White Paper: What does the research say about powerful writing instruction?

The ability to write proficiently is critical for school and career success, yet it has been often sidelined in schools. This white paper, co-authored by the National Writing Project and Collaborative Classroom, explores the key characteristics of high-quality, research-based writing instruction including:

• Ample time daily for writing instruction and writing
• A strong, collaborative classroom writing community that supports peer editing and conferring
• Robust connections between reading and writing instruction, honoring the reciprocal relationship
• Writing for authentic purposes and audiences
• The use of diverse mentor texts
• Thoughtful attention to conventions