Description
Book SynopsisWriting is a critical skill people need to survive and prosper in the modern economy. But most people fail to become competent writers. Those who succeed (at least, in English-speaking countries) are predominantly White, upper middle class, and female. These achievement gaps are primarily the result of opportunity gaps in other words, they represent the failure of our educational systems to provide equitable instruction. This book examines why so many students fall behind and analyzes what teachers and schools can do to help them succeed. It is for anyone who wants to know, in detail, what modern educational research tells us about the causes and cures for writing achievement gaps, and presents a theory of action designed to help educators and policymakers understand what needs to happen if all students are to become competent writers. Educational statistics demonstrate an ongoing tragedy, in which boys, students from poor families, and members of minority groups are often discoura
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments – Lists of Figures – Lists of Tables – Introduction – Why Writing is Hard – Writing as Purposeful Action: Motivation for Writing as Cause and Effect – Writing as Self- Regulation: The Mediating Roles of Reading Fluency and Working Memory – Writing as the Formulation of Ideas: The Mediating Effects of Prior Content Knowledge – Writing as Verbal Self- Expression: The Causal Role of Oral Language Skills – Writing as Getting Words on the Page: The Effects of Transcription Skills on Writing Development – How to Achieve Equity in School Writing – Conclusion – Index.
