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Is handwriting actually important for writing?

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that differentiated instruction is one effective method for meeting the needs of all learners. But if you're teaching a classroom with 30 diverse students, all of them with different strengths and needs, it can be hard to know where to begin.

Adapted from the book Qu ick-Guides to Inclusion, edited by Michael Giangreco & Mary Beth Doyle, today's post lays out 7 principles of differentiated instruction and provides classroom examples for each one. It gives teachers new to differentiation a jumping-off point for their instruction (and it's a great source of ideas for educators who already differentiate).

Develop a Community Respectful of Diversity

All students want to contribute, be respected, and be cared about. Your classroom will provide fertile ground for helping students learn how to value differences, appreciate commonalities, and come to deeper understandings of such complex issues as fairness, cooperation, equity, and justice.

What it looks like:

A fifth-grade teacher establishes expectations in context of teaching about the preamble of the U.S. Constitution. After learning about the purpose, the students create their own preamble that will guide their behavior throughout the year.

In a first-grade class, students identify four to five classroom expectations. The students then work in small groups, with each group painting a picture of classmates following the expectation successfully. The pictures are displayed in the classroom to remind the students to follow their expectations.

Create a "Working-With" Learning Environment

Creating a "working-with" environment means that teachers and students share decisions about instructional activities, routines, ways in which students might work together, and how students can demonstrate learning. Teachers who create "working-with" learning environments encourage students to build responsibility for monitoring their work habits, self-assessing their quality of work, and helping make decisions about how the classroom is functioning.

What it looks like:

A second-grade teacher asks students to reflect on their progress toward important benchmark skills and establish a goal to assist them in making progress toward mastery.

During a fifth-grade class meeting, a teacher asks her students to discuss how different tasks might be assigned in order to complete a cooperative group project.

An eighth-grade teacher frames the targeted learning outcomes for an upcoming unit and asks her students to work in small groups to brainstorm instructional activities that would assist the students in reaching their benchmarks.

Ensure that All Students Have Access to the Curriculum

In fair and equitable inclusive classrooms, the general curriculum must be accessible to all students. As teachers plan how to ensure accessibility to the curricular content, they should consider a variety of options for differentiation, in the depth and breadth of content and in how each student best acquires the content.

What it looks like:

In a science unit on insects, a third-grade teacher encourages some students to explore how different insects adapt to environmental factors. Her plans for other students involve identifying familiar insects and investigating their characteristics. A few students will spend several days in the library doing research. In preparing for the unit, she gathers a tub of varied resources that include grade-level reading material, resources rich with photographs and light on words, audiotapes, a list of websites, and several 3D models of insects. In collaboration with a special education colleague, she has also included a teacher-made "unit dictionary" that captures essential vocabulary words and concepts.

Expand Your Instructional Repertoire

Teachers should continually expand their instructional repertoire to better meet the diverse needs of students. Start with just a few of your favorite strategies and push yourself to incorporate greater differentiation within those strategies. Don't forget to use your students as resources; they can share responsibility in suggesting various routes to a common destination.

What it looks like:

A language arts teacher strives for all students to reach mastery in understanding the element of setting. Using their knowledge of the students, the teacher creates multiple instructional options:

A student who is still learning English uses a sequential graphic organizer to identify aspects of setting. This student also has access to a picture dictionary.

Another student uses a software program that provides a list of descriptive terms and then creates a web of categories.

Two other students work together to create an alternative setting and then analyze how the new setting would alter the story.

After all the students have had opportunities to understand setting, the teacher facilitates a large group activity in which students share their understanding of the role of setting in literature.

Assess Throughout Your Instruction

Assessment and differentiation are integrally linked. Formative assessment, done at the beginning of instruction, informs you about the range of "starting points" for each student. Summative assessment, done at the end of instruction, provides feedback about how well students have mastered learning outcomes. In the spirit of differentiation, summative assessment should also allow for individual differences and strengths. Be creative, think inclusively, and ask students how they can best demonstrate what they have learned.

What it looks like:

A first-grade teacher checks in with his students throughout instruction using the colors of a stop light. Students indicate green if they are "good to go," yellow means "I need more practice," and red indicates "I just don't get it."

A second-grade teacher encourages students to begin a unit by brainstorming ideas about a particular concept. She then creates a class web to help students begin to sort and label aspects of the concept. Not only are the students able to benefit from the background knowledge of their classmates, the teacher is able to informally assess what her students know about the topic.

A sixth-grade teacher helps students self-assess their progress on a four-week project by creating a "benchmark timeline" of weekly tasks. At the end of each week, students initial the timeline with a different color pen, indicating where they are in the task sequence. This visual aid provides a picture of progress and indicates to the teacher which students might be having difficulty with task pacing.

Teach Students How to Be Effective Learners

In differentiated classrooms, students are active participants in the learning process. Student responsibilities include demonstrating such skills as making effective choices, organizing learning materials, following directions, completing tasks, and working cooperatively. When teachers provide many guided opportunities for students to build competence and confidence, students develop the skills they need to be productive and responsible learners.

What it looks like:

A first grader might complete the "must-do" activity at the learning center and then choose between two "can-do" learning center activities.

Elementary students might be taught to follow a learning contract, in which tasks are specified but each student selects the order in which they complete the tasks.

Middle school students might develop a list of resources necessary to complete a multi-faceted assignment.

A high school student might take the initiative to meet with a teacher in order to self-advocate for a helpful instructional accommodation.

Develop a System of Organization and Management

Reaching and teaching all of your students can feel like an overwhelming task. Developing some simple routines for organizing and managing your differentiated classroom will make everything go much smoother-and clear a path for more effective learning.

What it looks like:

Have students practice "organizational logistics." Provide opportunities to practice the simple things, such as moving between learning centers and putting supplies away. This can help the instructional activity go more smoothly.

Develop set routines for giving directions. Color-coding works well. For example, teach students that if they are in the blue group, or are working on the blue set of tasks, then the materials are in the blue folder and the directions are written in blue on the overhead.

Give students responsibility for being accountable. If students routinely turn in assignments, put them in charge of record-keeping. Attach a list of names to the assignment folder and have students check off their name as they turn in assignments.

Use your students as resources. Designate class experts who can offer assistance to classmates. Implement an "Ask three before me" rule to encourage students to seek out classmates for help.

Set yourself "off limits" from interruptions. During set times throughout the day (e.g., when you're facilitating a small instructional group), let students know you are not to be interrupted. Wear something easily noticed as a reminder, such as a colorful hat or headband.

What principles would you add to this list? Which differentiation strategies work best with your students? Tell us in the comments below (and if you try any of the ideas in this post, let us know how it goes!)

Quick-Guides to Inclusion
Ideas for Educating Students with Disabilities, Second Edition
Edited by Michael F. Giangreco, Ph.D., & Mary Beth Doyle, Ph.D.

The bestselling, teacher-trusted Quick-Guides to Inclusion gives busy K-12 educators quick, real-world inclusion advice that really works-in any classroom and with any budget. Includes easily implemented tips, examples, and ideas for addressing essential inclusion topics!

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Differentiated Instruction: 7 Key Principles and How-Tos - Brookes Blog

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Research shows that differentiated instruction is one effective method for meeting the needs of all learners. But if you're teaching a classroom with 30 diverse students, all of them with different strengths and needs, it can be hard to know where to begin. Adapted from the book Quick-Guides to Inclusion, edited by Michael Giangreco & [...]

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Admit/ exit tickets

informal notes/scribbles

margin notes while reading

list of facts, steps, ideas

set of instructions or directions

filling in a graphic organizer or completing a set of notes

free -writing: write on a topic for a short specified amount of time (also called a “brain dump”)

one-paragraph summary

generate a few questions

KWL Chart (What I Know, What I Want to Know, What I Learned)

write a definition in your own words

draw, label, or explain pictures/diagrams

short-answers to questions

sentence combining

short communication with someone else (email, tweet, note, text message)

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Is handwriting actually important for writing?

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What are the four stages of the writing process?

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How do I help my students who struggle with writing?

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What are mentor texts? And how should I use them to help students improve their writing?

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Published Mentor Text List compiled by M.Rice 6.5.23

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Teaching the Schwa Sound in Unaccented Syllables 

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Teaching the Schwa Sound in Unaccented Syllables 

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Schwa is one of those phonics concepts that can be really confusing to students as they learn to decode longer, multi-syllable words. The schwa sound is the most common vowel sound in the English language, accounting for 20% of all vowel sounds (Yule, 1996), and it often is the cause of spelling mistakes. The schwa sound is formed with a neutral mouth position, and it replaces a vowel sound in the unaccented syllables of multi-syllable words. It is sometimes called the "lazy" vowel.

The schwa sound often sounds like a muffled version of the short u sound, although it can sometimes sound more like a muffled short i sound. It can be spelled with any vowel. For example, say these words in a natural voice and notice how the schwa sounds:
About Unaccented Syllables

Every multi-syllable word has a single stressed syllable - this syllable has the most emphasis and its vowel sound is clearly pronounced. The remainder of the syllables may have a secondary stress or be unstressed.
Example: emphasize has all 3 levels of stress. The first syllable is stressed, the second syllable is an unstressed syllable pronounced as schwa, and the third syllable has a secondary stress.

Unstressed vowels are usually said faster and at a lower volume than vowels in stressed syllables.

Schwas can be "lazy" - in some words an unstressed syllable that contains a schwa may disappear completely.
Example: chocolate, camera, interest, several

The correct spelling for a schwa sound is hard to remember because the sound cannot be related to the letter.

Teaching Schwa

When reading, teach students to try using the schwa sound when a long or short vowel doesn't sound right in a word being read. For example, "I am eating a sal-ad." First pronounce both a's short, then substitute schwa uh for the second a.

To help learn the spelling of a word with a schwa, encourage students to use a "spelling voice" - i.e., pronounce the unstressed syllable the way it would be pronounced if the vowel sound was stressed with a pure sound.

Also teach them to associate words containing a schwa with their derivative base word such as definition/define.

Activities to promote awareness of schwa:

Find the schwa, then circle it in words.

Create a schwa word wall with words grouped by vowel representation.

Here are some examples of schwa for each vowel:

Additional Resources:
Joan Sedita

Joan Sedita is the founder of Keys to Literacy and author of the Keys to Literacy professional development programs. She is an experienced educator, nationally recognized speaker and teacher trainer. She has worked for over 35 years in the literacy education field and has presented to thousands of teachers and related professionals at schools, colleges, clinics, and professional conferences.

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Teaching the Schwa Sound in Unaccented Syllables - Keys to Literacy

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Schwa is one of those phonics concepts that can be really confusing to students as they learn to decode longer, multi-syllable words. The schwa sound is the most common vowel sound in the English language, accounting for 20% of all vowel sounds (Yule, 1996), and it often is the cause of spelling mistakes.

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Handwriting is a skill that a lot of kids have trouble with. I have been looking into ways to help my kids handwriting be more legible. Here are 50+ resources for improving handwriting that I have found.

Resources for Improving Handwriting

First we are going to look at their pencil grip. Since I hurt my thumb a few years ago, I cannot hold a pencil correctly, so I have had to change my pencil grip to suit. Our boys have never held their pencils correctly, they think the 'correct' way is too hard, so this is the first thing we are going to look at.

Then we are going to practice some pencil control activities, before moving onto handwriting practice. I know our boys don't like writing, so this is going to make them a little unhappy, but hopefully they will have better handwriting at the end.

I have also added some links to left handed writing for those who have left handers and some links for cursive writing.

I hope you enjoy this list of 50+ Resources for Improving Handwriting.

Pencil Grip

Tips for Correct Pencil Grip | This Reading Mama

How to Teach Kids to Hold a Pencil | Blessed Mom

Correct Pencil Grip | I Can Teach My Child

Pencil Grasp for Development | Writing with Golden Reflections Blog

Pencil Grip Correction with a Pom Pom | 1+1+1=1

Pencil Control

Tracing Worksheets | Simple Living. Creative Learning

Printing Readiness Worksheets | Donna Young

Preschool Handwriting Sheets | True Aim Education

Handwriting | Pre-k Pages

Pencil Control For Early Learners | Powerful Mothering

Free Handwriting Sheets for Preschoolers | Create Craft Love

Activities to Improve Handwriting | The Joys of Boys

Handwriting without Tears | Mama OT

15 Ways to Encourage Letter Formation | Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Fun Pre Writing Activities | Our Little House in the Country

Teaching Handwriting in your Homeschool:Preschool Edition | Golden Reflections Blog

Handwriting

55 Ways to make Handwriting Fun | Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Free Handwriting Pages | The Measured Mom

Sports Themed Handwriting Worksheets | Simple Living. Creative Learning

Handwriting Practice Pages | This Reading Mama

Handwriting Worksheets | Donna Young

6 Ways to Encourage Writing In Preschool | Teach Preschool

Handwriting Number Mats | Simple Living. Creative Learning ($)

Clever Classroom Trick for Learning to write between the Lines | Learn with Play at Home

Handwriting Practice for Kids | What do we do all day

Handwriting Book ~ Colours | Simple Living. Creative Learning ($)

Free Printable Bible Verses - Handwriting Practice | She Saved

Alphabet Letter Tracing Worksheets | Simple Living. Creative Learning

Alphabet Pack with Handwriting Practice | Simple Living. Creative Learning ($)

Handwriting Book ~ Alphabet | Simple Living. Creative Learning ($)

Handwriting Book ~ Numbers | Simple Living. Creative Learning ($)

Writing Practice ABC Dice | 3 Dinosaurs

Ocean Themed Alphabet Worksheets | Simple Living. Creative Learning

Fun Letter Games with Salt with Learn | Play at Home

Rabbit Themed Handwriting Worksheets | Simple Living. Creative Learning

Letter of the Week Printables | Simple Living. Creative Learning. ($)

Alphabet Tracing Cards | Simple Living. Creative Learning

Teaching Handwriting in your Homeschool: Elementary Edition | Golden Reflections Blog

Handwriting Alphabet Mats | Simple Living. Creative Learning ($)

Handwriting Practice | Mama Smiles

Bible Themed Handwriting Worksheets | Simple Living. Creative Learning

Handwriting Posters | Simple Living. Creative Learning

Fine Motor Bundle for Improving Handwriting | Simple Living. Creative Learning ($)

Ice Cream Themed Alphabet Worksheets | Simple Living. Creative Learning

Ocean Themed Alphabet Cards | Simple Living. Creative Learning.

No-Prep Uppercase Alphabet Worksheets | Simple Living. Creative Learning ($)

No-Prep Lowercase Alphabet Worksheets | Simple Living. Creative Learning ($)

For Left-Handers

Letter Formation Guide for Left-Handed Children | Left-Handed Children

Left-Handed Friendly Practice | ABC Teach

Helping your Left Handed Child | Occupational Therapy

Tips for Teaching Left Handers | Love Writing Co.

Writing with the Left Hand | Shirley's Preschool Activities

Teaching Left-Handers to Write | Handedness Research Institute

Left Handed Writing Tips | Twinkl

Cursive

Free Cursive Handwriting Worksheets | This Reading Mama

Tips for Teaching Cursive | Real Life at Home

Cursive Writing Unit | Free to Teach ($)

Alphabet Wall Posters | Simple Living. Creative Learning ($)

Cursive Handwriting | Mix Minder

A-Z Cursive Handwriting Sheets | AliMath ($)

Teaching Cursive Strokes with Watercolour Paints | Sweet Tea Classroom

Cursive Writing: Teaching Kids to Write Beautifully | Symon Kimitei ($)

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Many kids struggle with handwriting. To help them, here is a massive list of 50+ Resources for Improving Handwriting.

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Cursive writing, according to Really Good Stuff's teacher survey, while not formally taught in many districts is still being taught by teachers who realize its importance in the modern world. Being able to understand and write in cursive means that future generations will have the same access to script and, most importantly, be able to sign their names. If you are searching for resources to help your student or child practice cursive writing, check out these five resources below. With some diligent practice, your child will be writing in cursive in no time.

5 Resources for Cursive Handwriting Practice
Handwriting Worksheet Creator
LotsOfKids.com has a great handwriting sheet generator that allows you create worksheets in a variety of print and cursive styles. The best part is that it is free!
Cursive Practice Sheets
Create worksheets on HandwritingPractice.net that deal specifically with words, phrases, or complete sentences for cursive handwriting practice.
Cursive Letter Formation
This worksheet from abcteach.com shows the cursive style alphabet and indicates where to start the formation of each letter.
Cursive Letter Formation Animation
DonnaYoung.org has a fun resource that shows a video animation of how each cursive letter is formed. It is a great resource for parents and students when practicing at home or for teachers when used as part of a center (put it on the iPad for students to see!).
Cursive Writing Practice with Inspiring Quotes
This book by Jane Lierman features great cursive handwriting practice sheets using inspirational quotes from people like Benjamin Franklin, John F. Kennedy, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

What are some of your favorite cursive handwriting practice tools? Share with us below!

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5 Cursive Handwriting Instruction Resources

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Help students practice their cursive handwriting skills with these five resources. They're great for classroom or homeschool use.

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Amplify CKLA - GPreK-K writing strokes and corresponding letters 

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Amplify CKLA - GPreK-K writing strokes and corresponding letters 

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Amplify CKLA - GK letter formation guide

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Amplify CKLA - GK letter formation guide

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Amplify CKLA - G1 letter formation guide

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Amplify CKLA - G1 letter formation guide

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Amplify CKLA - G3-5 cursive program instructional 

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Amplify CKLA - G3-5 cursive program instructional 

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What are the four stages of the writing process?

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How do I help students build syntactic awareness?

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Can young children really learn to write?

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What are mentor texts? And how should I use them to help students improve their writing?

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Development of Pencil Grasp - How to Promote a Functional Grasp with 5 Types of Activities - DEVELOP LEARN GROW

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These 5 types of activities help promote the development of a functional pencil grasp. You’ll be surprised that a pencil is not even needed!

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Gradual Release of Responsibility - I We You

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Discover the best resources for your next class. Find your best resources by visiting us now.

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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kz35EWN36lFZsd70MseRrFcAdTIutdO4rFnnw52_eJ0/edit?usp=sharing

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"Similes and Metaphors" by The Bazillions

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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Syntax: Using Informational Text to Orally Express Sentences

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Professional Development and Literacy Consulting

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Using Graphic Organizers in Writing (Second-Grade Class) (REL Southwest)

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Culturally Responsive Classroom Libraries Titles

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All APS elementary, middle, and K-8 schools received Culturally Responsive Classroom Libraries in Fall of 2019. In order to help children feel welcomed and engaged in school, we must show our students that we see and value all aspects of them, including their language and culture. It is our hope that by putting books in front of children in which their cultures or cultures of other students are represented, we can positively impact a student's acceptance of their own race and others' races. These culturally responsive texts are a start to an initiative that we will continue to expand yearly.

The list of books, below, was created by APS departments Language and Cultural Equity (LCE) and Library Services and Instructional Materials (LSIM). In 2017, LCE and LSIM began collaborating on the Multicultural Library, a resource for teachers, librarians, and other APS employees to check out high-quality, engaging, and culturally responsive books. The Multicultural Library then served as a starting point for the creation of the Culturally Responsive Classroom Libraries. LCE and LSIM worked with educators who are members of the African American, Native American, Hispanic, and LGBTQ+ communities to gather input about which titles to include.

We're hoping these books are a start, and that teachers, parents, principals, and members of the community will continue to share thoughts and feedback with us to help inform any future purchases. If you would like to submit feedback about the CRL books, possible future books, or books in general, there's an online form: https://www.aps.edu/libraries/book-recommendations-form

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade

Red: a Crayon's Story

And Tango Makes Three

The Princess and the Warrior

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress

This is the Rope

A Different Pond

Love

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos

Danza: Amalia Hernadez and El Ballet

Crown: an Ode to the Fresh Cut

Mae Among the Stars

Fall in Line, Holden

Dreamers

Under My Hijab

Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas

Duke Ellington: the Piano Prince and His Orchestra

Let the Children March

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

Adrift at Sea: a Vietnamese Boy's Story of Survival

Lowriders to the Center of the Earth

Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets

All Around Us

Before She Was Harriet

Drum Dream Girl

Yo Soy Muslim

Alma and How She Got Her Name

The Field

Islandborn

Early Chapter

Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel

Lola Levine is Not Mean (Book 1)

Juana and Lucas

Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same

3rd - 5th Grade

Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code

Son Who Returns

In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse

The Birchbark House

Step up to the Plate, Maria Singh

Hurricane Child

They Call Me Guero: a Border Kid's Poems

How Tia Lola Came to Stay

George

Aminas Voice

Stella by Starlight

Long Pitch Home

Inside Out and Back Again

6th - 8th Grade

Listen Slowly

How I Became a Ghost

Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team

Kira Kira

Code Talker

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (8th Grade)

Enrique's Journey

The Red Umbrella

El Deafo

Brown Girl Dreaming

Enchanted Air

Full Cicado Moon

As brave as you

The Distance Between Us

The Only Road

Long Way Down

The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

Piecing me Together

#Notyourprincess (8th Grade)

Lucky Broken Girl

Pashmina

First Rule of Punk

Booked

Better Nate Than Ever

Crossroads

Bravo! Poems About Amazing Hispanics

Under the Mesquite

Dreamer

One Crazy Summer

Ghost

I Lived on Butterfly Hill

Crossover

Stars Beneath Our Feet

Amal Unbound

The House you Pass on the Way

The Hate U Give (8th Grade)

Before We Were Free

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Culturally Responsive Classroom Libraries Titles

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All APS elementary, middle, and K-8 schools received Culturally Responsive Classroom Libraries in Fall of 2019. In order to help children feel welcomed and engaged in school, we must show our students that we see and value all aspects of them, including their language and culture.

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Collaborative Groupings & Direct Instruction

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Collaborative Groupings & Direct Instruction

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An argument expresses a position on a issue or problem and supports it with reasons and evidence. In order to write astrong argumentative essay, you should also consider and counter the opposing side’s point of view.

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Mrs. Winter's Bliss's Amazon Page - Narrative Writing Mentor Texts

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Shop recommended products from Mrs. Winter's Bliss on www.amazon.com. Learn more about Mrs. Winter's Bliss's favorite products.

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Color Coding: A Simple Tool for More Effective Academic Writing

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Color Coding: A Simple Tool for More Effective Academic Writing

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The art of writing, particularly in academic settings, is a journey that can be both challenging and rewarding. One innovative approach garnering attention in recent years is using color coding in writing. This method, which involves assigning different colors to various elements of writing, has been shown to significantly enhance the effectiveness and organization of student writing (Ewoldt & Morgan, 2017; Room 213, 2019).
The Benefits of Color Coding in Writing
Color coding as a writing strategy offers a multitude of benefits. It helps organize thoughts and ideas, which makes complex writing tasks more manageable (Color Coding Your Writing, n.d.). According to the ZANCO Journal of Humanity Sciences (2021), color coding can improve academic writing skills, particularly in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes. This approach allows students to clearly distinguish between different types of information, such as arguments, evidence, and counterarguments, thereby enhancing the clarity and coherence of their writing.

Moreover, research by Geigle (n.d.) highlights how color coding can positively affect students' emotional engagement with writing tasks. By reducing anxiety and increasing interest, color coding makes writing more enjoyable and less daunting for students.
Implementing Color Coding in the Classroom
In practice, color coding can be applied in various ways:

1. Structuring Essays: Assign colors to different parts of an essay - introduction, main arguments, evidence, and conclusion - to help students visualize the structure of their writing (Thierolf, 2024).

2. Highlighting Different Source Types: In literature reviews, different colors can be used for primary sources, secondary sources, and review articles, aiding in source organization (Kruse, 2019).

3. Revision Process: Students can use color coding to identify areas that need improvement, such as grammar, argument strength, or evidence support (The Writer's Palette, n.d.).

Academic Research Supporting Color Coding
Various studies have supported the academic benefits of color coding. Ewoldt and Morgan (2017) discussed using color-coded graphic organizers to assist students with learning disabilities in writing, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing organization and structure. Additionally, the study by Zainal Abidin et al. (2022) in the International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences highlighted the positive impact of color coding in online learning environments, where it helped reduce stress and improve organization in academic writing.

Color coding in academic writing is more than just a visually appealing strategy; it is a practical tool that enhances students' understanding, organization, and engagement with writing tasks. As educators continue to seek innovative ways to support student learning, color coding emerges as a valuable and research-backed technique that can transform the writing experience in classrooms.

To see how Scrible facilitates color-coding in the classroom, read Elevate Your Writing with Color Coding.
References
Color-code Strategy for Improving Writing Academic Paragraphs in EFL Classes. (2021). ZANCO Journal of Humanity Sciences, 25(2). https://doi.org/10.21271/zjhs.25.2.15

Color-coding your highlighting when reading articles and book chapters. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2024, from www.raulpacheco.org/2015/10/color-coding-your-highlighting-when-reading-articles-and-book-chapters/

Ewoldt, K. B., & Morgan, J. J. (2017). Color-Coded Graphic Organizers for Teaching Writing to Students with Learning Disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 49(3), 175-184. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059916681769

Geigle, B. A. (n.d.). How Color Coding Formulaic Writing Enhances Organization: A Qualitative Approach for Measuring Student Affect.

Geigle, B. A. (2014). How Color Coding Formulaic Writing Enhances Organization: A Qualitative Approach for Measuring Student Affect [Humphreys College]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED554555.pdf

Jacobs, E. (n.d.). Color Coding Your Writing. Https://Www.Brandeis.Edu/. Retrieved January 19, 2024, from www.brandeis.edu/writing-program/resources/faculty/wi-instructor-resources/color-coding.htmlColor Coding Your Writing. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2024, from www.brandeis.edu/writing-program/resources/faculty/wi-instructor-resources/color-coding.html

Kruse, M. (2019, January 29). 11 Ways to Use Color-Coding Strategies in the Classroom - . Reading and Writing Haven. www.readingandwritinghaven.com/ways-to-use-color-coding-strategies-in-the-classroom

Rizky, W. (2018). THE EFFECT OF COLOR CODING STRATEGY IN STUDENTS' WRITING PROCEDURE. State University for Islamic Studies.

Sherah. "The Writer's Palette: Color-Coding as a Revision Strategy." Https://Cambridgecoaching.Com/, blog.cambridgecoaching.com/the-writers-palette-color-coding-as-a-revision-strategy. Accessed 19 Jan. 2024.

Supporting Organization in Persuasive Writing. (n.d.). TWO WRITING TEACHERS. Retrieved January 19, 2024, from twowritingteachers.org/2014/04/07/supporting-organization-in-persuasive-writing/

The Research Is In - Color-Coded Writing Instruction Works | Essaypop Help Center. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2023, from https://intercom.help/essaypop/en/articles/5330969-the-research-is-in-color-coded-writing-instruction-works

Thierolf, M. (n.d.). Rainbow it Up! The Color-Coded Essay. The Educators Room. Retrieved January 19, 2024, from theeducatorsroom.com/rainbow-color-coded-essay/

Visualizing Essay Elements: A Color-Coded Approach to Academic Writing | Essaypop Help Center. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2024, from https://intercom.help/essaypop/en/articles/5330969-visualizing-essay-elements-a-color-coded-approach-to-academic-writing

"Visualizing Essay Elements: A Color-Coding Approach to Teaching First-year Writing" | Manifold @CUNY. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2024, from cuny.manifoldapp.org/read/visualizing-essay-elements-a-color-coding-approach-to-teaching-first-year-writing-5e1beee3-eb79-410c-9ca7-9a3af4a3e636/section/ff7f752a-532c-46c6-8d86-4b144e132fc6

Zainal Abidin, N. S., Rahmat, N. H., Razlan, Z., Soon Sim, M., Adam, S., & Kamarulzaman, M. H. (2022). Colour Your Writing: The Case for Online Learning. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(7). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v12-i7/13930

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Color Coding: A Simple Tool for More Effective Academic Writing

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Discover how color coding can transform academic writing, making it more effective and less stressful. Explore practical tips and research-backed strategies for using color to enhance memory, organize thoughts, and clarify arguments. Ideal for students and educators seeking innovative writing solutions.

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Color-Coding: The Differentiation Strategy You Never Knew You Needed

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Color-Coding: The Differentiation Strategy You Never Knew You Needed

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Does anyone else get overly excited when they get a new set of Mr. Sketch markers? Colorful markers and highlighters help engage students, but there is so much more to it. There are real, tested benefits of color-coding in the classroom.

Think about all the things we associate with certain colors, like green for go or pink for breast cancer awareness. For years, marketing departments have been associating brands with certain colors so that their messages will stick in consumers' minds (e.g., Twitter , McDonald's , Target , ).

In the classroom, when strategically and systematically implemented, color-coding can have the same effect. It may take a bit more planning and preparation, but it's worth it!

In fact, Pruisner (1993) found that when comparing outcomes of black-and-white versus color-cued presentations and assessments, systematic color-coding improved recall and retention. Dzulkifli and Mustafar (2012) also studied whether adding color could improve memory. They concluded that "color has the potential to increase chances of environmental stimuli to be encoded, stored, and retrieved successfully" because it vividly displays relationships between ideas.

The psychology of color is fascinating. Shift eLearning says that "using the right color, and the correct selection and placement can seriously affect feelings, attention, and behavior when learning." Color can help students differentiate, retain, and transfer knowledge and, according to Ozelike (2009) , pay attention to critical information for meaningful learning. It's time that we leveraged that to our advantage. Plus, color just makes everything more exciting and appealing, right? The question is how can we, as teachers, take this and apply it to our instruction? Here are just a few ideas:

1. Distinguishing between new ideas and concepts

Color-coding can assist students in distinguishing between concepts and ideas. Below is an example of how color-coding can be used for main idea and details, but it can also be used for compare and contrast, author's purpose, fact versus opinion, you name it! In this example, main idea is always while key details are . green

Here is another example of using color to distinguish between concepts in math. Color-coding can support mathematical thinking in that it can help students organize their thinking, make their thinking visible to others, and make connections. It can also strengthen visual representation to aid students in internalizing their learning.

2. Selective highlighting

Another color-coding strategy is selective highlighting. This strategy requires explicit teaching, extensive modeling and support, as well as clear student directions. However, when implemented correctly, it can help students organize their learning and deepen their comprehension.

In the example above, the instructions for students were:

3. Color-coded graphic organizers

Ewoldt and Morgan (2017) noted that "color-coding visual organizers provides another layer of support for writing development," and "using color-coding in combination with strategy instruction has the potential to improve overall understanding." Sentence and paragraph frames are great writing supports, but not if students don't know how and when to use them. Color-coding these frames as well as graphic organizers (or having the students do it themselves) is a simple step that can make all the difference.

4. Supporting student discourse

We all know how important it is to get our students talking, and providing a dialogue frame can be a great way to scaffold speaking activities. Color-coding these frames can make them more user-friendly because it makes it easier for students to identify their part(s). Don't forget to have students switch roles at some point so they get to practice all roles!

Warning: Don't overdo it!

Although color-coding can be extremely effective, too much can overcomplicate things. Try to stick to three colors (or fewer) per lesson and keep it consistent! Any color can be used for any topic but, once introduced, the color should remain consistent in order to avoid confusion. For example, i f students used blue when comparing at the beginning of the year, make sure you use that same color for every comparing lesson.

There are a multitude of ways to use color in the classroom. How do you use color-coding as a teaching strategy? Share your ideas in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Plus, check out 25 ways to use sticky notes in the classroom.

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Color-Coding: The Differentiation Strategy You Never Knew You Needed

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Does anyone else get overly excited when they get a new set of Mr. Sketch markers? Colorful markers and highlighters help engage students, but there is so much more to it. There are real, tested benefits of color-coding in the classroom.

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Language Arts

This example of a framed paragraph centers on Holidays and provides additional space for students to re-write the completed paragraph. See example ›

Math

This site includes an example of using a framed paragraph for writing a description about decimals. See example ›

Social Studies

This example shows how teachers can use a writing frame to develop a "compare" and "contrast" essay. See example ›

English Language Learners

Support academic language conversation with sentence frames. Watch classroom video and get supporting materials › (Teaching Channel)

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Framed paragraphs are pre-writing tools that help students write well-developed paragraphs. They are skeleton formats containing information about the main ideas and transition words that guide the organization and the development of supportive details. Framed paragraphs offer a structure for students to use as they begin to write paragraphs and essays.

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Natalia Heckman outlines a blueprint of a writing lesson for English Learners using paragraph frames. We will explore online resources to create compelling a...

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A top-down topic web is one of the four student comprehension strategies from The Key Comprehension Routine. It is a graphic organizer that presents topics and sub-topics in a hierarchical way, using varied shapes and placement on the page to represent the connections among the topics.

Often in training I get the following question: How many topic webs should I make? I keep waiting for the rest of the question. Are teachers asking how many to make over the course of a semester? Are they asking me what the expectation is from their administrators? I hope they are asking me how many top-down topic webs are needed for kids to be successful using them independently to support their comprehension, and that is how I respond.

It all has to do with human motivation. Research shows we need to be at least 50% successful at something before we will be motivated to do it again. It is why I do not downhill ski - my first attempts were horrific, I thought even life-threatening. I have zero motivation to ski; I am even averse to cross country skiing because declines are inevitable. Not doing it.

Transfer that to reading and comprehension. If I am not at least 50% successful, why would I choose to read on my free time? Why would I choose to put energy and effort into this task of reading? Educators must use every strategy we can find to make students successful in comprehending what they read. Top-down webs used before reading can frame a student's comprehension, provide for them a GPS about what is ahead. This helps them achieve a measure of success. Topic webs used during reading can keep kids on the right highway; help them monitor their comprehension. Topic webs used after reading can serve as a general study guide, allowing students to see their path in relation to the entire trip. I have included several classroom examples of top-down topic webs below.

If a topic web is used once or twice during the course of a year, how successful do you think the student will become at using and making them?

I see top-down webs in my sleep (I know, here is where you tell me I need a life...). I have done them so frequently that it is a go-to strategy for me when I plan any writing task, discuss any book or article, organize my life. I have done hundreds. In schools where kids see them regularly in all content areas and know how to use them, these kids have probably seen hundreds.

The answer to the question? Do hundreds.

Becky DeSmith

Becky joined Keys to Literacy in 2007 and has been a literacy educator for over 35 years. She has taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, and been involved in many school and district-wide initiatives that address core literacy issues. She has been recognized as a Teacher of the Year by the International Reading Association.

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A top-down topic web is one of the four student comprehension strategies from The Key Comprehension Routine. It is a graphic organizer that presents topics and sub-topics in a hierarchical way, using varied shapes and placement on the page to represent the connections among the topics.

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Teaching Summarizing to Support Comprehension and Develop Writing

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Teaching Summarizing to Support Comprehension and Develop Writing

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70. Teaching Summarizing to Support Comprehension and Develop Writing ... | 2022 Literacy Symposium

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Retell, Recount, Summary: What's the difference? 

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Retell, Recount, Summary: What's the difference? 

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Retell, Recount, Summary: What's the difference? - Keys to Literacy

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Most educators agree that having students of all ages describe text they have read is a helpful comprehension strategy. This includes retelling or recounting, summarizing, and paraphrasing. In reading standard #2, the Common Core Standards require students in grades K-1 to "retell", students in grades 2-3 to "recount", and students in grades 4-12 to "summarize".

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Jones, R. (2007). Strategies for Reading Comprehension: Summarizing. Retrieved 2008, January 29, from http://www.readingquest.org/strat/summarize.html.

Guthrie, J. T. (2003). Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction: Practices of Teaching Reading for Understanding. In C. Snow & A. Sweet (Eds.), Reading for Understanding: Implications of RAND Report for Education (pp. 115-140). New York: Guilford.

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Summarizing teaches students how to discern the most important ideas in a text, how to ignore irrelevant information, and how to integrate the central ideas in a meaningful way. Teaching students to summarize improves their memory for what is read. Summarization strategies can be used in almost every content area.

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Summarizing: Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then

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Summarizing: Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then

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Summarizing: Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then

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More Than Highlighting: Creative Annotations

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More Than Highlighting: Creative Annotations

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Active strategies for annotation like collaborative work and illustration increase students' comprehension and retention.

Annotating texts is not the most exciting tactic for reading comprehension. In my classroom experience, even the mention of the word annotate was met with looks of confusion or boredom. Traditional annotations have been students' only interactions with the text. When students are asked to underline important parts of the texts, they will usually pick the first line that seems appealing or attempt to highlight the whole page of text with pretty-colored highlighters. Simply underlining the text will not meet the needs of our 21st-century learners.

Annotations are a critical strategy teachers can use to encourage students to interact with a text. They promote a deeper understanding of passages and encourage students to read with a purpose. Teachers can use annotations to emphasize crucial literacy skills like visualization, asking questions, and making inferences.

Purposeful instruction with annotating texts is required for students to benefit from this strategy. Focused instructional activities associated with annotation make the process engaging. Teachers can encourage students to participate in the annotation in new ways that use visual and collaborative strategies.

Illustrated Annotations

Illustrated annotations use images to increase comprehension and understanding. Students create illustrations to represent concepts and elements of literature. Prior to reading the text, the students create a visual representation or symbol for the concept or element of focus for the learning target. When the students annotate the text, they use the illustration they created.

I recently used this strategy to teach Hamlet. Specifically, we focused on the seven elements of Shakespearean tragedies. Before reading the texts, students drew visuals or symbols of each element. Students could choose any illustration that enhanced their learning. Those who were not adept at art could draw a "TF" for tragic flaw. After the students created their illustrations, I selected chunks of the texts for the students to annotate throughout our reading of the play.

The process of creating an illustration helps students synthesize information and increases student engagement and creativity. It makes annotating texts a more hands-on experience and makes their learning meaningful and personal. One challenge with this assignment occurs when students believe they cannot draw, do not have artistic talent, or are not creative. Allowing less artistic students to use symbols or simple drawings also emphasizes the importance of student choice. The purpose of the assignment is to capture the symbolism of concepts, so they can create any marking that represents their perception and understanding of a concept.

Collaborative Annotations

Another annotation strategy is collaborative annotation, or an annotation on a shared text by multiple students. Students annotate the same text and analyze each person's annotations to find inspiration, discover similarities, or ask questions.

Students were given guided analysis prompts while annotating the text and their peers' responses. During this lesson, the students were instructed to write two extended comments and pose one question per page of text. The next set of students had to do the same, but they could comment on the text or a previous annotation from another student. Each class was able to view and analyze the annotations of their peers from previous classes. At the end, students had a collection of annotations that showed several different processes of reading a text.

This strategy encourages students to close-read a text. Students think critically and have a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the text. Students also collaborate and communicate about a text with their peers by commenting and questioning the marks of others.

Personalizing the Process

Annotation strategies can be differentiated for learners in a single classroom by adjusting the requirements for each reading. Learning targets for the annotation activities can be modified for different learning needs.

Digital applications may be used in several different ways. In order to facilitate collaborative annotations in a digital format, teachers can use Google Docs. Students analyze the same text and leave comments or highlight portions of the text. Students can easily share documents and comment on other students' annotations. For visual annotations, teachers can use graphic tools like Adobe Spark. Students can pull parts of the texts and choose pictures to represent their interpretations.

Teachers in any content area can use these annotation strategies for any texts in the class to emphasize certain themes or to promote literacy in their classes. Creativity and collaboration are crucial to 21st-century learners. When creative annotating strategies facilitate student interaction with a text, the annotation process is a meaningful learning experience and not just a coloring page with meaningless highlights.

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More Than Highlighting: Creative Annotations

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Active strategies for annotation like collaborative work and illustration increase students' comprehension and retention.

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Close Reading: Elementary Grades K-5 - Keys to Literacy

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Close Reading: Elementary Grades K-5 - Keys to Literacy

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Close Reading: Elementary Grades K-5 - Keys to Literacy

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I recently read two blog posts that address close reading of complex text in the elementary grades, including kindergarten and grade 1. The first was a piece by Tim Shanahan titled Complex Text for Beginning Readers... Good Idea or Not.

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Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers

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Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers

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You are welcome to print copies for non-commercial use, or a limited number for educational purposes, as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact the author or publisher listed.

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Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers

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This practice guide provides four recommendations for improving elementary students' writing. Each recommendation includes implementation steps and solutions for common roadblocks. The recommendations also summarize and rate supporting evidence. This guide is geared toward teachers, literacy coaches, and other educators who want to improve the writing of their elementary students.

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We have launched the new ReadWriteThink.org and we would love to get your feedback: Give Feedback We have hundreds of standards-based lesson plans written and reviewed by educators using current research and the best instructional practices. Find the perfect one for your classroom.

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An Equitable (and Engaging) Way to Teach Writing in Elementary School

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An Equitable (and Engaging) Way to Teach Writing in Elementary School

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An Equitable (and Engaging) Way to Teach Writing in Elementary School

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When teachers tie writing instruction to what students are reading, learners begin with a more level playing field.

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Stages of the Writing Process - Keys to Literacy

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Stages of the Writing Process - Keys to Literacy

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Beginning in the 1960's, Hayes and Flower (1980) researched the steps that proficient writers take in order to better understand how to teach writing. They initially developed a model of the writing process with three stages: planning, translating, and reviewing. Over the years, the model was informed by new research and modified to include four stages (Hayes, 1996, 2004): Pre-Writing, Text Production, Revising, Editing. Today, it is accepted practice that students be taught to follow the stages of the writing process when they write.

One of the Common Core anchor writing standards focuses on the writing process: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. The Institute of Education Sciences research guide Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers (Graham et al., 2012) recommends teaching students to use the writing process for a variety of purposes, noting, "It is a process that requires that the writer think carefully about the purpose for writing, plan what to say, plan how to say it, and understand what the reader needs to know." The report goes on to explain, "Writing is not a linear process, like following a recipe to bake a cake. It is flexible; writers should learn to move easily back and forth between components of the writing process, often altering their plans and revising their text along the way. Components of the writing process include planning, drafting, sharing, evaluating, revising, and editing." (pp 12, 14)

Teaching the Stages of the Writing Process

Ten years ago I proposed a model for teaching the writing process that includes four stages: THINK, PLAN, WRITE, REVISE. The title of this model, , is designed to help students recall the stages of the writing process by linking the four stages to the first letters of the words in the title. The graphic below shows the four stages with details about the tasks associated with each stage. One of the modules in the Keys to Content Writing professional development course is focused on the stages of the writing process Click here to access a copy of this handout from the free resources section of the Keys to Literacy website.

As the IES guide notes, writers repeat and revisit the stages several times as they develop a piece of writing. For example, students may realize while they are writing a first draft of an informational piece that they need to go back to the THINK stage to gather more information about the topic. While revising the draft, they may determine that they need to go back to the PLAN stage to reorganize the content. The arrow serves as a reminder that writing stages are overlapping parts of a process that may be repeated multiple times as writing unfolds.

It is helpful to provide a visual reminder of the writing process to students such as displaying The Process Writing Routine in a classroom anchor chart, as a handout for students to keep in their notebooks, or as a digital resource file. The poster shown below is available from Keys to Literacy.

Too often, students assume the focus of their attention should be on writing. They do not spend sufficient time at the THINK and PLAN stages, or they skip them altogether. The amount of time spent on each stage will vary depending on the writing task, but a common recommendation is to spend 40% of the time reading, gathering ideas and information, and taking notes (THINK and PLAN); 20% of the time draft writing (WRITE); and 40% of the time rewriting and revising, including editing for conventions (REVISE). Students need to learn that in most cases, spending more time at the THINK and PLAN stages will produce a better writing draft and save time at the REVISE stage.

Introducing the Stages to Young Students

I have simplified the stages for young students in the primary grades, as shown below and addressed in one of the modules in the Keys to Early Writing professional development course. The more basic model combines the first two stages and includes visual cues. A copy of this graphic is available at the free resources section of the Keys to Literacy website.

Students in kindergarten and grade 1 may not be developmentally ready to formally revise their work and instead may focus their editing on adding more to their drawings, labels, phrases, or sentences. View the suggestions below for introducing young students to the stages of the writing process.

THINK & PLAN:
Generating Ideas and Organizing: What do I want to say? How will I present what I want to say?

WRITE
Using Drawing and Words: How can I use drawings, words, and sentences to communicate what I want to say?

REVISE
Improving: Can I add more detail to my drawing or words?

Teaching Students Strategies for Each Stage of the Writing Process

Research consistently confirms that teaching strategies to students for planning, revising, and editing their writing pieces can have a dramatic effect on the quality of their writing (Graham & Perin, 2007; Graham et al., 2012; Graham et al., 2017). Strategy instruction involves explicitly teaching generic processes such as peer collaboration or note taking, or strategies for accomplishing specific types of writing tasks such as writing a summary or a story. Some strategies incorporate a scaffold such as a graphic organizer or a writing template. The following earlier blog posts provide instructional suggestions for writing strategies:
RELATED RESOURCES REFERENCES

Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers: A practice guide (NCEE 2012- 4058). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.

Graham, S., Bruch, J., Fitzgerald, J., Friedrich, L., Furgeson, J., Greene, K., Kim, J., Lyskawa, J., Olson, C.B., & Smither Wulsin, C. (2016). Teaching secondary students to write effectively (NCEE 2017-4002). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE), Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.

Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). Writing next: Effective strategies to improve the writing of adolescents in middle and high schools - A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.

Sedita, J. (2020). Keys to Early Writing. Rowley, MA: Keys to Literacy.

Sedita, J. (2020). Keys to Content Writing. Rowley, MA: Keys to Literacy.

Joan Sedita

Joan Sedita is the founder of Keys to Literacy and author of the Keys to Literacy professional development programs. She is an experienced educator, nationally recognized speaker and teacher trainer. She has worked for over 35 years in the literacy education field and has presented to thousands of teachers and related professionals at schools, colleges, clinics, and professional conferences.

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Stages of the Writing Process - Keys to Literacy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Beginning in the 1960's, Hayes and Flower (1980) researched the steps that proficient writers take in order to better understand how to teach writing. They initially developed a model of the writing process with three stages: planning, translating, and reviewing.