Improving Writing Instruction: 10 Activities to Enhance
Teacher’s Effectiveness at Teaching Writing
Carolyn L. Carlson, Donita Massengill Shaw, & Cindy E. Heider
Introduction
It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a teacher to teach her students a skill
that she herself has not yet mastered. In their book on teaching writing to students, Fletcher and
Portalupi (2001) describe the experience of their sons learning to ski. They note that one of the
essential characteristics of their ski instructors was that they were all skiers themselves. Because the
teachers had mastered the skill of skiing, they were more effective instructors to the students.
Similarly, it is difficult for a teacher to teach writing to her students if she is not a writer herself and
does not have a firm grasp of the writing process. In a time where effective writing instruction is
needed, teachers must be equipped to teach writing skills to their students (Graham, MacArthur, &
Fitzgerald, 2007). This requires that teachers develop their writing skills as well.
Teachers may wish to hone their writing skills, but are unsure how to proceed in doing so.
Teachers may participate in the following ten activities to improve their writing skills, and ultimately,
their instruction of writing skills to their students. Some activities request the teachers compose
while other activities ask the teacher to observe
Carolyn Carlson is an assistant professor at
and reflect. They come together to provide
Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Her
teachers an opportunity to grow. These activities
research interests include adolescent literacy,
can be done individually or with a small group of
motivation, and writing instruction. She is the
support from peer teachers. They do not require
author of several articles on literacy and has
expensive materials. Neither do they have to be
presented at state, regional, national, and
completed in a certain order or a designated
international conferences on literacy.
amount of time and each has been completed by
numerous teachers who found the experiences
Donna Massengill Shaw is an associate professor
valuable and enriching, resulting in more effective
at the University of Kansas. Her research
writing instruction in the classroom.
interests are in the area of orthography, teacher
Activity #1: Author a book
education, and adult literacy.
Cindy Heider is the Assistant Vice President for
Academic and Student Affairs. Her prior work
was in K-12 education as a staff development
director for the Missouri National Education
Association and as a university faculty member.
Teachers may feel intimidated at the
thought of writing and illustrating their own book.
However, the process and the final product can be
very rewarding and fulfilling for teachers. In this
activity, teachers are asked to go through each of
the five steps of the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing) to produce a
short (15-20 pages) book. The topic of the book’s content is determined by the teacher-writer. Once
the text of the book is completed, illustrations must be made. Typically this is the most challenging
aspect, except for talented artists. Yet there are many creative ways to portray the story. One
teacher asked her elementary students to illustrate her book on wildlife, while another took
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