Written Language

This page is geared toward providing interventions for written language skills. These interventions are organized according to grade level.   

Click on the appropriate grade level to find interventions in written language skills for children across the grade levels.

Please keep in mind that you might consider interventions at lower grade levels for lower functioning individuals.

Please submit your ideas by clicking on the "Submit Your Ideas" icon on the left. 

Submitted by: Dana
Category: Written Language
Age or Grade: Preschool

Title of Intervention: Written Expression Activities

Intervention: Writing skills improve through practice.  Instructional activities should be chosen for each student according to particular skill deficits.

Intervention #1 - Teachers can provide a written paragraph that contains both incomplete and complete sentences.  The teacher should then ask the student to underline the subject and verb in each statement and determine which sentences are incomplete.

Intervention #2 - Teachers can provide various noun and verb phrases and have the student expand each sentence by adding descriptive words.  For example:  man ate    The man in the blue shirt  ate his dinner slowly.
dog barked  The big, black dog barked at the man with the stick.
Also, the teacher can have the student combine related sentences into one sentence. 

Reference: Mercer,C .D., Mercer, A.R. (1998) Teaching Students with Learning Problems 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Prentice Hall

Submitted by: Leah 

Age or Grade: Kindergarten-Grade 2 

Title of Intervention: Write a Rebus 

Materials: samples of rebus stories 

Intervention: Writing a rebus story can help sutdents learn to integrate imagery into their writing.  Begin with a simple rebus story of your own, presented to the whole class.  Invite two students to help you finish the story, using words and pictures.  Highlight a couple of rebus picture books that you can find in your classroom or school library.  Have children writee their own rebus stories, incorporating at least a few pictures witht the text. 

Link Address: www.scholastic.com/instructor 

Link Description: Teaching Writing

Submitted by: Gregory Studelska

Category: Spelling

Age or Grade: All grades

Materials:

a) A piece of paper divided into four vertical columns.
b) A pencil with an eraser.
c) Also, words in which the individual could not spell are needed. These words
can be retrieved from misspelled words on a spelling list.

Intervention:
The first vertical column is designated for the placement of the student’s misspelled words from his or her spelling list or other homework. The student is then encouraged by a peer or teacher to spell the word correctly. They can encourage the student by clapping out the syllables or stretching the word. The student then rewrites the spelling attempt in the second column. If the word in column two is spelled correctly the student rewrites the word from the second column into the third column. Then, they are able to move on to the next word that the student spelled wrong and repeat the process. If the rewritten word in column two is spelled wrong the peer or teacher can tell the student the correct spelling of the word or require the student to look the word up in the dictionary with the purpose of finding correct spelling. The correct spelling of the word is then placed in column three. The student is then required to rewrite the correctly spelled word in column four. After the students complete the rewriting of the word in column four they can then move to the next word that the student spelled wrong.

Video Clip: Click on Camera Icon!

Reference: Stipe, L. R., (2001) Invention, Convention, and Intervention: invented spelling and the teacher’s role. February, 17, 2003.

Submitted by: Amanda Hurd

Category: Spelling

Age or Grade: Elementary

Materials: None

Intervention: The teacher should hand out spelling lists to the students. Then, have the students write their spelling words in the air while spelling them out loud. The teacher should complete the activity with the student the first few times.

Video Clip: Click on Camera Icon!

Reference: Adapted by Amanda Hurd from: Rief, S.F. (1993). How to Reach and Teach ADD/ADHD Children. West Nyack, N.Y. The Center for Applied Research in Education.

Submitted by: Leah 

Category: Written Language 

Age or Grade: Kindergarten-Grade 2 

Title of Intervention: Topic Trees 

Materials: construction paper, bulletin board 

Intervention: The purpose is to help students share ideas and see patterns in topics.  To prepare, cut leaves from construction paper (four per student).  Hand out the leaves and have the students jot down on the leaves four different topics they have written about since the beginning of the year.  Ask students to place their leaves in a central area.  Organize students into teams of four or five and have each team search for topics on a common theme.  Separate leaves into piles, then attach them to the bulletin board, on construction paper tree trunks.  The trees will show students the range of interests in the class.  When students get stuck in their writing, have them visit the classroom forest for inspiration.  Extend this activity by having students add new topics weekly or monthly, to show them that generating topics should be a never-ending process. 

Reference: www.scholastic.com/Instructor 

Link Description: Teaching Writing 

Submitted by: Leah Moritz 

Category: Written Language 

Age or Grade: Kindergarten-Grade 2 

Title of Intervention: Topic Trees 

Materials: construction paper, bulletin board 

Intervention: The purpose is to help students share ideas and see patterns in topics.  To prepare, cut out leaves from construction paper (four per student).  Hand out leaves and have students jot down on the leaves four topics they've written about during the year.  Ask students to place their leaves in a central area.  Organize students into teams of four or five.  Have each team search for topics on a common theme.  Separate leaves into piles and attach them to the bulletin board on construction paper tree trunks.  The trees will show students the range of interests in the class.  When students get stuck in their writing, have them visit the classroom forest for inspiration.  Extend this activity by having students add new topics weekly or monthly, to show them that generating topics should be a never-ending process. 

Link Address: www.scholastic.com/instructor 

Submitted by: Rita and Megan

Category: Written Expression

Age Grade: 2+

Materials: 3 x 5 cards, 3 x 5 file box, 3 x 5 alphabet dividers

Information: One reason children write using only small words is because they’re so frustrated trying to spell bigger, more interesting ones.

Directions: Have your child tell you what he wants to say first. As he talks, you make a list of the words he’s likely to have trouble spelling. Write each word on a 3 x 5 card, near the top. He should spread them out on the table so he can spot them easily as he writes. After he’s done his writing assignment, file the cards in his file box alphabetically. This file box then becomes a spelling dictionary he can add to day by day. It’s much easier to use than a standard dictionary.

If your child understands alphabetization, he can alphabetize them by spreading them out on a table and putting them in order. This way of alphabetizing requires no writing and allows him to learn that skill as easily as possible, and is also a good way to handle assignments that require him to alphabetize a list of words.

Source: Susan Setley, 1995. TAMING THE DRAGONS: REAL HELP FOR REAL SCHOOL PROBLEMS. Retrieved April 3, 2002 from http://members.aol.com/susans29/writexp.htm

Submitted by: Gregory Studelska

Category: Spelling

Age or Grade: All grades

Materials:

a) A piece of paper divided into four vertical columns.
b) A pencil with an eraser.
c) Also, words in which the individual could not spell are needed. These words
can be retrieved from misspelled words on a spelling list.

Intervention:
The first vertical column is designated for the placement of the student’s misspelled words from his or her spelling list or other homework. The student is then encouraged by a peer or teacher to spell the word correctly. They can encourage the student by clapping out the syllables or stretching the word. The student then rewrites the spelling attempt in the second column. If the word in column two is spelled correctly the student rewrites the word from the second column into the third column. Then, they are able to move on to the next word that the student spelled wrong and repeat the process. If the rewritten word in column two is spelled wrong the peer or teacher can tell the student the correct spelling of the word or require the student to look the word up in the dictionary with the purpose of finding correct spelling. The correct spelling of the word is then placed in column three. The student is then required to rewrite the correctly spelled word in column four. After the students complete the rewriting of the word in column four they can then move to the next word that the student spelled wrong.

Video Clip: Click on Camera Icon!

Reference: Stipe, L. R., (2001) Invention, Convention, and Intervention: invented spelling and the teacher’s role. February, 17, 2003.

Submitted by: Gregory Studelska

Category: Written Expression

Age or Grade: 3rd through 8th

Materials: Notebook to keep paired journal and writing utensil.

Intervention: It is a journal that a pair of students keeps together. In this buddy journal they write back and forth to each other, “conversing” in writing. With buddy journals students read each other’s entries and respond in writing. Students love to read what others students have written, and the journals, therefore, are motivating and building self-esteem. Students may be buddies with a number of classmates throughout the year.

Video Clip: Not Available

Reference: Rief, Sandra F. How To Reach and Teach ADD/ADHD Children. The Center For Applied Research in Education West Nyack, N.Y., 1993.

Submitted by: Stephanie 

Title of Intervention: Kids Catch Words That Don't Seem Right 

Materials: Spelling notebooks 

Intervention: Once a week, have students circle three words on their writing draft that don't seem to be spelled correctly.  "Have a go" at spelling those words again by asking:  Can I see the word in my mind's eye? Have I accurately represented all the sounds I hear? Is there a meaning relation to help me with the spelling pattern?  Find the correct spellings by looking in the dictionary, using a computer spell-checker, or asking.  Finally have the student add incorrectly spelled words to their individualized list. 

Link Address: scholastic.com/Instuctor 

Submitted by: Stephanie 

Title of Intervention: Pull Spelling Out of Poetry 

Materials: Selected poems 

Intervention: Rather than asking students to memorize isolated spelling words, link spelling to a "Poem of the Week."  Pick a poem whose topic relates to a theme the students are studying, underline spelling words, and make two photocopies for each child-one goes home for students to review and share with parents.  The child illustrates the other and keeps it in his or her spelling folder.  At the end of the year, the poems can be bound into illustrated anthologies that the students take home. 

Link Address: scholastic.com/Instuctor 

Submitted By: Stephanie 

Category: Written Language 

Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Word Walls 

Materials: A word wall 

Intervention: Word walls help build spelling skills. It is the first line of defense in getting kids to look at words.  First, call out a frequently mispelled word on the word wall. Have students say the word, chant its spelling,and then say it again.  Cover the word and have students write it down, then check the spelling together. Practice frequently misspelled word-wall words by placing them in sentences.  Suppose if, in, me, come, and let are on the word wall. Suggest that the entire class write "Let me come in" (cover the word wall with stick-on notes to keep students from seeig the words) 

Reference: Gentry, J. R. (1997). Spelling strategies. Instructor (23).

Submitted by: Eva 

Category: Written Language 

Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: COPS Strategy 

Intervention: The COPS strategy (Schumaker et al., 1981) was designed to help students identify four error types.  The mnemonic is used to represent the following steps:  C--CAPITALIZATION--check capitalization of first words in sentences and proper nouns. 
O--OVERALL appearance of work--check for neatness, legibility, margins, indentation of paragraphs, and complete sentences. 
P--PUNCTUATION--check commas and end punctuation. 
S--SPELLING--check to see if the words are spelled correctly. 
Using this strategy, students are encouraged to check their writing independently before submitting their work. 

Reference: Mather, N. & Roberts, R.  (1995).  "Informal Assessment and Instruction in Written Language:  A Practitioner's Guide for Students with Learning Disabilities."  Clinicall Psychology Publishing Co. 

Submitted by: Leah 

Category: Written Language 

Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Integrated Vocabulary, Creative Writing, and Listening Excercise 

Materials: text, dictionary, overhead, overhead sheet, pencil, paper 

Intervention: Each student is given one word pertinent to the lesson.  Students look up the meaning of the word.  Students write a one page (minimum) story including the word.  The story is so well written that the meaning is obvious through context clues. 
#1. Instruct the class to write down their names, date, and teacher's name on a piece of paper and be ready to listen to instructions. 
#2. Print a word on the overhead and pronounce the word for the class.  Have the class repeat the word.  Point to each letter as the class spells the word.  Instruct the students to write the word on their paper. 
#3. Read a story containing that word to the class.  Tell students to listen carefully for the word. 
#4. Students write what they think the word means even if they are unsure. 
#5. Have 6-8 students give their meanings, making comments such as good, close, etc. 
#6. Tell the correct meaning, stating the source.  Have students write the correct meaning. 

Reference: Paganelli, J. (1994).  Lesson plan #:AELP-VOC0004. Columbia Education Center Summer Workshop. 

Link Description: Big Sky Telegraph 

Submitted by: Leah 

Category: Written Language 

Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: The IE or EI Rule 

Materials: chart paper, marker, index cards, or stiff paper for making word cards 

Intervention: Have the students chant the ie/ei ditty until they understand it. "write i before e, except after c.  Or when it sounds like "a" as in neighbor and weign.  Weird, their and neither aren't the same either."  Then do a whole class hunt to find ei and ie words.  Prepare a wall chart with headings: ie, cei, ei that sounds like a, and exceptions.  Have the students organize their words under the correct headings.  Leave the chart up all year and invite students to add to it.  Throw an ie/ei party when everyone has learned the rule and discovered a significant number of exceptions. 

Link Address: www.scholastic.com/instructor 

Link Description: Spelling Strategies 

Submitted by:   Jayne 
Title of Intervention: Spelling 

Materials: none 

Intervention: Teach spelling integrated with the total language arts program (e.g., activities, methods, and materials are related to the teaching of reading and language as a whole rather than in parts). 

Reference: McCarney, Ed.D., The Teacher's Resource Guide. Hawthorne Educational Services Inc. 1994 

Submitted by: Jayne 
Title of Intervention: Spelling 

Materials: none 

Intervention: Have the student write sentences, paragraphs, or a story each day about a favorite subject. Encourage the student to use a phonetic approach to spelling the words he/she uses. 

Reference: McCarney, Stephen B. Ed.D., The Teachers's Resource Guide. Hawthorne Educational Services Inc. 1994. 

Submitted by: Jayne 
Title of Intervention: Spelling 

Materials: flash cards 

Intervention: Make sure the student knows the sounds that letters make. Have the sudent practice making the letter sounds as he/she sees the letters on flash cards. 

Reference: McCarney, Stephen B. Ed.D., The Teachers's Resource Guide. Hawthorne Educational Services Inc. 1994. 

Submitted by: Jayne 
Title of Intervention: Spelling 
Materials: none 

Intervention: Make certain the student hears correctly the sounds in the words he/she misspells. Have the student say the words aloud to determine if he/she is aware of the letters or sound units in the words. 

Reference: McCarney, Stephen B. Ed.D., The Teachers's Resource Guide. Hawthorne Educational Services Inc. 1994. 

Submitted by: Jayne 
Title of Intervention: Spelling 

Materials: none 

Intervention: Have the student act as a peer tutor to teach another student a spelling concept he/she has mastered. This can serve as reinforcement for the student. 

Reference: McCarney, Stephen B. Ed.D., The Teachers's Resource Guide. Hawthorne Educational Services Inc. 1994. 

Submitted by: Jayne 
Title of Intervention: Spelling 
Materials: none 

Intervention: Give the student fewer words to learn to spell at any one time, spending more time on each word until the student can spell it correctly. 

Reference: McCarney, Stephen B. Ed.D., The Teachers's Resource Guide. Hawthorne Educational Services Inc. 1994.

Submitted by: Leah 

Category: Written Language 

Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Class Books 

Materials: one or more computers, printer, contruction paper for book covers, copy machine, book binding materials 

Intervention: Have the students brainstorm categories of personal information, such as "What is your favorite television show?"  Enter the information into the datatbase, and print a master form before the next class period.  Have the students write personal information on the master form. Have the students write positive comments about their classmates; these will later become the class description, such as "Megan is artistic"  Divide the class into two groups.  Have group A enter personal information into the database.  Have group B conduct interviews, using the questions on the master form.  Switch the groups so that group B enters information while group A conducts interviews. Have the groups enter their interviews on the word processor and make book covers. 

Reference: Heick, S., & Carlin, P., Lesson Plan #:AELP-WLG0001 

Link Address: Telnet: 192.231.192.1 

Link Description: Big Sky Telegraph 

Submitted by: Karla 
Category: Written Language 
Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Improving Spelling 

Intervention: 1. Teach spelling rules integrated in other content areas ( reading and writing). 

Intervention 2.  Require the student to use a dictionary to find the correct spelling of any word.  The emphasis is on spelling accurately rather than memorizing spelling words. 

Intervention 3.  Have students practice spelling in a meaningful manner ( writing letters). 

Intervention 4.  Provide the student with self checking materials, requiring correction. 

Intervention 5.  Reduce the emphasis on competition.  Encourage growth by charting. 

Reference: McCarney, The Teacher's Resource Guide, Hawthorne

Submitted by: Stephanie Hersom 
Category: Written Language 
Age or Grade: Kindergarten-Grade 2 

Title of Intervention: Avoid Yes/No Questions 

Materials: none 

Intervention: Asking students open-ended questions is one of the best ways to foster more talk about writing in classrooms.  This simple strategy requires finding time to ask open-ended questions such as "What will happen next?" or "How did you come up with that lead?"  These strategies push students to think more seriously about their writing and work habits. 

Reference: Power, B. (1997). Teaching writing: The answer to better writing? Better questions! Instructor (60). 

Submitted by: Stephanie Hersom 
Category: Written Language 
Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: The Changing Y-to-I Rule 

Materials: chart paper, marker, and index cards 

Intervention: Write the Y-to-I rule at the top of a chart. First conduct a whole class hunt for singular words with y endings and classify them into the two categories. Then have each student write the plural form of a word on a card and organize the cards into two columns. Using the set of cards, students can practice word sorts with spelling buddies. 

Link Address: www.scholastic.com/Instructor 

Link Description: Spelling Strategies 

Submitted by: Dana
Category: Written Language
Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5

Title of Intervention: Fails to punctuate correctly when writing

Materials: flash cards, computer

Intervention: 
Intervention #1 - The teacher can give the student a set of 3 cards: one with a period, one with a question mark, and one with an exclamation point.  As the teacher reads a sentence to the student, have the him/her hold up the appropriate card.

Intervention #2 - Provide practice in punctuation by using a computer program that gives the student immediate feedback. 

Reference: McCarney, S.B., Cummins Wunderlich, K., Bauer,A, (1994). The Teacher's Resource Guide: Columbia, MO. 

Submitted by: Rita

Category: Handwriting

Age Grade: Grade appropriate when manuscript and cursive handwriting is taught and for remedial purposes.

Materials: Self-correcting transparent overlay of manuscript and/or cursive writing models.

Rational: This method is well suited when extra tutor or teachers are not available. Self-correction guides increases the quality of handwriting instruction, makes more effective us of teacher time and increases the development of student’s discrimination skills.

Directions: Use templates for students to overlay their written material for student to assess the degree to which his or her handwriting efforts and consistent with the template model.

Source: Handwriting Resource Book. Retrieved March 10, 2002 from http://www.usu.edu/teachall/

Submitted by: Gregory Studelska

Category: Spelling

Age or Grade: All grades

Materials:

a) A piece of paper divided into four vertical columns.
b) A pencil with an eraser.
c) Also, words in which the individual could not spell are needed. These words
can be retrieved from misspelled words on a spelling list.

Intervention:
The first vertical column is designated for the placement of the student’s misspelled words from his or her spelling list or other homework. The student is then encouraged by a peer or teacher to spell the word correctly. They can encourage the student by clapping out the syllables or stretching the word. The student then rewrites the spelling attempt in the second column. If the word in column two is spelled correctly the student rewrites the word from the second column into the third column. Then, they are able to move on to the next word that the student spelled wrong and repeat the process. If the rewritten word in column two is spelled wrong the peer or teacher can tell the student the correct spelling of the word or require the student to look the word up in the dictionary with the purpose of finding correct spelling. The correct spelling of the word is then placed in column three. The student is then required to rewrite the correctly spelled word in column four. After the students complete the rewriting of the word in column four they can then move to the next word that the student spelled wrong.

Video Clip: Click on Camera Icon!

Reference: Stipe, L. R., (2001) Invention, Convention, and Intervention: invented spelling and the teacher’s role. February, 17, 2003.

Submitted by: Gregory Studelska

Category: Written Expression

Age or Grade: 3rd through 8th

Materials: Notebook to keep paired journal and writing utensil.

Intervention: It is a journal that a pair of students keeps together. In this buddy journal they write back and forth to each other, “conversing” in writing. With buddy journals students read each other’s entries and respond in writing. Students love to read what others students have written, and the journals, therefore, are motivating and building self-esteem. Students may be buddies with a number of classmates throughout the year.

Video Clip: Not Available

Reference: Rief, Sandra F. How To Reach and Teach ADD/ADHD Children. The Center For Applied Research in Education West Nyack, N.Y., 1993.

Submitted By: Eva 

Category: Written Language 

Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: PENS strategy 

Materials: Paper and pencil or pen 

Intervention: A component of the Sentence Writing Strategy is the PENS strategy (Schumaker, nolan, & Deshler, 1985; Schumaker & Sheldon, 1985).  The procedure assumes prior knowledge of:  (a) grammatical structure, (b) parts of speech, (c) independent clauses, (d) coordinating conjunctions, (e) compound sentences, and (f) the use of commas and semicolons.  The following mnemonic is taught:  P--PICK the most appropriate of the 14 different formulas for writing four basic sentence types (simple, compound, compound-complex sentences).  Each formula corresponds to a different sentence structure. 
E--EXPLORE the different words that fit the chosen formula. 
N--NOTE the words that have been selected and written down. 
S--SUBJECT and verb must be present; check the sentences to ensure that they are.  Use of this strategy will help students learn to recognize and write different types of sentences. 
 

Reference: Mather, N. & Roberts, R.  (1995).  "Informal Assessment and Instruction in Written Language:  A Practitioner's Guide for Students with Learning Disabilities 

Submitted by:: Eva 

Category: Written Language 

Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: Macrocloze/Slotting 

Intervention: Two techniques, macrocloze (Whaley, 1981) and slotting (Poteet, 1987), may be used to assist students with sentence expansion.  In macrocloze, sentences are deleted from stories and the students are then asked to fill in the missing content.  With the slotting technique, blanks are inserted where context can be elaborated in a sentence, and then students brainstorm descriptive words, phrases, and clauses that could be added to make the writing more mature.  Students then can select the choices that make the writing most interesting. 

Reference: Mather, N. & Roberts, R.  (1995).  "Informal Assessment and Instruction in Written Language:  A practitioner's Guide for Students with Learning disabilities."  Clinical Psychology Publishing Co. 

Title of Intervention: Strategies for increasing writing achievement 

Intervention: #1 Encourage Reading 
    -Teachers should encourage young people to read widely to help them become familiar with a wide variety of prose styles; reading is an integral part of instruction in writing. The relationships between reading and writing is an important one. Those who read widely internalize the patterns of organization of various tyupes of writing and develop an understanding of and appreciation for many structures of language. 
    For example, teacher can encourage students to find example of writing they like. The idea is for students to become aware of writing that they themselves judge to be effective and then to bring these pieces of effective writing before class in order to analyze what makes the writing "work"-that is, the particular writing strategies used in the piece. These strategies could be labeled and placed into a class book of effective writing strategies that could serve as a resource for the whole class. 

Atwell, N. (1987). In the Middle: Writing, Reading, and Learning with Adolescents. Upper Montclair, N.J. Boynton/Cook.)  
 
 Intervention: Use Authentic Writing Tasks 
    -Teachers give students authentic writing tasks for specific audiences and purposes. 
    Students improve their writing skills when the writing task addresses a specific purpose and a real audience. 
     For example, a teacher who want students to become good persuasive writers could ask them to write to the principal requesting for a perceived need-a field trip. Students can also study effective pieces of writing including public health documents, political editorials, and contracts; their task would be to assess the writers' varying intents, their assumptions about audiences, and strategies they employ to make the writing effective. 
 

Applebee, A.N. (1981). Writing in the Secondary School: English and the Content Areas. Urbana, Ill.: National Council of Teachers of English. 
 
Intervention: #3 Address authentic, meaningful topics: 
    Student ownership of their writing is of critical importance. For this reason, they should, whenever possible, initiate their own topics and be responsible for determing the pattern of organization that best serves the nature of the text they are developing. 
     For example, students could choose something they would like to learn about as a major project-a particular culture or life of a famous person, music, skateboards, anything that the student has a sincere interest in. The students then become experts on their topic and produce a piece of writing that demonstrates their expertise. 

Anderson, V.,C. Bereiter, and D. Smart. (1982). "Activation of Semantic Networks in Writing: Teaching Students How To Do It Themselves." American Educational Research Association. 
 

Intervention #4 Use Numerous Example Of Good Writing 
     Young children should be invited every day to write in a number of different styles: tables, letters, reminder notes, signs, stories, expository pieces, and books. A variety of paper and writing utensils should be available in several centers so the children come to view writing as something important that they can do. 

Applebee, A. N. (1981). Writing in the Secondary School: English and the Content Areas. Urbana, Ill: National Council of Teachers of English. 
 

Intervention #5 Model the Writing Process 
     A teacher might model the writing process by bringing to class rough drafts of pieces he or she is workign on outside of class(e.g. letters of recommendation, curriculum units, correspondence with parents) and soliciting feedback from students concerning clarity, focus, etc. 

Atwell, N. (1987). In the Middle: Writing, Reading, and Learning with Adolescents. Upper Montclair, N.J. Boynton/Cook. 

Submitted by: Dana
Category: Written Language
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8

Title of Intervention: Allow Time to Learn Supportive Skills

Intervention: Time should be allocated daily for learning the supportive skills associated with excellence in writing: prewriting, planning, drafting, revising, and editing.

Intervention - Teachers need to provide students with daily blocks of time to compose at their own pace and to negotiate the various stages of the writing process.  Teachers should make students aware of effective strategies for generating, organizing, and refining their writing.

Reference: Cole, R.W, (1995). Educating Everybody's Children: Diverse Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners.  Alexandria, Va. ASCD

Submitted by: Gregory Studelska

Category: Spelling

Age or Grade: All grades

Materials:

a) A piece of paper divided into four vertical columns.
b) A pencil with an eraser.
c) Also, words in which the individual could not spell are needed. These words
can be retrieved from misspelled words on a spelling list.

Intervention:
The first vertical column is designated for the placement of the student’s misspelled words from his or her spelling list or other homework. The student is then encouraged by a peer or teacher to spell the word correctly. They can encourage the student by clapping out the syllables or stretching the word. The student then rewrites the spelling attempt in the second column. If the word in column two is spelled correctly the student rewrites the word from the second column into the third column. Then, they are able to move on to the next word that the student spelled wrong and repeat the process. If the rewritten word in column two is spelled wrong the peer or teacher can tell the student the correct spelling of the word or require the student to look the word up in the dictionary with the purpose of finding correct spelling. The correct spelling of the word is then placed in column three. The student is then required to rewrite the correctly spelled word in column four. After the students complete the rewriting of the word in column four they can then move to the next word that the student spelled wrong.

Video Clip: Click on Camera Icon!

Reference: Stipe, L. R., (2001) Invention, Convention, and Intervention: invented spelling and the teacher’s role. February, 17, 2003.

Category: Written Expression

Age: 14-18

Submitted by: Shelly Green

Materials: Index cards and Practice forms (e.g., job applications, insurance forms)

Intervention:

For real-world reporting, guide students as they collect and then write on an index card important identifying information about themselves. Include personal and emergency information and, for older students, references, school and job history, and other information they believe may be appropriate. Make a reduced copy of the card for students to keep. Guide students to transfer the data from the card to real forms, such as library cards, office record cards, or applications for jobs and driver’s license or insurance forms. Later, coach students to use a familiar word processing program to expand their ID card information into an autobiography and resume.

Reference: Choate, J.W. (1997). Successful Inclusive Teaching. Needham Heights, MA: A Viacom Company.