writing

Your Quick Guide to Planning Effective Writing Assignments

April 17, 2025
Today’s guest post is by Joan Sedita, author of The Writing Rope. When assigning writing tasks, how often do you receive work that doesn’t meet your expectations? A common issue… Read more

6 Questions with Joan Sedita, Author of The Writing Rope

November 14, 2024
Strong writing skills are an essential component of student literacy achievement. Today we’re excited to feature a Q&A on writing instruction with Joan Sedita, author of the instant bestseller The Writing Rope. She’s… Read more

The Why, What, and How of The Writing Rope

October 3, 2024
*Today’s guest post is by Joan Sedita, author of the bestselling guidebook The Writing Rope. Over the past two decades, the literature and discourse related to literacy instruction has focused on reading,… Read more

Teacher Tips: How to Use Mentor Text as Student Writing Models

July 4, 2024
*Today’s post has been adapted from Joan Sedita’s bestselling guidebook The Writing Rope. Most people learn new skills—such as how to cook a meal, play basketball, or play the guitar—by emulating others.… Read more

6 Types of Self-Instructions to Help Your Students With Writing

May 21, 2024
*Today’s post is excerpted and adapted from the book Powerful Writing Strategies for All Students by Karen R. Harris, Steve Graham, Linda H. Mason, & Barbara Friedlander. Expert writers commonly… Read more

12 Best-Practice Tips for Building Young Children’s Writing Skills

September 28, 2023
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Comprehensive Literacy Instruction for ALL Learners: 4 Big Questions Answered

February 21, 2023
All children can learn literacy skills, but teachers often have questions about how to teach and include students with more intensive support needs or significant disabilities. Excerpted and lightly adapted… Read more

7 Teaching Principles for Effective Writing Instruction

February 9, 2023
In her bestselling guidebook The Writing Rope, Brookes author Joan Sedita identifies seven teaching principles that should be incorporated when you assign writing tasks and teach writing skills. Teachers, keep… Read more

5 Things Proficient Writers Do

September 8, 2022
Writing is a complex skill—and to become good writers, students need to integrate skills and strategies from all the components of what author Joan Sedita calls The Writing Rope. Using… Read more

Q&A: How to Fit Interventions for Struggling Readers into Your Busy School Day

November 30, 2021
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