Developing writers in an intermediate‐grade classroom

Abstract

Writing development and instruction must begin with the students (see Graves, 1983). Students must write about issues and topics that are of concern and interest to them and about which they have knowledge. They must write for audiences-audiences that want to know what students have to communicate and can respond to their writing. Students must engage in real writing. They must write as writers do, continuously thinking about their writing, drafting, seeking information, revising, and reflecting. And writing must not be an isolated activity. It must be integrated with reading, thinking, and acting upon the world. In this article, I share my attempts at translating theory and research about writing development and instruction into classroom practice. By describing my efforts to engage students in meaningful writing, I hope to engage other educators in a dialogue about writing in classrooms. Like other intermediate grade teachers in my school district, I have a class of 34 students. The district emphasizes math and reading skills and preparing students for testing. Like other teachers in my building and my district, I attempt to work around the constraints I am given, whether those constraints are large class sizes, a lack of resources and materials, or mandated programs that, at best, bore students and waste their time.