Prior research has consistently shown that motivation is a catalyst for students' writing performance, with important implications for writing instruction. However, this body of research has mainly relied on a variable-centered approach that does not acknowledge the similarities and differences between and within groups of students. In the current…

Being able to write a sentence is an essential part of overall writing proficiency, but this can be a challenge for many students. This article provides a systematic review of the extant literature on sentence-writing instruction. Sixteen studies designed to improve sentence writing for students who are typically achieving or have disabilities or…

In this clinical tutorial, we describe the implementation of interventions provided to struggling writers using telepractice as the method of service delivery. The intervention of focus in this article was provided by graduate students who received advanced training in supporting writing to elementary school children with and without learning…

One aim of this article is to shift mindsets from the traditional identification of written language abilities that are "missing" in students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) to writing assessment as the discovery of more complex language strengths foundational to success across disciplines. The multiple language-levels (MLL)…

Written expression is critical to the full participation of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and complex communication needs in a wide range of educational and community contexts. Unfortunately, the extant research on teaching writing to this unique population is limited and, thus, provides little guidance to practitioners in the design…

The adoption of national literacy standards has resulted in writing becoming a priority for students with complex learning needs (CLN). Given extrinsic (school-based) and intrinsic (student-based) barriers, there is a need to understand how educational systems can provide innovative research- and standards-based writing instruction for these…

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may struggle to self-regulate their learning, and such difficulty may be especially notable in the area of written expression. One intervention that has explored self-regulation in writing is the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) approach. In this article, a review of the research using SRSD…

Many students currently are enrolled in colleges and universities across the country with language disorders and/or learning disabilities (LLD). The majority of these students struggle with writing, creating a need to identify and provide them with writing intervention services. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) may provide this intervention;…

In this single-subject design study, we examined the effects of an intervention targeting planning and self-regulation strategy use on the persuasive writing of children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Three 8- to 9-year-old children with ASD in third and fourth grades learned a mnemonic-based strategy for planning and…

This article describes the use of African American English (AAE) in the written and oral language of African American adolescents who struggle with writing. Written and oral language samples of 22 African American 10th-grade students were transcribed, analyzed, and coded for AAE, grammatical errors, spelling errors, and punctuation errors. Four…

Differences and similarities between oral and written communication as applied to writing instruction are discussed with examples of divergent oral and written styles among speakers of nonstandard dialects, code switching between speech and writing, convergence and divergence in the development of writing skills, and the role of talking in writing…

Teaching appropriate composition strategies and self-management routines to inefficient learners can improve their writing. The composition-strategy training intervention program requires (1) task and learner analysis; (2) selection, introduction, acquisition, and evaluation of selected preskills, composition strategies, and metacognitive…

This article focuses on strategies in expository essay instruction. Detailed descriptions of instructional procedures in teaching students the recursive processes of planning, drafting, and revising expository essays are provided. Ways to foster students' self-regulation and motivation in writing are provided and potential problems in strategy…

Three methods of teaching spelling in classrooms are reviewed and critiqued from the standpoint of the poor speller. Activities vary in the extent to which they draw children's attention to phonological, orthographic, and meaning patterns. Activities and modifications shown to enhance the performance of poor spellers are presented. (Contains…

This article examines the development of the Self-Regulated Strategy Development Model for teaching writing strategies and self-regulation procedures to students with writing difficulties. It describes how the model operates, and examines its effectiveness. It also highlights how the model has been used to respond to variations in settings and…