This article reports on a collaborative inquiry into the use of a researcher-designed digital tool for the support of writing instruction in elementary classrooms. The digital tool in question is an online collection of original writing samples produced by elementary children that was conceptualized as a resource for coaching new writers using…

Writing is a complex and learned activity in that it requires us to shape our thoughts into words and texts that are appropriate for the purpose, audience and medium of a variety of communicative forms. Writers must constantly make decisions about how to represent their subject matter and themselves through language. In this way, writing can be…

Improvement-oriented feedback has been shown to be more effective at raising writing achievement than simple evaluative feedback. This study investigates whether teachers differ in the feedback they give to weak and strong writers as well as how feedback differs across grades. Interviews were conducted with 15 teachers about the feedback they gave…

Describes a successful workshop approach to teaching writing which uses elementary school students' own papers to teach ways to refine writing skills. (DD)

Looks at the interaction of the professional writer, the teacher, and the child that leads to the development of voice which informs poetry. Discusses poems shared with children and shares examples of children's poems written in response to poems by adult writers. Analyzes the connections between the sociocultural contexts of the professional poet…

Examines several pieces of writing (class assignments as well as writing done outside of school) by the author's 10-year-old daughter. Notes the different kinds of learning promoted in them, and maintains that school writing assignments should be as "real" as possible. (SR)

Intended for elementary level students, this book presents 12 writing ideas and several suggestions on how students can make a book using their writing. Each writing idea is presented with a brief description (addressed to the student), several examples of student writing, and a blank page on which to write. Writing ideas include freewriting,…

Describes how the author, when teaching dream poems and poem writing to older kids, uses Margaret Atwood's "Dreams of the Animals" to extend the discussion about dreaming and have the children think about dreams that have little to do with their own. Includes examples of students' poems about animal dreams. (SR)

Presents an instructional unit, "Literary Lifeboat," a purposeful writing exercise in which students write character justifications for familiar stories. Describes the unit's implementation in a Year 5 class, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the exercise. (MM)

Explores some special qualities of children's writing--directness, adventurousness, and innocence. Asserts that writing instructors must be aware of the transitional nature of children's writing while teaching them the mechanics of writing. (MM)

Uses Theodore Roethke's poem "The Old Florist" to illustrate the model, or structural, approach to teaching poetry writing (where students discover the operating structure of a poem in order to write their own). Discusses the student poems it inspired to show the potential of this approach. (SR)

Illustrates how riddles can be used to teach poetry. Provides analysis of several riddles and resources for riddles. (MS)

Describes events in the author's journey toward living her life as a poet. Includes reminiscences of her childhood, and interactions with other teachers, friends, relatives. Includes samples of poetry written by children. (RS)

Illustrates the complexity of the issues of sexism, gender discrimination, and oppression by sharing some observations, conversations, and writings of elementary school students. Notes the value of including student-created literary characters in class discussion of gender issues. (RS)