The Writing Rope

A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects

by Joan Sedita, M.Ed. Keys to Literacy Rowley, Massachusetts

Acknowledgments

I started teaching basic writing skills to struggling readers and writers with learning disabilities in 1975 at the Landmark School. The drive these students had to learn to write, despite the challenges they faced, made me realize how fortunate I was to have the ability to communicate with written language. I would like to thank these students for showing me that learning to write is not natural and that teaching writing is not easy. I would also like to thank the many educators I have had the privilege to support through professional development who take on the challenge of writing instruction because they recognize the power they can give students when they teach them how to write. Finally, I would like to thank the dedicated training consultants at Keys to Literacy who have shared their experience and insight related to literacy instruction over the past several years, including Shauna Cotte, Lisa Klein, Donna Mastrovito, and Melisa Rice.

Introduction

The ability to write is as essential to learning as the ability to read. As Graham and Perin noted in Writing Next, summarizing the writing research for 4th- to 12th-grade students, writing is not just an option for young people—it is a necessity. Along with reading comprehension, writing skill is a predictor of academic success and the basic requirement for participation in civic life and the global economy. This book was written for teachers of all subjects in Grades 4–8 who seek to integrate writing instruction into their content teaching with the combined goals of improving students’ writing ability and content learning. It includes evidence-based instructional practices that support learning to write and writing to learn.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

The content of this book is organized as follows.

Section I: Laying the Foundation for Teachers and Students

This section provides background knowledge about writing development, the role of fluent transcription skills in proficient writing, and the intentional choices proficient writers make related to writing craft.

Section II: Skills and Strategies: Learning to Write

This section offers suggestions for evidence-based instructional practices for the basic skills that students must learn to become proficient writers.

Section III: Application: Writing to Learn

This section focuses on teaching students how to use writing to enhance learning of content material for all subject areas.

Connect to Your Classroom

The goal for the professional development provided in this book is growth in students’ writing skills and ability. Quality professional development for teachers has an effect on students only if teachers apply the knowledge gained about effective writing instruction to their teaching. To support implementation of the instructional practices that are suggested in this book, Connect to Your Classroom activities are integrated into the chapters.

Teacher and Student Resources

The end-of-book appendix gathers a number of reproducible teacher and student writing resources presented throughout the chapters. These resources may also be accessed through the Brookes Download Hub.

State Writing Standards

The Common Core State Standards identified 10 writing standards as being equally important as the 10 reading standards. This has caused educators to recognize the need for quality, evidence-based writing instruction that is integrated into all subjects.

Laying the Foundation for Teachers and Students

Introduction to The Writing Rope

The Writing Rope organizes multiple writing skills, strategies, and techniques into five components that represent the elements of a comprehensive writing curriculum: critical thinking, syntax, text structure, writing craft, and transcription. Instructions for some elements can be readily integrated into content instruction in any subject area.

The Critical Thinking Strand

This component draws significantly on critical thinking and executive function skills. Students engage in critical thinking as they reflect on what they want to communicate through their writing. Writing tasks related to this strand include writing summaries and writing personal responses.

The Syntax Strand

Efficient processing of sentence structure is necessary for listening and reading comprehension, as well as for communicating information and ideas in writing. Students develop syntactic awareness as they learn the correct use and relationship of words in sentences.

The Text Structure Strand

Students benefit from explicit instruction for several levels of text structure, including knowledge of the different organizational structures for narrative, informational, and opinion writing, as well as understanding paragraph structure.

The Writing Craft Strand

This strand addresses skills and strategies often referred to as writer’s craft. Students benefit from explicit instruction in techniques that proficient writers employ, including purposeful use of specific vocabulary and writing voice.

The Transcription Strand

This strand addresses spelling and handwriting/keyboarding skills. They are basic skills that transcribe the words a writer wants to put into writing. Once students become automatic and fluent with spelling, they can focus on the other strands of The Writing Rope.