Teaching Kids How to Write a Summary for Nonfiction
In a previous post, I shared one of the easiest, most effective strategies for simplifying narrative summary writing for kids. If you haven’t read that post yet, please take a…
Peer Feedback Made Easy: Boost Writing Quality and Lighten Your Load
Conferring with students during writing is a critical piece of strong writing instruction. As Susan Brookhart says in her book How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students, “Feedback can…
Step Back to Improve Independent Writing
There are so many reasons our kids don’t want to write. At the foundational level, when handwriting and spelling skills are weak, kids’ ability and confidence in writing will be…
Show the Way to Write: Modeling, Mentors, and Exemplars
It can be hard for kids to write. There’s a tremendous amount of mental energy involved with writing. It’s also very vulnerable. The writer’s thoughts, choices, and skill level…
Getting Kids to Write: Motivation
Teaching writing is at the top of many teachers’ lists of things that are hardest to do. The actual teaching of it can be uncomfortable for many, but a bigger…