RAFT Writing

Why RAFT? What does RAFT Stand for:

● It is a writing to learn technique
● Students use it as a catalyst for further R - ______________
learning
● Provides students with an opportunity A - ______________
to recall, clarify, and question what
they already know and still wonder F - ______________
about
● Great informal assessment
T - ______________
● Students focus on perspective writing
while sharing what they know about
the content at hand
Potential formats to use in the classroom:

Persuasive Writing Letter Diary entry Obituary Newspaper Article Spirited Speech

Instant Messaging Poem Telegram Invitation How-to Manual Classified Ad

Report of Information E-mail Brochure Postcard “Top 10” Reasons Warning Posters

Some suggestions:
1. Start with a single prompt at first, students will then be able to see how their peers tackle the
same assignment while still being able to make it their own.
2. Go over sample formats, especially if students may not be familiar with the format (op ed,
postcard, obituary, telegram, etc)
3. Once students are comfortable with the strategy, try differentiating it further by providing two
prompts or leaving the topic up to them. This provides students the opportunity to to discuss
different topics across the class, but be sure that the topics are somewhat related
An Example of a Varied Raft Writing Prompt:
Role Audience Format Topic

Newly naturalized Senator Outline for Represent me or I can vote

citizen concept map you out of office

16 year old Harvard Congressperson Op ed Give me the vote, I have a

scholar constitutional right to be heard

President, Senator, The people Spirited speech I am powerful so long as you

or Congressperson let me

When can you use RAFT in your class?

Anytime! Usually you’re going to want to pair it with a text or video so students can determine some of
the main concepts students take away. This strategy develops both comprehension and writing ability
 Student Produced Examples:
In a science classroom
R: Apple
A: Earth
F: Telegram
T: Gravity

Transcribed: Message to Earth - I am an apple

and I’m very attracted to you by a special force
known as gravity. You have made me fall from
my branch. The closer I fall to you the more you
pull on me. By the time you get this telegram I’ll probably be sitting on your grass.

In a Social Studies Classroom:

Dear Diary,
R: Shoes I am well broken in now, as I have been marching all over the
A: Soldier countryside looking for Johnny Reb. A Johnny Reb is just one name the
Union soldiers call the Southern soldiers. The Confederate soldiers call
F: Journal entry
soldiers like mine, Billy Yank, Yank, or Yankee. I am a bit muddy from
T: Revolutionary war the rainy weather and a bit stinky, I must admit. My owner doesn’t seem
to mind, as he is grateful to even have a pair of shoes. The Rebs
sometimes fight in their bare feet because they are so low on supplies
and basic necessities.
Other RAFT Prompt Examples:
Math Science Social Studies English Electives

R: Scalene Triangle R: Rain drop R: Thomas Jefferson R: Semicolon R: Mechanic

A: One of your A: Future droplet A: Current residents A: Students A: Customer
angles F: Advice Column of Virginia F: Diary entry F: Letter
F: Instant Messages T: The beauty of F: Full page T: I wish you really T: The importance
T: Our unequal cycles Newspaper ad understood where I of frequent oil
relationship T: If I could talk to belong changes
you now

R: A word problem R: Lung R: Martin Luther King R: N.Y.Times R: Accountant

A: Students in class A: Owner A: TV audience of A: public A: Public
F: Set of directions F: Owner’s guide 2010 F: Op ed piece F: Step by step
T: How to get to T: To maximize F: Speech T: How our language guide
know me product life T: The dream defines who we are T: How to file taxes
revisited

R: Fractions R: Rainforest R: Reporter R: Huck Finn R: Prestissimo

A: Whole numbers A: John Q. Citizen A: Public A: Tom Sawyer A: Other tempos
F: Petition F: Paste up F: Obituary F: Note hidden in a tree F: Twitter post
T: To be considered “Ransom” note T: Hitler is dead! T: A few things you T: Why I am better
a part of the family T: Before its too late should know than the rest