April Smith 
Simplify Your Writing Instruction 
A Framework For A Student-Centered Writing Block

Set up your writing block quickly and easily with a simple, research-based framework

Schools need their writing instruction simplified. Most classrooms share writing time with another subject, making it difficult for students to receive the direct writing instruction they need. Between the lack of time, increased gaps in writing skills, and inconsistent writing curriculum, teachers are struggling to bring their students up to grade level.

Simplify Your Writing Instruction provides you with a classroom-tested framework that helps you set up your writing block within the limited time and resources you have. Step by step, this practical guide shows you how to amplify your students’ writing skills, employ simple feedback opportunities and interventions, streamline your lessons, use simple differentiation techniques to help reach students of all ability levels, and more.

Author April Smith is a former teacher who has trained more than 50, 000 K-12 educators on best practices for writing instruction. While in the classroom, she learned that having simple and consistent systems in place is critical. Accordingly, none of the tasks and strategies will require you to create or prep anything complicated or time-consuming. In Simplify Your Writing Instruction, you will find easy-to-use checklists, implementation tasks, customizable templates, student writing samples, helpful tables and charts, and a simple spreadsheet that you can use to plan your lessons and modify your teaching to meet the needs of each writer.

Be confident and supported in your writing instruction. Simplify Your Writing Instruction will teach you how to:

* Implement the Simple Pre-Assessment Process in your classroom

* Encourage authentic writing practice at home

* Differentiate your lessons to reach your Special Education, ELL, and Gifted students

* Integrate grammar naturally and optimize student output after each lesson

* Split the writing process into efficient and effective 10- to 15-minute mini-lessons

* Make writing a priority by incorporating writing application into other subjects

* Use a simple pre-assessment to get a better overall picture of what your students can do

* Utilize more complex strategies such as small group work and conferring

Packed with expert advice and easy-to-follow strategies, Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework for a Better Writing Block is a must-have resource for all K-12 educators and teachers in training.

Table of Content

Introduction

Chapter 1 Common Struggles

Chapter 2: What Really Matters

Chapter 3: Make Writing a Priority

Chapter 4: The Power of Informal Pre-Assessment

Chapter 5: Make Observations and Record Important Data

Chapter 6: Build a Foundation

Chapter 7: Use Pre-Assessment Data to Modify Future Lessons

Chapter 8: Prepare Your Classroom

Chapter 9: Start Your First Writing Unit with Efficient Mini-Lessons

Chapter 10: Prepare for Early Finishers and Students Who Are Stuck

Chapter 11: Incorporate Grammar

Chapter 12: Support Students Through Small Group Instruction

Chapter 13: Provide Individualized Feedback Through Writing Conferences

Chapter 14: Integrate Peer Feedback Systems

Chapter 15: Support Students with Learning Disabilities

Chapter 16: Support English Language Learners

Chapter 17: Grade with a Student-Centered Approach

Appendix: Reproducible Pages

About the Author

Acknowledgments

How to Access the Downloadable Resources

Works Cited

Index

About the author

APRIL SMITH began teaching in a rural school in 2008. Today, she works as an instructional coach and curriculum designer, dedicated to empowering educators with the resources they need to better support their students. April has trained over 50, 000 teachers, working closely with school leaders across the country.