observe classroom one teacher could ask the students the COPS question while the other teacher walks around and observes how students are doing

If the classroom uses the alternative co-teaching model, the two teachers could each take groups of their own. The one teacher could ask the COPS questions with a large group of students. Whereas, the other teacher could take a smaller group of students who may need additional enrichment in the writing process.

If the teachers would like to use the parallel co-teaching model, the teachers could split the classroom in half and each ask the students the COPS questions. Each teacher would have their own group of students to monitor.

COPS can be used a variety of different ways during stations. For instance, there could be a station for each of the letters. The first station the students could check for capitals. In the second section, the students could check the organization of their paper. etc. . The stations could involve a teacher or run without the teacher. The students could each have a partner and review each other’s papers.

COPS could also be implemented when using the team teaching method. The teachers could take turns reminding students what COPS stands for. One teacher may tell the students what the letters C and P stand for and the other teacher tell the students what O and S stand for.

**Example** This link shows a COPS checklist that you could give to the students when they are writing a paper. It could also be enlarged and placed as a poster to remind students how to correctly compose a piece of writing.

http://www.thinkwritebook.com/document2.pdf

This checklist is given to all the students and can be used for any writing style. The student checks off each of the letters once they locate them in the text.

**Citation** Richards, R.G. LEARN: Playful Strategies for All Students, pages 90-91

“//SPELT: A Strategies Program for Effective Learning and Thinking//”, //Mulcahy//, //Marfo, and Peat// (//1984//).

(2003). Ian Forsyth School Presents: Steps in the Research Process. Retrieved August 23, 2007, from The COPS Strategy / Table Web site: http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/ducann/grassroots%20cops%20strategy.htm

Arthur, B. & Zell, N. (1990). WRITE UP: A strategy for teaching creative writing skills to emotionally disturbed students. Preventing School Failure, 34(4), 26-31.

Polloway, Edward A., & Shannon, Ted R. (1993). Promoting error monitoring in middle school students with LD. Intervention in school and clinic, 45(3), 160-164. www.ldonline.org/article/6215