Teaching Writing That Works: Building Skilled Writers Through Evidence-Based Instruction

Course description

NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HOURS: 45

Are you looking for ways to make writing instruction more explicit, systematic, and engaging? Oftentimes, our curriculum materials include writing tasks and prompts, but don’t include how we should teach students the skills necessary to produce proficient writing. This course provides a comprehensive foundation in writing instruction grounded in the Science of Reading, the Science of Learning, and evidence-based practices. Through interactive learning and practical application, you will deepen your understanding of foundational writing components and how these underpin higher-level writing skills. We’ll learn how reading and writing are reciprocal processes, and how to use writing as a vehicle for enhancing student learning. Emphasis will be placed on explicit instruction, gradual release of responsibility, and targeted scaffolding to meet diverse learner needs.

Key topics include:

• The importance of oral language in writing development
• Handwriting, spelling, and spelling error analysis
• The role of executive function in planning, organization, and revision
• Sentence-level instruction: comprehension, structure, and expansion
• Using decodable, grade-level, and content-area texts for sentence-level comprehension
• Ensuring horizontal and vertical alignment
• Teaching paragraph development, transitions, and cohesion
• Using Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD)
• Writing as a tool for learning and comprehension
• Providing effective feedback and assessing writing

Participants will apply course concepts by analyzing student writing, designing scaffolded lessons, and bringing texts from their own classrooms to develop sentence- and paragraph-level writing activities. By the end of the course, teachers will be equipped with a robust toolkit for teaching writing explicitly and systematically across grade levels and content areas.

Designed for K–12 educators—including classroom teachers, special educators, reading specialists, literacy coaches, tutors, and interventionists—this course uses evidence-based, developmentally informed approaches. Assignments, resources, and readings are differentiated for all grade levels. Teachers will explore foundational writing skills and advanced compositional strategies, gaining practical tools to support writing development at every stage.

This virtual, hybrid course combines asynchronous modules with synchronous sessions, including recorded webinars, interactive practice, and curated resources. No additional texts are required. Materials are available starting January 21, 2026, and the first live class is Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

Participants will record and submit 3–5 instructional videos using the secure platform GoReact. These videos provide a basis for reflection and feedback. Your instructor will review your videos and reflections, offering personalized guidance and practical next steps tailored to your classroom.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the importance of and support foundational writing skills, including oral language, handwriting, spelling, and executive function, to promote students’ development as confident writers.
2. Apply evidence-based instructional models and strategies, including explicit instruction, the use of a gradual release model, and SRSD, to scaffold writing from sentences to paragraphs.
3. Design and implement sentence- and paragraph-level activities, using a range of texts and syntactic strategies to strengthen comprehension and composition.
4. Integrate writing across content areas as a tool for learning and comprehension, aligning instruction horizontally and vertically.
5. Assess, provide feedback, and differentiate writing instruction to meet diverse learner needs and support students’ ongoing growth.

Synchronous Class Schedule:

1. Class 1: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 – 3:30–5:30 PM
   Introduction, oral language, and foundational writing models
   
2. Class 2: Tuesday, February 10, 2026 – 3:30–5:30 PM
   Handwriting, spelling, and spelling error analysis
   
3. Class 3: Tuesday, March 10, 2026 – 3:30–5:30 PM
   Sentence-level comprehension, sentence types, and sentence activities
   
4. Class 4: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 – 3:30–5:30 PM
   Paragraph writing, transitions, SRSD, and writing across content areas
   
5. Class 5: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 – 3:30–5:30 PM
   Writing feedback, scaffolding, assessment, and integration/application

Between synchronous classes, participants will be expected to apply what they have learned in their practice, reflect, and continue with asynchronous learning.

Dates:
Course begins January 21, 2026 (no synchronous class on that date)
Synchronous classes on Jan. 27, Feb. 10, Mar. 10, Apr. 7, May 5
Course ends May 20, 2026