Instruction for Striving Writers: From the Archives

A Backstory: As the parent of a child with learning disabilities, I understand the unique challenges young writers face in their educational journey. Drawing on my lived experiences as a parent and advocate, I share practical strategies and resources to empower educators to provide tailored support to children with learning disabilities whenever I work with teachers and coaches as a literacy consultant.

Why It Matters: Writing is a fundamental skill and a gateway to self-expression, creativity, and academic success. However, for students who need help with writing, the established approach to instruction may only sometimes be sufficient to unlock their full potential.

Catch Up Quick: Every child is unique, and many factors influence their learning journeys. 

• For some young writers, challenges may arise due to specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, or difficulties with attention and focus. 
• Others may struggle with organizing their thoughts, generating ideas, or transferring them onto paper.

Recognizing these challenges is the first step toward fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment. By acknowledging the hurdles striving writers face, we can work towards adopting targeted strategies that build on their strengths, address their needs, and promote their overall growth.

From the Archives: I am sharing some past TWT blog posts and a podcast episode designed to help striving writers in grades K-6. These posts delve into practical techniques that empower educators to meet their students’ diverse needs.

• Co:Writer
• Communication, Collaboration, and Clarity
• Differentiating and Inspiring Students with Learning Differences in Writing Workshop
• Entry Points to Build Independence
• Everyone Gets What They Need
• Finding Accessible Fonts for Classroom Use
• Helping Students Who Don’t Want to Write
• Learn How to Entice the Hard-to-Reach Writers in Your Classroom
• Our Inner Writing Critic
• Over-Scaffolding: Beware of the Temptation!
• Paper Choices for Opinion and Argument Writing
• Re-imagining Classroom Work Spaces
• Rituals and Transitions
• The Power of Writing Identity
• Working with Special Education Teachers
• Working Together to Help Struggling Writers