Steve Graham

As young children learn to write effectively, major goals include using writing to communicate, to persuade, to inform, to learn, to reflect, to learn about one’s self, and to entertain others.

Steve Graham explains that writing improves reading comprehension, fluency, and understanding.

Steve Graham explains the strong relationship between reading and writing.

Steve Graham explains the reader effect and the writer effect in relation to proficiency in handwriting, typing, and spelling.

Writing is essential for communication and enacting social change.

Steve Graham explains why it is important for students to meet writers.

Steve Graham discusses how parents can support young writers.

Steve Graham identifies effective practices to implement when teaching writing to young children.

Steve Graham outlines several highlights of the practice guide.

Steve Graham offers examples of writing across the curriculum.

As schools transition to 21st century writing tools, Steve Graham advocates for the integration of word processors and iPads.

Steve Graham outlines how Common Core will change writing instruction.

Steve Graham advises teachers to be proactive when teaching persuasive writing.

Does Common Core diminish narrative writing?

Steve Graham suggests bringing informal writing—such as tweets—into the classroom to motivate students and to teach them about more formal styles of writing.

Steve Graham lists some common characteristics of struggling writers.

Dr. Steve Graham discusses ways to help a student with writing difficulties in the webcast “Teaching Writing.”

Steve Graham explains how teachers can cultivate a passion for writing and writing instruction.

Through the National Writing Project, teachers teach teachers and form a community of writers passionate about writing instruction.

Dr. Steve Graham discusses teacher preparation for writing instruction, self-regulated strategy development, peer revising, collaborative writing, and grammar instruction.

2008 interview

Biography

Dr. Graham is the Warner Professor in the Division of Leadership and Innovation in Teachers College at Arizona State University. For over 30 years he has studied how writing develops, how to teach it effectively, and how writing can be used to support reading and learning. In recent years, he has been involved in the development and testing of digital tools for supporting writing and reading through a series of grants from the Institute of Educational Sciences and the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education. His research involves typically developing writers and students with special needs in both elementary and secondary schools, with much of this occurring in classrooms in urban schools.

Graham is the former editor of Exceptional Children, Contemporary Educational Psychology, Journal of Writing Research, Focus on Exceptional Children, and he is the current editor of the Journal of Educational Psychology. He is the co-author of the Handbook of Writing Research, Handbook of Learning Disabilities, APA Handbook of Educational Psychology, Writing Better, Powerful Writing Strategies for All Students, and Making the Writing Process Work. He is also the author of three influential Carnegie Corporation reports: Writing Next, Writing to Read, and Informing Writing.

Graham has served as an advisor to a variety of organizations, including UNESCO, National Institute of Health, National Writing Project, and the What Works Clearinghouse. He was the chair of the What Works Clearinghouse guide Teaching Elementary School Students to be Effective Writers, and he is currently chairing a similar What Works Clearinghouse guide for teaching writing at the secondary level. Graham was a member of the National Research Conference committee on adolescent and adult literacy. He has provided background information for a wide variety of magazine, newspaper, television, and radio reports including National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, La Monde, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, National Public Radio, CBS Sunday Morning News, and NBC Today Show.

He is the recipient of the Career Research Award from the International Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the Kauffman-Hallahan Distinguished Researcher Award from the Division of Research (CEC), Samuel A. Kirk Award from the Division of Learning Disabilities (CEC), Distinguished Researcher Award from the Special Education Special Interest Group of the American Education Research Association, J. Lee Weiderhot Lecture Award from the Council of Learning Disabilities, and the Don Johnston Literacy Lectureship Award for career contributions to literacy. He also received an award from the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at ASU in 2015 for Outstanding Research with Sustained Impact.

Graham is a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, a Fellow of Division 15 (Educational Psychology) of the American Psychological Association, as well as a Fellow of the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities.

Learn more about Dr. Graham’s research on his web page at Arizona State University.

Dr. Graham appeared as an expert in the Reading Rockets webcast, Teaching Writing.

Books by this author

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.

Best Practices in Writing Instruction (Third Edition)

Steve Graham, Charles A. MacArthur, Michael Hebert

Age Level:

Adult

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.

Best Practices in Writing Instruction, Second Edition

Steve Graham, Charles A. MacArthur, Jill Fitzgerald

Age Level:

Adult

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.

Handbook of Writing Research

Steve Graham, Charles A. MacArthur

Age Level:

Adult

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.

Powerful Writing Strategies for All Students

Steve Graham, Karen R. Harris, Linda Mason, Barbara Friedlander

Age Level:

Adult

Whether they have learning disabilities or just need extra help, struggling writers can improve their skills dramatically if they get the detailed, explicit instruction they need. This practical guidebook shows elementary school teachers how to make this systematic instruction part of their classroom. Educators will find a wide range of specific strategies that include activities for every phase of the writing process, from brainstorming and goal-setting to revising.