To become a better writer, volume and frequency matter. According to literacy experts, students are not getting enough of either. Writing has received short shrift these past 2 years. Student writing is unlikely to improve unless students write more. Lots more. — Carol Jago (@CarolJago) June 15, 2022 The teachers we talk to agree. They want their students to write more, but they question the logistics. They wonder, “How can I carve out the time? How can I create motivation? What will I do about reluctant writers? What will I do about feedback?

Our students, ever the digital natives, are awash in images. They scroll through them—scrutinizing, liking, and commenting. They capture, share, and meme-ify them. They create their own images and even break news with them. As writing teachers, we can tap into this energy for imagery by inviting students to incorporate visuals in their writing and storytelling. But when we do so, we should also teach how to use images ethically and effectively.

As you prepare to teach grammar this year, focus on fundamental questions: What do my students know? What do I want them to know? How can I help them learn? At the start of the school year, you may have a decent understanding of the last two questions. But what your students already know about grammar—that can feel like a mystery. Rather than making assumptions, why not give a grammar pretest? Grammar pretests will clue you into students' existing skills and knowledge.

Do your reading discussions ever feel a little stale? Are the same talkative students the only ones responding? Are you doing most of the talking? Thankfully, whole-class discussion is not the only way students can converse about reading. When your class gets in a discussion rut, have students work on text rendering. What is text rendering? Text rendering is the practice of picking out, sharing, and reacting to a short section from a reading.

Teachers often ask us, “How do I motivate my students to write?” One solution is to create engaging prompts. What makes a writing prompt engaging? The best prompts are clear and relevant. If the topic or task is not relevant to students, they will be less motivated to persist through the steps of the writing process and do their best work. As an example, suppose your class is working on a persuasive writing unit. Consider the following prompts. Which is most effective?

Reading discussions stall without enough participation. Students tend to self-identify as quiet or talkative, and those identities too often dictate involvement. As a result, discussions may resemble a ping-pong-like exchange between the teacher and a few outgoing students. What about everyone else? Their ideas matter, too. How can I improve participation? Try varying the discussion format. You could break into small groups or have students work with partners. Also try varying the mode of discussion.

You may have heard that empathy involves “walking in someone else’s shoes.” But this tidy metaphor misses a crucial aspect of empathetic behavior: close, compassionate listening. Brené Brown addresses the missing component in her book Atlas of the Heart: Rather than walking in your shoes, I need to learn how to listen to the story you tell about what it’s like in your shoes and believe you even when it doesn’t match my experiences. To show empathy, then, we must learn to listen carefully, understand what was said, and withhold judgment.

One-on-one conferences play a crucial role in writing classrooms. Conferences give students a chance to ask questions, voice concerns, receive feedback, and map out next steps for their work. In my own classroom, students report feeling better prepared to tackle writing challenges after conferring with me. That’s not to say writing conferences are all sunshine and rainbows. Without proper planning and boundaries, conferences can turn into a logistical nightmare. How can you carve out class time to meet with 20, 30, or more students without disrupting your calendar?

Do your students use quotations in their writing? This common practice allows writers to engage with experts, marshal evidence, and create dialogue. But the practice also comes with potential pitfalls. Some students overuse quotations, adding so many that their own voice gets lost in the mix. Other students drop in quotations without enough context. The quotes just hang there with no clear connection to the surrounding ideas.

For far too long, the ELA community treated reading and writing a bit like rival siblings. Everyone knew the two were related, but many believed they were better off taught separately. Curricula often focused on reading, while writing was cast aside as secondary, the Harry to reading’s William. Today, we know we had it wrong. The two literacies not only belong together but also get along splendidly when taught in tandem.