#22 Writing Instruction - The Final Frontier

I recently took a 3-day Writing Revolution training course, and in this episode, I’m sharing key takeaways and unpacking how this methodology can be applied to writing instruction for students with (and without) dyslexia. 

When I discovered that 75% of third and fourth grade teachers don't feel prepared to teach writing, I can’t say I was surprised. In my teaching program, we mainly focused on reading comprehension, not the foundations of reading or writing. As a result, the majority of teachers lack a structured, systematic, and explicit approach to teaching writing. That’s where The Writing Revolution (TWR) comes in. 

TWR is an evidence-based approach that aims to improve expository writing skills among students. The program starts at the sentence level and gradually adds new layers, weaving note taking in along the way. Once students reach the five paragraph level, they can confidently craft academic essays, term papers, and eventually apply skills in a professional setting with business and scientific reports. 

Since introducing elements of TWR with several of my students, the majority have responded that going through the steps and writing has become so much easier. Join me on this episode to learn more about TWR and the lasting impact it can have on students with dyslexia. 

 

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or on your favorite podcast platform.

 

Topics Covered:

  • An overview of how dyslexia can impact writing skills
  • Why so many gen-ed kids struggle with writing 
  • The long-term effects of poor writing instruction
  • What the TWR approach looks like in practice 
  • Why I’m going to be teaching my students note taking alongside sentence building
  • What I like about TWR’s version of graphic organizers

 

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