Although writing instruction can positively impact reading for students across grades and levels of literacy, the extent to which these findings generalize to young students with literacy difficulties is unclear due to the dynamic nature of reading-writing relations. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the effects of writing…

Handwriting has a low status and profile in literacy education in England and in recent years has attracted little attention from teachers, policy-makers or researchers into mainstream educational processes. This article identifies a substantial programme of research into handwriting, including studies located in the domains of special needs…

This article presents practical solutions to some common problems that may interfere with the mechanics of handwriting. Problems addressed include poor sitting posture, immature pencil grasp, poor stability or positioning of paper, uncertain hand dominance, difficulty copying from the chalkboard, and problems with spatial organization. (JDD)

This article describes implementation of the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) approach to help students learn a specific essay writing strategy in preparation for a state writing test. It also reviews the theoretical and research bases for using SRSD to teaching writing strategies. (Contains references.) (DB)

Examines materials in the ERIC database on the characteristics of the reluctant writer, the effect of apprehension on writing performance, and teaching strategies to encourage writing proficiency. (HTH)

A simply-constructed letter-writing template can help learning-disabled elementary students (or other students with writing problems) overcome concern about proper form and concentrate on content and communication skills. School and home activities to reinforce skills include writing to pen pals, writing for free or inexpensive materials, and…

An inner-city school has a remedial word processing program for students from the sixth to eighth grades. Students are writing more and reading more. The computer has increased their confidence and serves as a nonjudgmental third party and can communicate their feelings to others. (MLF)

Described are strategies that help writing-disabled students improve handwriting skills (e.g., provide models, use prompting and fading techniques, teach proofing skills) and strategies that allow students to circumvent handwriting problems so they can concentrate on the subject matter content (e.g., typewriters, computers, oral reports and…

This article discusses the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) approach to teach writing skills to students with learning disabilities. It examines how SRSD is implemented in the classroom, how teachers can plan for and evaluate SRSD, the research evidence supporting SRSD, and the method's six stages. An example in a second grade classroom…

Research is reviewed on using dialog journals to enhance the writing and motivation of learning-disabled students. Dialog journals allow students to choose their topics and promote fluency by emphasizing meaning over mechanics. Guidelines for teachers are provided, and the impact of the experience on a classroom of eight- to 13-year-olds is…

Story structure instruction, focusing on forming a mental picture of a story's structure and understanding of story parts, improved poor-reading fourth-graders' (N=20) story writing skills in terms of organization and overall quality but not coherence and creativity, indicating that instruction in story parts can improve some children's writing.…

Fifteen learning-disabled students, aged 8-12 years, showed marked improvement in their story writing when they used a word processor as compared to handwritten stories. Children with severe spelling problems made fewer errors in their word-processed stories. Reluctant writers tended to write longer word-processed stories compared to handwritten…

Describes an expository writing lesson, taught in the context of a modified writing workshop, that motivates needy students to compose meaningful essays. Explains that this approach promotes self-pacing and independent learning. Concludes that this method helps struggling readers see themselves as writers. (PM)

Examines the interactions that take place as nine exemplary teachers from New Zealand provide support for struggling writers in ways that inadvertently often turn out to be less effective than they hoped. Discusses four ways to produce unintended outcomes. Illustrates that even for exceptional teachers of writing, conducting effective conferences…

Illustrates the strength of the Socratic method by showing its applicability to a troubled student. Discusses feedback in the process-oriented approach to writing instruction, examining the purpose, nature, and focus of response. (MS)