A Writing Course Teachers Should Care About

Transforming Classroom Writing Instruction with SRSD

Improving student writing matters because writing is not just a skill for the classroom; it’s a critical tool for learning, communication, and self-expression. When students develop their writing abilities, especially through online platforms, they gain the power to articulate their thoughts, explore ideas, and engage in meaningful dialogue with others. Strong writing skills enhance learning across all subjects, enabling students to effectively organize their ideas, analyze information, and present arguments. Beyond school, writing remains essential in most career paths, whether composing emails, drafting reports, or sharing insights. 

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.

Dr. Karen Harris, a leading developer of SRSD, frames this method as one that empowers teachers with practical, research-backed tools to transform how students approach and succeed in writing. It’s more than just another writing program; SRSD combines writing strategies with self-regulation skills, fostering not just capable writers but confident, independent thinkers. Here’s a closer look at why SRSD matters, its unique benefits for teachers, and how it has sparked enthusiasm in young writers who used to struggle.

Why Writing Instruction Needs SRSD: Insights from the Classroom

Writing instruction and writing courses haven’t always been a priority in teacher preparation programs, leaving many educators feeling underprepared to teach writing in depth. Even in the 1980s and 90s, there was an apparent demand for better instructional methods. During this time, Donald Graves, the father of the writer’s workshop, pioneered the process-writing approach. While this led to increased writing in classrooms, it didn’t necessarily yield stronger writing. By 1995, Graves pointed out that while more students were writing, the quality hadn’t substantially improved.

This is precisely where SRSD comes into play. Designed to provide teachers with a solid foundation for teaching writing, SRSD bridges the gap between simply having students write and helping them become skilled, independent writers. As Dr. Harris describes, SRSD is an evidence-based, flexible framework that equips teachers with the tools to “rift and twist” the material, adapting to various classroom needs and supporting diverse learners. This adaptability is essential for teachers in dynamic classroom settings, where they must cater to students with varying skill levels, backgrounds, and learning needs.

Turning Writing from “Broccoli” into “Ice Cream”

For many students, writing can feel like a chore—something tedious and unappealing, much like broccoli to a child, when instead it could be an opportunity to unleash creativity. SRSD changes this by making writing an exciting and achievable task, building students’ confidence and skills. The effectiveness of SRSD has led students to explore writing as something they genuinely enjoy, like an ice cream sundae. After learning SRSD strategies, a second grader told her mother she now loves writing and feels “really good at it.” This transformative effect comes from SRSD’s structured approach, where students are taught not only what to write but how to approach writing in a manageable and rewarding way.

The Core of SRSD: Evidence-Based and Student-Centered

SRSD is the only instructional method for writing that the What Works Clearinghouse deems evidence-based, a recognition backed by over 100 studies conducted across grades and with students of varying abilities. SRSD provides a strategic framework that combines specific writing strategies with self-regulation techniques like goal-setting, self-monitoring, and self-assessment. This dual focus on writing skills and self-regulation gives students a sense of control and ownership over their work, empowering them to tackle even complex writing tasks confidently.

SRSD includes six instructional stages that provide a clear, gradual path to independence:

1. Developing Background Knowledge – Students build foundational knowledge for understanding and using writing strategies.
2. Discussing the Strategy – Teachers and students discuss the purpose and benefits of the strategy, emphasizing its relevance to real-life writing tasks.
3. Modeling the Strategy – Teachers demonstrate the writing and self-regulation strategies, showing students how to think critically and plan their writing.
4. Memorizing the Strategy – Students learn to recall the strategy independently, practicing until it becomes second nature.
5. Supporting Student Use – Teachers guide students as they apply the strategy, offering feedback and adjustments as needed.
6. Independent Performance – Finally, students reach the point of using the strategy independently, building their confidence and competence as writers.

Through these stages, SRSD offers more than just rote learning. The framework encourages active, engaging, and collaborative lessons that foster a positive attitude toward writing.

Making Writing Manageable for Students and Teachers Alike

The SRSD approach is highly adaptable, making it practical for teachers and beneficial for students across different grade levels and writing abilities. This flexibility is essential in today’s classrooms, where teachers work with diverse groups of students, including those with learning disabilities, language barriers, or varying levels of confidence in writing.

For instance, SRSD’s versatility allows it to be applied to different genres, from opinion essays in lower grades to persuasive writing using informational text for older students. In one example, fourth- and fifth-graders learned to craft strong narratives and persuasive essays using SRSD techniques. They started with the basics of opinion writing and gradually integrated more complex elements, such as citing informational texts to support their arguments. This step-by-step approach makes writing more manageable and teaches students to build on their existing skills over time.

Building Writing Skills That Last

A critical aspect of SRSD is its focus on long-term skill retention and generalizing writing strategies. In other words, SRSD equips students with skills they can apply to different writing tasks across subjects and over time. To ensure these strategies stick, SRSD encourages maintenance, editing, and generalization through practices like:

• Setting individualized goals for each student’s writing journey, encouraging them to strive for ongoing improvement
• Promoting positive self-assessment, where students learn to review their work critically and set new personal goals
• Providing frequent feedback keeps students engaged and motivated to refine their writing

For teachers, SRSD provides a framework to help students reach beyond the classroom and apply their skills to real-world scenarios. This valuable outcome keeps students engaged and invested in their learning.

SRSD in Practice: Meeting Common Core Standards

SRSD also aligns well with the Common Core’s emphasis on persuasive and informative writing, helping students learn to support their positions with well-organized, logical arguments. The Common Core outlines clear goals for writing that SRSD can help achieve, such as crafting persuasive essays that are coherent, evidence-based, and engaging.

In SRSD instruction, students learn to structure their writing with mnemonics like POW (Pick an idea, Organize notes, Write and say more) and TREE (Topic sentence, Reasons, Ending, Examine). These memory aids help students internalize the writing process, supporting them in planning, organizing, and elaborating on their ideas. When used in conjunction with close reading skills, such as those taught with the TWA (Think before reading, while reading, and After reading) strategy, SRSD helps students build a solid writing structure and fosters critical thinking and reasoning.

Encouraging Lifelong Writers and Learners

SRSD goes beyond helping students write better in the classroom; it equips them with lifelong skills. Good writing remains essential beyond school years, whether in higher education or in most career paths. Over 90% of white-collar and 80% of blue-collar workers report that writing skills are crucial to their success. SRSD instills in students a foundation of skills that carry into these real-world applications, making it a valuable tool for academic achievement and long-term success.

Why SRSD Should Matter to Every Educator

At its core, SRSD is about giving students a voice. By helping them articulate their thoughts and ideas through storytelling, SRSD empowers them to become confident communicators. Teachers care deeply about their students’ success, and SRSD provides a way to fulfill that commitment by transforming writing instruction into something accessible, effective, and enjoyable. Dr. Harris notes, “When teachers find a powerful tool, they want to use it.”

SRSD has already proven to turn reluctant writers into enthusiastic ones by incorporating online writing courses, transforming writing from a dreaded task into a meaningful and satisfying endeavor. It’s more than just broccoli—it’s the ice cream sundae of writing instruction, making learning enjoyable, impactful, and sustainable.