RACE Strategy In ELA

TEACHING the RACE Strategy

Teaching students to write effective constructed responses can be super overwhelming (and a bit scary!). Because of this, I was relieved when I first discovered the RACE strategy, as it takes a lot of the fear out of teaching informational writing. By using this response strategy with our learners, we equip our students with a clear, step-by-step checklist for writing. This logical format not only improves their skill of writing but also enhances their understanding of how to communicate ideas effectively with complete sentences.

Today we continue our exploration of effective ELA strategies, and turn our attention to this fundamental skill that can significantly improve our students’ competent writing capabilities: informational writing using the RACE strategy.

On the hunt for some FREE RACE Writing technique resources that you can print and use with your learners right away? Click on the image or button below to download the FREE resource!

If writing instruction is something you are interested in, you might also want to check out our post on descriptive writing strategies!

the Steps of RACE STRATEGY

So, what exactly is RACE? The acronym stands for Restate, Answer, Cite, and Explain. This method helps students structure their writing by:

1- Restating the question.

Students begin their responses by paraphrasing the question. To do this, students must remove the question word (who, what, where, when, or why) and restate the keywords. This becomes their topic sentence.

2- Answering the Question

In this step, students directly answer or state the main idea.

3- Citing Evidence

Students back up their answers with evidence from the text. Teaching students sentence starters to help construct their responses works great for this.

Sentence starters could include:

• • The author stated…

• • According to the text…

• • In the second paragraph…

• • Based on the text…

• • The author mentioned…

• • On the third page…

I like to create an anchor chart featuring these sentence starters and hang it in a prominent place in my classroom. They are a great way to teach students how to support answers with evidence!

4- Explaining the Evidence

Students elaborate on how the evidence supports their answer. Teaching students a few sentence starters to help them when explaining their answers with evidence works great here too!

Sentence starters could include:

• • This proves that…

• • This shows…

• • This is a good example of…

Students practice using the RACE writing strategy to help structure their informational writing. Each component of the format is important in guiding students to write well-developed constructed responses that are clear and logical.

the RACE Strategy Combination

The RACE strategy is strongly supported by research (Savage J, 1998) and is a comprehensive learning strategy that effectively combines the essential skills involved in reading and writing.

Each component of the acronym plays a crucial role: ‘Restate’ involves paraphrasing the question, reinforcing comprehension and interpretation skills; ‘Answer’ requires students to directly respond, promoting clarity and focus; ‘Cite’ involves selecting relevant evidence from the text, enhancing research and analytical skills; and ‘Explain’ demands an explanation of how the evidence supports the answer, fostering critical thinking and synthesis.

This integration of reading and writing not only strengthens each skill individually but also demonstrates how they are interdependent. This aids the development of strong writing abilities.

using the RACE Writing Strategy IN Informational text

The RACE strategy can help your learners significantly improve their informational writing. Below I outline some of the key teaching benefits of using this logical format in your ELA classroom.

Using The RACE Strategy Provides students with an easy to follow format

This effective strategy for teaching writing provides a clear, easy-to-follow format. This is especially helpful for young writers who may struggle with structuring their thoughts. Essentially, it is a step-by-step template for teaching and learning that significantly improves a student’s ability to develop constructed responses.

By restating the question, students learn to clarify the topic, ensuring their response is relevant. Answering directly helps them focus on the main idea. Citing evidence fosters research skills and critical thinking, teaching them to support their arguments with concrete data. Finally, explaining their reasoning enhances their ability to connect evidence to their argument, promoting deeper understanding and more effective communication.

Using the RACES strategy format not only improves writing skills but also boosts student confidence in their ability to tackle more complex informational writing tasks. It helps students remember everything that their teacher is looking for when writing a structured response.

The RACE WRITING Strategy helps students to provide evidence to support Their arguments

The logical format that this effective strategy provides greatly enhances students’ ability to support answers with evidence in informational writing.

Teaching learners to create constructed responses that select and explain relevant evidence from the text helps students to develop deeper text understanding and stronger analytical skills. To add weight and credibility to their writing, the strategy teaches students to cite at least two pieces of evidence, incorporating direct quotes when suitable. Also, students are encouraged to strengthen their arguments with their own words and examples. When done, the strategy teaches students to link the evidence back to their answer. Supporting their answers with evidence ensures coherence in their writing.

By consistently practicing these skills, students become adept at using evidence effectively, enhancing their overall ability to construct well-supported arguments.

Teaching students to use the RACE Strategy enhances Critical Thinking Skills

This strategy is a powerful tool to help educators enhance their students’ critical thinking skills. It does so by encouraging students to actively seek out diverse viewpoints and question assumptions, which are key aspects of critical thinking.

Through using the RACE writing strategy, students learn to evaluate evidence objectively, considering how different pieces of information support or challenge their arguments. By focusing on selecting relevant evidence and explaining its connection to their answers, students are not just restating facts. Instead, they are engaging in a deeper level of thinking where they analyze and synthesize information.

This process of actively engaging with text and thoughtfully constructing their responses aids deeper understanding and a stronger ability to think critically.

If boosting student critical thinking skills is important to you, you may also want to check out our fun STEM Challenge post! STEM Challenges are great ways to teach critical thinking in ways that are collaborative and hands-on.

Implementing the RACE Strategy

Are you ready to get started with using this writing formula with your learners? Implementing this strategy in the classroom involves three key steps. This step-by-step approach ensures students not only understand the strategy but also become skilled at applying it in various writing contexts.

Step One: Introduce the Strategy

The first step is introducing the strategy to students, explaining its components and importance in writing. This involves a detailed explanation of the acronym, its relevance in writing, and the importance of each component: Restate, Answer, Cite, and Explain.

Step Two: Model the Strategy and Provide Examples

In the second step, teachers model the use of the RACE writing strategy through examples, showcasing how to effectively integrate each part into their writing. This could involve breaking down a text, illustrating how to restate a question, providing topic sentence examples, encouraging complete sentences, and teaching students ways to support answers with evidence.

Step three:

The third step is engaging students in guided practice activities. Here, students independently apply the strategy in structured writing tasks. Teachers might provide sentence starters and response questions for practice, offer feedback, and encourage peer review to refine their application of the strategy.

Guiding your students through the RACE formula and offering them plenty of chances to practice can make a big difference in their ability to craft structured responses. While it’s a challenging task, with your supportive teaching and regular practice, your students will undoubtedly master it!

Looking for a FREE resource to help students practice this strategy? Click here to download a FREE RACE Writing resource!

Writer’s Workshop can be an effective framework for practicing this effective writing formula. For more information on Writer’s Workshop, you may want to check out our posts on the introducing Writer’s Workshop. For some professional reading on the framework, be sure to check out our post featuring 5 Must Read Books for Launching Writer’s Workshop.

RACE Strategy ANCHOR CHARTS

Creating anchor charts for the RACE strategy and hanging them in a prominent place in your classroom is an effective way to visually reinforce the steps of Restate, Answer, Cite Evidence, and Explain. Using anchor charts as visual aids helps students remember and apply each key step of the format in their writing.

Looking for a free RACE Strategy anchor chart that you can print and use in your classroom? Click on the image or button below to download this free writing resource! It comes with a full color and black and white mini anchor chart that outlines the steps of RACE, as well as a variety of response questions that students can use to practice their RACE writing!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The RACE strategy is more than just a way to write answers; it’s a method that helps you grow as a writer and thinker. Let’s dive into five important aspects of the RACE strategy that make it so helpful for students.

1. 1. Versatile Application Across Writing Forms: The RACE strategy, with its focus on Restate, Answer, Cite, and Explain, seamlessly integrates into various writing forms. This includes the structured development of expository essays, the precision needed in report-based writing, and the clarity required in answer response writing. 
   2. Skill Enhancement in Writing: Employing the RACE strategy leads to a notable improvement in specific writing skills. It encourages students to construct confident, coherent paragraphs and develop precise sentences within their writing tasks. 
   3. Supporting a Range of Student Needs: Inclusivity is a hallmark of the RACE strategy. It proves particularly beneficial for a wide array of students, from those in elementary settings to advanced and homeschooled students, and is especially supportive for special education students. 
   4. Encouraging Critical Thinking and Analysis: The RACE strategy is more than a writing tool; it’s a catalyst for deeper cognitive engagement. It prompts students to delve into explicit writing instruction, fostering an environment where critical thinking and analytical skills are not just encouraged but are integral to the writing process. 
   5. Structured Writing Process and Effective Practice: Implementing the RACE strategy in the classroom offers a clear, structured path for students’ writing endeavors. This structured approach is particularly effective when combined with resources like Writer’s Workshop and supportive tools such as anchor charts. 

Looking for more posts about teaching writing?

Check out these related posts below!

Descriptive Writing Activities

Halloween Writing Activities for Middle School

6 Ways to Boost Engagement in Upper Elementary

Interested in signing up for my email list?

If you are interested in signing up for my email list, you can do so by clicking on the link below. I periodically send out emails with free resources, teaching tips, and exclusive deals. Signing up will also give you immediate access to some of my best selling Interactive Notebook resources – foldable activities, graphic organizers, and other fun activities.