A recent article by Write for Texas Director Ellie Hanlon in Texas Lone Star, a publication of the Texas Association of School Boards, features ways that school board members can influence classroom teaching practices to improve student writing.
Emphasizing that change requires commitment at all levels, “The Write Stuff: How to Create a Cadre of Strong Readers and Writers in Texas” engages school board members to consider focusing policy discussions and agendas on the importance of research-based instructional practices. The article supports board members to become knowledgeable about expectations for student writing skills at various grade levels and encourages them to look for evidence of strategies that promote reading and writing in all content areas.
The article also points readers to MCPER’s 10 Key Writing Practices for All Schools, which includes practical, research-based recommendations and grade-level descriptions of student skills. The resource is part of the 10 Key series, which distills the latest research findings into concise, one-page top 10 lists of the most important things that should be in place in every school.
The backbone of Write for Texas continues to be its network of almost 100 dedicated writing coaches in more than 200 schools across the state. These site-based staff members design and deliver professional development to support classroom teachers, instructional and content specialists, and campus and district administrators to provide opportunities for all students to read, write, and discuss a wide variety of genres throughout the school year. In addition to planning a reprise of the regional summer institutes for 2017, Write for Texas will continue to develop resources to support educators at all levels to implement the guiding principles of effective writing instruction.