Episode 57 - Effective Writing Instruction with Dr. Steve Graham
About Dr. Steve Graham
To learn more about Dr. Graham’s work and research, visit: Steve Graham | ASU Search.
Episode Description
Dr. Steve Graham, renowned expert in writing instruction, joins READ for a timely discussion on effective writing instruction, the reading-writing connection, and the role of technology and AI on writing education. In this episode, you will learn about
- approaches to reading and writing instruction through an integrated lens.
- considerations for instructional planning across content areas.
- multiple strategies for effective writing instruction.
- implications for assessing writing.
- expert insights on the role of technology and AI.
This episode is filled with knowledge and practical applications for any educator, leader, and caregiver on building your child’s writing success.
Top READ Bookmarks
Each episode, host Dr. Danielle Gomez identifies key takeaways or “READ bookmarks.”
1. The Research on Reading-Writing Integration
Listen to 10:29 to 13:41 to learn more.
“Reading and writing are connected at the most intimate level” (Graham 2020).
Dr. Graham has been a leading researcher in understanding the connection between reading and writing. He cites an influential researcher in the field, Dr. Tim Shanahan, as he explains the knowledge and processes that reading and writing share including:
- Goals and purposes
- Domain content
- Text features
- Procedures and processes for comprehending and writing understandable texts
“When I talk about reading writing connections, I really like to make it reading, writing, and learning.”
2. Planning for Writing Instruction
Listen to 13:41 to 19:45 to learn more.
Planning for reading and writing instruction must be conceptualized through a coherent, integrated lens. Dr. Graham emphasizes the importance of efficiency and the drawing of connections between shared skills and knowledge between reading and writing.
“If we can bring reading and writing instruction together in reasonable and meaningful ways, it can reduce the amount of time that we spend and focus more on the collective time for each one of those skills.”
Dr. Graham and other experts in the field of writing recommend at least one hour each day of instructional time should be dedicated to writing. This includes writing in the content areas in which students are leveraging writing to learn.
“Writing can occur in other subject areas. There's evidence that when students write about what they’re learning or reading in those subject areas (such as social studies, science, or math) it increases their understanding and comprehension.”
3. A Spotlight on Self-Regulated Strategy Development
Listen to 6:43 to 10:29 and 25:15 to 44:13 to learn more.
Dr. Graham explains the history, rationale, and process of Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD), developed by Dr. Karen Harris. SRSD is one of the most researched instructional techniques, appearing in hundreds of research papers.
SRSD incorporates explicit modeling, practice, and feedback as a method to support student goal setting, self-monitoring, and self-evaluation throughout the writing process.
4. AI, Technology, and the Future Research in Writing
Listen to 51:19 to 1:03 to learn more.
Dr. Graham shares expert insights and findings from current research studies investigating AI, writing, and writing instruction. He offers implications for mindful integration of AI in writing education and makes a critical call for digital citizenship in a rapidly advancing technological age.
Resources
Learn more about the reading-writing connection in the following articles:
- Reading and Writing Relations and Their Development (Fitzgerald & Shanahan, 2000)
- The Sciences of Reading and Writing Must Become More Fully Integrated (Graham, 2020)
- Writing to Read: A Meta-analysis of the Impact of Writing and Writing Instruction on Reading (Graham & Hebert, 2010)
Learn more about effective instruction from seminal reports cited during the episode:
- Teaching Elementary School Students to be Effective Writers, Institute of Education Sciences Practice Guide at What Works Clearinghouse (Graham et al., 2018)
- Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively, Institute of Education Sciences Practice Guide at What Works Clearinghouse (Graham et al., 2019)
- Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools (Graham & Perin, 2007)
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READ Podcast is produced by The Windward School and The Windward Institute. READ is hosted by Danielle Gomez.
About READ: READ, the Research Education ADvocacy Podcast connects you with prominent researchers, thought leaders, and educators who share their work, insights, and expertise about current research and best practices in fields of education and child development.
Note: All information and insights shared demonstrate the expertise and views of our guests and does not constitute an endorsement by The Windward Institute or The Windward School.