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Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) often face substantial barriers to developing effective writing skills. The self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) model is widely recognized as the only evidence-based writing intervention for students with EBD.

Writing effectively is essential for academic success, workplace readiness, and social engagement, promoting equity for all learners. Despite its importance, writing often receives less instructional time compared to other core areas like reading or math, leaving many students—particularly those in the community with learning disabilities (LD)—struggling to develop the necessary skills.

A Revised Writer(s)-Within-Community Model of Writing, writing communities are social environments where individuals engage in writing to achieve shared goals and purposes. These communities include the writers and collaborators, mentors, teachers, and readers who interact within a framework shaped by shared norms, tools, and actions. This blog will explore why writing communities are beneficial for teachers.

Reading and writing are often taught as separate subjects, but research consistently reveals that these two literacy skills are profoundly interconnected and mutually supportive.

When we think about teaching writing, it’s often easy to focus on grammar, spelling, or sentence structure and overlook the depth of thought and organization that go into a truly effective writing process. Many teachers report being unprepared to teach writing effectively despite recognizing its importance for students' academic success and life skills. This is where Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) shines as a game-changing instructional approach.

When educators look for the most effective teaching practices, it’s essential to differentiate between two commonly used terms: research-based and evidence-based. Although they sound similar, they have distinct meanings in educational contexts, and understanding these differences can significantly impact student learning outcomes. At SRSD Online, we emphasize that SRSD is an evidence-based writing intervention. But what does that mean, and how does it set SRSD apart from other research-based writing programs and approaches?

ffective writing interventions are essential in bridging gaps within language education, especially for students facing challenges in developing writing skills. These strategic approaches, like Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD), go beyond standard instruction by providing targeted support through step-by-step guidance, structured exercises, personalized feedback, and even technology integration to support diverse learning needs. By focusing on cognitive skills (such as organizing thoughts and developing ideas) and metacognitive skills (like self-reflection and strategy selection), these interventions empower students—including those with learning disabilities or English language learners—to communicate confidently and clearly. Writing interventions foster critical thinking, self-expression, and resilience, helping students improve their writing proficiency and build confidence, ultimately setting them up for tremendous academic success and more effective communication in all areas of life.

Evidence-based writing instruction is crucial for student success because it relies on proven strategies that improve writing skills, engagement, and confidence across diverse student populations. Educators can use proven research methods to deliver targeted, practical support that helps students understand and master the writing process, leading to more decisive critical thinking, communication, and self-regulation skills. Evidence-based approaches also ensure consistency and quality in instruction, giving students a reliable foundation to tackle various writing tasks and empowering them with skills that extend beyond the classroom and into lifelong learning. Based on decades of data and research, Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) offers K-12 students evidence-based writing strategies, empowering them to become effective writers across various genres.

Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) is the most researched and evidence-based writing process globally. Developed by Dr. Karen Harris over decades of research and classroom application, SRSD has consistently proven highly effective for students of all abilities. In this post, we’ll explore why SRSD has earned its place as the “king of the hill” in writing strategies and why it’s more than just a quick fix for turning students into great writers.

A 2018 meta-analysis "Reading for Writing" explored 54 experiments, analyzing 5,018 students' writing performance after reading interventions. These findings have broad implications for classroom instruction, especially in light of the strong statistical results showing the efficacy of reading interventions on writing improvement. The meta-analysis also suggests that writing and reading are deeply connected, building on standard cognitive processes. This blog will discuss the findings and how teachers can apply these insights to improve students’ writing.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 27% of 8th and 12th graders are proficient in writing. This statistic reveals a significant gap in writing proficiency across the nation—a gap that many traditional writing approaches, despite extensive research, have struggled to close. However, an evidence-based solution is 4.5 times more effective than conventional methods: Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD). SRSD takes students beyond the basic steps of the writing process, guiding them through every stage with intentional writing strategies that build independence, confidence, and enthusiasm. This blog explores what makes SRSD so successful, and how it transforms the writing process for students.

As educators across the United States work to meet state, district, and national academic testing standards, it’s crucial to have an instructional framework that aligns with these rigorous expectations and promotes education, literacy, and appreciation of history. Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) offers a research-backed approach to writing instruction that incorporates writing interventions, not only boosting students’ writing abilities but also seamlessly aligning with essential academic standards, such as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), through research to build and present knowledge, while integrating effective pedagogy. In this blog, we’ll explore how SRSD integrates with these standards and provides teachers with the tools to help students succeed academically while meeting testing and curriculum goals by integrating Common Core writing instructions and ideas.

The name Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) emerged in 1992 after a series of revisions to better capture the core components of the instructional model. This final name change underscored the vital role of self-regulation strategies—such as goal setting, self-monitoring, and self-reinforcement—that SRSD teaches students.

This blog will continue the SRSD story and how Karen Harris integrated multiple educational theories, including behavioral theory, cognitive psychology, and sociocultural theory. This process, known as theoretical triangulation, allowed SRSD to become a comprehensive instructional model for teaching writing, incorporating various perspectives through modeling techniques and educational strategies, now known as the Science of Writing.

The Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model is now widely recognized as the most effective approach for teaching writing. Still, its successful implementation requires a deep understanding of its principles and strategies. Understanding the history of SRSD and the journey that led to its creation provides valuable insight into how SRSD became a powerful educational model deeply grounded in theoretical research and practical application.

Emphasizing the science of writing illuminates the mechanisms of writing development. Research indicates it can be a tool to enhance reading and content learning.

How can we effectively empower our learning processes? Self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) holds the key.