Foundational Skills for Writing: Book Review and Giveaway

Over the past few weeks, two different friends have been part of “favorite things” parties, gatherings where everyone brings something they love to share during a gift exchange. I’d have to think hard to decide what to bring from my personal life (The pens I can’t live without? A 5-year journal? A copy of my favorite novel?). But if I hosted a professional “favorite things” party, the decision would be easy: every teacher needs a copy of Melanie Meehan and Maggie Beattie Roberts’ new book, Foundational Skills for Writing: A Brain-Based Guide to Strengthen Executive Functions, Language, and Other Cornerstones for Writers.

In recent years, foundational reading skills have stolen the spotlight as educators have taken a deeper dive into the reading process and how the brain learns to decode words and make meaning. My bookshelves and inbox have been flooded with articles, resources, webinars, and programs that have refined my work with teachers and enhanced my understanding of literacy development.

Writing, however, has often left me searching for resources and solutions. Teachers consistently bring up concerns about handwriting and letter formation, grammatical conventions, sentence structure, and spelling. There is a student in every classroom (likely several students) who is struggling to develop the executive skills that will allow them to become a proficient writer. 

My resource shelf is overflowing with texts that are rich on the compositional side of writing (using language to grow ideas and connect with audiences meaningfully). Yet there has been a void when it comes to foundational writing skills–especially when searching for ways to understand the multidimensional development of a young writer.

When I opened Melanie and Maggie’s book a few weeks ago, it immediately felt like the answer to questions that have been plaguing me for years: How do I know what to expect from developing writers, and how do I respond when they aren’t doing it?

This book now tops my list of Favorite Education Things, and here’s why it should be on your list, too:

1. Research and Evidence: These buzzwords top every description of resources that are effective and worth integrating into instruction, but they are much more than just educational jargon. As teachers, it’s important to know that the practices we bring into our classrooms have been studied and have been shown to positively impact student learning. Every idea in this book is grounded in solid research with clear, real-life examples that illustrate the evidence in practice.
2. Knowledge-Building and Actionable: Some professional resources are perfect for extending understanding of teaching practices and how children learn as writers. Others provide suggestions for routines, lessons, and activities that can be implemented in the classroom. Foundational Skills for Writing does both: each chapter dives deeply into the inner workings of writing skills in a section titled “What’s the Why?” and provides suggestions for sustainable routines (“Leveraging Literacy”) and quick activities (“Minute Moves”).
3. Visual and Descriptive: The graphics in the text are stunning, filled with rich images of the inner workings of the brain, charts and tables of developmental skill progressions, and models that illustrate the many layers of foundational writing. Each of these elements is supported through rich text that thoroughly unpacks every idea in a way that is clear and easy to navigate. Every single page takes a deep dive into effective practices and the rationale behind them.

When I consider the place this book will have in my professional library, it is not on a shelf; this is a book that will be beside me as I plan lessons, map out curriculum, and navigate student struggles. I envision myself working with colleagues to access the wealth of resources to build a writing toolkit. I trust the lists of researchers and cited studies to help me navigate other sources and voices in the field for accuracy and reliability. Most of all, this book provides a solid foundation for my beliefs, values, and practices as a writing teacher and as a district leader, and helps me support developing writers with confidence and expertise.

Giveaway: Comment For a Chance to Win a Copy of Foundational Skills for Writing!

Many thanks to Corwin Press for donating a copy of the book! This is a giveaway of Foundational Skills for Writing: A Brain-Based Guide to Strengthen Executive Functions, Language, and Other Cornerstones for Writers by Melanie Meehan and Maggie Beattie Roberts. To enter the drawing, readers must leave a comment* by Monday, March 2, at 12:00 PM EST. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Thursday, March 5. The winner must provide their mailing address within five days, or a new winner will be selected. 

*Comment inspiration: Share a tried-and-true strategy for working on foundational writing skills with your students or a question you hope to have answered in Melanie and Maggie’s book.