Evidence-Based Writing Instruction

3 units

Writing requires students to simultaneously (1) coordinate multiple skills and forms of knowledge, (2) adapt language to meet different rhetorical demands, and (3) adhere to the norms and conventions for communicating in a community. Although writing [and teaching it] is challenging, research provides clear guidance on instructional practices that support students’ writing development. This course examines four perspectives on writing instruction—sociocognitive, sociocultural, disciplinary, and critical—and the evidence base underlying associated instructional practices. Teachers will analyze, adapt, and design writing instruction for ELA, science, and social studies contexts, with particular attention to scaffolding complex tasks, designing authentic assessments, integrating dialogue and multimodal composition, and creating language-rich classrooms that support all learners.