This document provides guidance for effective writing instruction. It recommends teaching writing for authentic purposes, raising expectations, and having students write instead of just completing worksheets. Effective teachers should reflect on their beliefs and how they influence instruction. The optimal model includes explicit instruction, shared writing, guided writing, and independent writing. There are 12 writing essentials that should be taught at all grade levels, differing only in depth, and teachers should model real writing processes like thinking aloud and analyzing to help students.

2. Keeping Writing Simple
• Teach writing for authentic purposes
• Teach writing for authentic purposes
• Raise expectations
• Excellent writers write (not worksheets)

3. Writing Beliefs
• Effective teachers reflect, review, refine
• How do your beliefs influence your
writing instruction?
• Optimal learning model
• Explicit instruction
• Shared writing
• Guided writing
• Independent writing

4. Writing Essentials
• Twelve writing essentials (p. 13 in text)
• Taught in all grade levels
• Differ only in the breadth and depth of
the instruction
• Show student how real writers write
• Think aloud, model, analyze, peer sharing