Writing Better: Effective Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning Difficulties

Effective guidelines for teaching writing in grades K–12. Using classroom examples, the book identifies the components of a complete, high-quality writing program. Leading experts provide strategies for teaching narrative and argumentative writing; using digital tools; helping students improve specific skills, from handwriting and spelling to sentence construction; teaching evaluation and revision; connecting reading and writing instruction; teaching vulnerable populations; using assessment to inform instruction; and more.

An indispensable teacher resource and course text, this book presents evidence-based practices for helping all K-12 students develop their skills as writers. Every chapter draws clear connections to the Common Core State Standards. Leading authorities describe how to teach the skills and strategies that students need to plan, draft, evaluate, and revise multiple types of texts. Also addressed are ways for teachers to integrate technology into the writing program, use assessment to inform instruction, teach writing in the content areas, and tailor instruction for English language learners and struggling writers. Helpful case examples are featured throughout.

This volume synthesizes current knowledge on writing development and instruction at all grade levels. Prominent scholars examine numerous facets of writing from sociocultural, cognitive, linguistic, neuroscience, and new literacy/technological perspectives. The volume reviews the evidence base for widely used instructional approaches. Issues in teaching specific populations — including students with disabilities and English learners —are addressed. Innovative research methods and analytic tools are explained, and key directions for future investigation identified.

Firmly grounded in the authors’ Self-Regulated Strategy Development approach, which has been proven effective by two decades of research, these brief, powerful lessons will help transform struggling students into confident, skilled, and motivated writers. Teachers will get concise lesson plans they can use to easily supplement their existing writing curriculum.