Episode 9
Elevating Writing Instruction with Dr. Steve Graham
Published February 23, 2022
(1.25 SCECH Credits)
Show Notes
Episode 9: Elevating Writing Instruction with Dr. Steve Graham
In this episode, we (Mark Raffler and Sarah Shoemaker) connect with Arizona State University professor, researcher, and author Dr. Steve Graham. For over 42 years, Dr. Graham has studied how writing develops, how to teach it effectively, and how writing can be used to support reading and learning. His research involves typically developing writers and students with special needs in both elementary and secondary schools, with much of occurring in classrooms in urban schools. This dialogue is focused on thinking “outside-the-box” as we aim to plan and facilitate writing instruction that engages all students.
Here is a quick brief of our conversation:
Sarah starts the dialogue with Dr. Graham by asking “What is the first thing you tell educators in the field about writing instruction?” Dr. Graham talks about the amount of time spent writing and on writing instruction in the classroom. We continue the conversation with a dive into more insights from his article “A Path to Better Writing: Evidence-Based Practices in the Classroom.”
Mark adds to the dialogue: “We are frequently asked questions around writing instruction that include: How long should students write each day? Should we dictate topics or allow student choice when thinking about writing? Where should we start with writing genres? Talk to us about what guidance you offer teachers in these areas.” Dr. Graham points out five major points in relation to writing instruction.
Then, we talk a bit about the positive relationship between writing instruction and increased reading comprehension.
Mark delves into asking about writing assessment and how it is used for reflection and improvement in his next question to Dr. Graham.
Dr. Graham summarizes our conversation by noting some key writing resources and reinforcing the role of the teacher in elevating writing instruction.
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Medicine by WinnieTheMoog
Transcript
Click here to visit our YouTube page for a transcript to this episode.