Teachers! Rock Your Writing Block in 4 Easy Steps—Free Guide >
Research School Licensing Personal Licenses Contact Us

Rooted in Research-Based Strategies

Below is the research that has informed or confirmed the strategies that we use at Reimagine Writing.

Rooted in Research-Based Strategies

Below is the research that has informed or confirmed the strategies that we use at Reimagine Writing.

Process-First Instruction: Creating Independent Writers Through Utilization of Teacher-Created Writing Goals

Many writing programs rightly emphasize explicit instruction, yet this often presents educators with the formidable challenge of classroom management. Teachers frequently find it difficult to attend to the diverse needs of students simultaneously. Our framework provides the solution by prioritizing student independence, enabling teachers to provide assistance as needed while students are all engaged in meaningful work at their level. We will illustrate how to structure your writing block around a "process-first" approach, which effectively nurtures student autonomy. Through the establishment of teacher-created goals for each stage of the writing process, students gain clarity on expectations, fostering greater independence and self-regulation for the duration of the writing block. 

 

Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D’Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012).

Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers: A practice guide (NCEE 20124058). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/ wwc/publications_reviews.aspx#pubsearch.

Graham, Steve; Perin, Dolores, Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools

Motivating + Engaging Reluctant Writers By Utilizing Choice and Authentic Writing Assignments

Research points to the power of allowing students to exercise choice when writing. Choice, paired with authentic writing assignments, is the perfect way to engage and motivate students. When students believe that their writing efforts will extend beyond the basket on the teacher’s desk and actually be read and enjoyed by people in the world, engagement and motivation will increase. Our strategies will guide you through numerous ideas to accomplish this.

Boscolo, P. & Gelati, Carmen. (2013). Best practices in promoting motivation in writing. Best Practices in Writing Instruction. 284-308. Analyzing Mentor Texts Leading With Mentors: Examining Examples of Exemplar Writing Without vision, the writers perish.

Improving Quality of Writing Through Craft and Mentor Text Studies

One of the most effective ways to improve the quality of students' writing is to provide them with exemplar pieces of writing to study. We offer students a process for examining a specific genre, craft move, or strategy that they will be encouraged to incorporate into their own writing.

Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D’Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers: A practice guide (NCEE 20124058). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/ wwc/publications_reviews.aspx#pubsearch. Glover, M. (2014). Vision and choice in the K-3 writing workshop. In K. Ganske (Ed.), Write now! Empowering writers in today's K-6 classroom. International Reading Association.

Applying Grammar + Syntactic Awareness Skills 

Research spanning nearly 90 years has indicated that traditional grammar instruction, involving hours spent diagramming sentences and memorizing parts of speech, hasn’t significantly aided students and in some cases may have impeded their efforts to become proficient writers. While students do require grammar instruction, our strategies focus on helping students apply syntactic awareness to their writing through explicit instruction. Students are given opportunities to enhance their syntactic awareness both during the revision phase of the writing process and through daily exercises.

Dyson, A.H. and Freedman, S.W. (1991). Writing. In J. Flood, J.M. Jensen, D. Lapp, and J.R. Squire (Eds.), Handbook of research on teaching the English language arts (pp. 754-774). New York, NY: Macmillan Publishing Company. Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D’Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). T

Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers: A practice guide (NCEE 20124058). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/ wwc/publications_reviews.aspx#pubsearch.

Mastering Writing Instruction: Teaching Explicit and Systematic Writing Lessons 

Two significant hurdles for many educators in teaching writing effectively are the constraints of time and a lack of confidence. Research underscores the importance of dedicating ample time to writing instruction, yet this often poses a challenge. Our approach addresses this by presenting a robust framework for incorporating daily writing sessions, seamlessly integrated with content area learning. We will guide you through evidence-based practices for constructing effective writing lessons, offering practical strategies to establish writing routines across the curriculum. These techniques not only enhance writing proficiency but also bolster reading comprehension. Recognizing the intrinsic connection between reading and writing, we emphasize the importance of affording students opportunities to practice both, thereby fostering holistic literacy development. Additionally, we will demonstrate how to integrate writing activities into diverse subjects such as math, science, and social studies, equipping you with the tools to enrich learning across all disciplines.

 

Graham, Steve & Hebert, Michael. (2011). Writing to Read: A Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Writing and Writing Instruction on Reading. Harvard Educational Review. 81. 710-744. 10.17763/haer.81.4.t2k0m13756113566. Data-Driven Instruction

Data-Driven Writing Instruction + Consistent Feedback 

Research suggests that students can enhance their writing proficiency through the use of rubrics or checklists. We collaborate with educators to develop rubrics and checklists tailored to each writing genre, task, or strategy, empowering students to meet established expectations effectively. Additionally, we advocate for opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding within individual lessons, enabling educators to gather data that informs instructional decisions. We assist educators in implementing daily writing quick checks aligned with the learning target, as well as overarching unit-wide rubrics for comprehensive data collection. We emphasize the importance of utilizing data to drive instructional decisions, ensuring effective and targeted teaching practices.

 

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Milton Park, UK: Routledge. Hattie, J. (2012). Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximising Impact on Learning. Milton Park, UK: Routledge Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Wiggins, G. (2012). Seven keys to effective feedback, Educational Leadership, 70(1), 10-18.