Practice Guide iconPractice Guide
This practice guide provides four recommendations for improving elementary students’ writing. Each recommendation includes implementation steps and solutions for common roadblocks. The recommendations also summarize and rate supporting evidence. This guide is geared toward teachers, literacy coaches, and other educators who want to improve the writing of their elementary students.
1
Provide daily time for students to write.
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2
Teach students to use the writing process for a variety of purposes.
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3
Teach students to become fluent with handwriting, spelling, sentence construction, typing, and word processing.
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4
Create an engaged community of writers.
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Audience:
  • Administrators
  • School Specialist
  • Teacher

This practice guide was prepared for the WWC by Mathematica under contract ED-07-CO-0062.

The following research staff contributed to the guide: Cay Bradley, Virginia Knechtel, Nancy Murray, Bryce Onaran, and Cassie Pickens Jewell.

These videos were prepared by WestEd under the Doing What Works Contract (ED-PEP-11-C-0068).
All videos are based on recommendations from the WWC practice guides and are designed to complement the guides.

  • Steve Graham (Chair)
    Arizona State University

    Play an interview of Panel Chair, Steve Graham: Writing as a Thinking Activity (6:09 minutes)
  • Alisha Bollinger
    Norris Elementary School, Norris School District, Nebraska
  • Carol Booth Olsen
    University of California, Irvine
  • Catherine D'Aoust
    University of California, Irvine
  • Charles MacArthur
    University of Delaware
  • Deborah McCutchen
    University of Washington
  • Natalie Olinghouse
    University of Connecticut
Webinar
What Works: Evidence-Based Math, Reading & Writing Tips for In-Person & Remote Instruction
July 1, 2021

What Works Clearinghouse released a webinar for educators on evidence-based practices to support math, reading, and writing instruction, as well as instructional resources to share with parents and ca...
Reference
What Works: Evidence-Based Math, Reading & Writing Tips for In-Person & Remote Instruction
July 1, 2021

What Works Clearinghouse released a webinar for educators on evidence-based practices to support math, reading, and writing instruction, as well as instructional resources to share with parents and ca...
Video
Interactive Writing Instruction Online with Young Children
November 13, 2020

This REL West video depicts an online writing lesson for kindergarteners and first graders. The lesson and strategies align with recommendations from the Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effe...
Infographic
Evidence-Based Recommendations for Remote Writing Instruction in the Elementary Grades
October 1, 2020

This infographic provides examples from two practice guides about elementary school instruction in writing that can be implemented for free or at a low cost in remote learning settings.
Guide
Instructional Tips Based on the Educator's Practice Guide Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers
October 1, 2018

This eight-page set of instructional tips translates practice guide recommendations into actionable approaches that educators can try in their classrooms.
Video
Inteview with Panel Chair Steve Graham on Writing as a Thinking Activity
April 10, 2017

Play an interview of Panel Chair, Steve Graham: Writing as a Thinking Activity (6:09 minutes)

The practice guide is accompanied by instructional tips, a summary of evidence for the instructional tips, and a practice guide summary. Click below to access any of the available resources.

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