High School Writing Instruction: Evidence-Based Strategies

A Breakthrough for High School Students

When high school students struggle with writing—especially informative essays—it can limit their success across all subject areas, not to mention their college and career readiness. For students with learning disabilities (LD), the challenge of teaching writing is even more significant. Fortunately, a new 2024 study by Ray et al. in Learning Disability Quarterly delivers exciting news: Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) can dramatically improve the writing performance, self-efficacy, and strategic thinking of high school students with and at risk for LD. And it works in just nine weeks.

In this carefully designed pre/post-intervention study, 18 students in 10th and 11th grade—many from low-income households and Title I schools—participated in a 30-lesson SRSD program called College Ready: Reading and Writing to Learn. The instruction focused on teaching students to write informative essays using multiple source texts, incorporating evidence, engaging in literary analysis, and using strategies like POW + HIT BOOKS3, all within the SRSD six-stage model.

The results? Statistically significant improvements across every writing measure—and large effect sizes to prove it—highlighting the importance of ongoing assessment and receiving continuous feedback during the learning process.

How the Study Got Started

The research team, led by Dr. Amber Ray and colleagues, recognized a persistent challenge: Students with LD were entering upper grades with writing skills far below grade-level expectations. These students often struggled with organizing their thoughts, identifying credible sources, and producing multi-paragraph essays—skills crucial for success in high school and beyond.

To address this gap, the team developed a brand-new SRSD intervention specifically tailored for high school students aiming for college readiness. The intervention focused on enhancing the writing process through effective instructional strategies. Called College Ready: Reading and Writing to Learn, the program emphasized sourcing credible texts, close reading, note organization, and informative essay writing. The curriculum was built around SRSD’s six stages, and the HIT BOOKS3 mnemonic was used to guide students in structuring their essays, effectively integrating high school writing instruction principles.

Two Midwestern high schools participated: one public Title I school and one smaller private school. Students were selected based on having an IEP or 504 Plan for high-incidence disabilities (such as LD, OHI, or ASD) and being identified by teachers as struggling with writing.

What Happened During Implementation

Instruction was delivered over nine weeks in small-group teaching sessions, usually with 2–6 students. Trained doctoral students led each group with special education and language instruction backgrounds. Lessons followed a consistent structure, using Google Classroom, Chromebooks, and text-to-speech tools to support students in their writing.

The early weeks focused on building background knowledge—students learned to identify credible sources, annotate texts, and improve literacy skills to avoid plagiarism, all essential components of the writing process. They were introduced to two core strategies:

• POW: Pull apart the prompt, Organize my notes, Write and say more
• HIT BOOKS3: Hook, Introduce topic, Thesis; Body with Central ideas, Outline details, Offer examples, Key connections; Support thesis, State relationships, Significance

Instructors provided explicit instruction by modeling the teaching writing process step-by-step, including how to read a prompt, create a graphic organizer, integrate evidence, revise, and graph progress, with a strong focus on composition skills, all embedded within an effective pedagogy. Students practiced these skills in pairs before moving into independent writing by the final stage.

Students also created and used personalized self-statements like “I can use my strategy” and “I know how to write this,” which were instrumental in their learning and writing process, helping boost motivation and self-regulation—hallmarks of the SRSD approach.

Even unexpected interruptions, such as bomb threats and school closures, didn’t stop learning progress. The pacing guide helped teachers re-teach material as needed, showing the flexibility of the SRSD model in teaching real-world school conditions.

How Students Grew—By the Numbers

By the end of the study, students had made statistically significant gains in every measured outcome, especially in their writing abilities. Here are some of the most powerful improvements:

• Genre Knowledge: +47% gain in knowledge of what makes an informative essay (g = 0.97)
• Planning: Over 12x improvement in planning scores (g = 1.52)
• Essay Quality: Stronger ideas, organization, grammar, and detail in writing (g = 0.96)
• Genre Elements: From 6 to 16 key elements per essay (g = 1.24)
• Transitions: Increased from 1 to nearly 6 per essay (g = 0.91)
• Source Use: More accurate and frequent integration of evidence (g = 0.70)
• Total Words Written: Doubled, from ~200 to ~400 words, showcasing dramatic improvements in writing (g = 1.03)
• Self-Efficacy: Students’ confidence in their writing soared (g = 1.28)

What Students Had to Say

Students didn’t just improve—they noticed how the writing process had evolved for them. In post-study interviews and surveys:

• They described their writing as “more organized,” “longer,” and “more interesting.”
• One student said, “Before I hated writing. This made it easier. I know what to do now.”
• Another reflected, “I’ll use this for the rest of my life—and teach it to my friends, showcasing the power of effective teaching.”
• Every student said they would recommend the intervention to a struggling peer, valuing the learning and feedback they received during the process.

They also appreciated the small-group format, the pacing, and the use of technology to support reading and learning, alongside explicit instructional strategies in the writing process. Several students asked for even more opportunities to write about topics they cared about—clear evidence that motivation was taking root.

Implications for Schools

This study shows that SRSD doesn’t just work in controlled environments or elementary classrooms—it’s highly effective in high school settings with diverse learners, including students with learning disabilities.

If you’re a curriculum director, special education leader, or high school teacher looking to improve writing outcomes:

• SRSD is backed by over 200 studies, which adds another layer of proof for high schoolers with LD.
• You don’t need to wait for a perfect writing curriculum. SRSD integrates with what you already use and fills the gap with evidence-based writing instruction.
• With just 9 weeks of instruction, students can dramatically improve their planning, structure, and confidence in writing—and begin to see themselves as real writers.

Ready to Learn More about SRSD for High School?

SRSD Online offers specialized training for middle and high school teachers, with new modeling videos, materials, and real student samples. If you’re interested in bringing SRSD to your school or district, click here to schedule a conversation: Let’s Talk SRSD!

It’s time to give every student the strategies they need to succeed—not just on paper, but in life.

---

Dr. Amber B. Ray is an Associate Professor of Special Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a nationally recognized expert in writing instruction for students with disabilities. Her research focuses on evidence-based interventions that improve academic outcomes, mainly writing, for students with high-incidence disabilities. Dr. Ray has led multiple federally funded studies examining the effectiveness of Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) in real-world classroom settings, and she continues to innovate ways to prepare students for college and career success through strategic, accessible writing instruction.

---