Embracing Literacy 2025 Events

Introduction:
Writing is a potentially powerful lever for deepening knowledge, improving reading comprehension and analytical thinking, and enabling all students to access grade-level material. But it’s also the most difficult thing we ask students to do. To unlock the power of writing instruction, we need to: (1) make writing less overwhelming by starting at the sentence level if that’s what students need; (2) teach grammar and writing conventions in the context of students’ own writing; and (3) embed writing activities in the content of the core curriculum—in any subject and at any grade level. This presentation will provide examples of effective activities.
Explain how writing can serve as a catalyst for improving reading comprehension, analytical thinking, and access to grade-level content across subjects.

Objectives

1. Describe the importance of starting writing instruction at the sentence level to reduce cognitive overload and build confidence.
2. Demonstrate how to teach grammar and writing conventions in the context of students’ own writing, rather than in isolation.
3. Identify ways to embed purposeful writing tasks within core content areas to support deeper learning at all grade levels.  
4. Apply practical examples of writing activities that can be implemented immediately in classrooms to support student growth.
   
   
   

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

• What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
• In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
• How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?