The goal of this practice guide is to offer educators specific, evidence-based recommendations that address the challenge of teaching writing in elementary school. The guide provides practical, clear information on critical topics related to teaching writing and is based on the best available evidence as judged by the authors.

"June 2012"--Cover. "NCEE 2012-4058, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION"-- Cover. Electronic reproduction. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications_reviews.aspx#pubsearch.

Contents: Review of Recommendations -- Acknowledgements -- Institute of Education Sciences Levels of Evidence for Practice Guides -- Introduction to the Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers Practice Guide -- Recommendation 1. Provide daily time for students to write -- Recommendation 2. Teach students to use the writing process for a variety of purposes -- Understanding the Writing Process -- Recommendation 2a. Teach students the writing process -- Recommendation 2b. Teach students to write for a variety of purposes -- Recommendation 3. Teach students to become fluent with handwriting, spelling, sentence construction, typing, and word processing -- Recommendation 4. Create an engaged community of writers -- Glossary -- Appendix A. Postscript from the Institute of Education Sciences -- Appendix B. About the Authors -- Appendix C. Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest -- Appendix D. Rationale for Evidence Ratings -- Endnotes -- References -- List of Tables: Table 1. Institute of Education Sciences levels of evidence for practice guides -- Table 2. Recommendations and corresponding levels of evidence -- Table 3. Examples of writing strategies -- Table 4. Purposes for writing -- Table 5. Examples of techniques within the four purposes of writing -- Table 6. Spelling skills by grade level -- Table 7. Activities for sentence-structure development -- Table D.1. Studies that contribute to the level of evidence for Recommendation 1 -- Table D.2. Supplemental evidence supporting the effectiveness of Recommendation 1 -- Table D.3. Studies that contribute to the level of evidence for Recommendation 2 -- Table D.4. Supplemental evidence supporting the effectiveness of Recommendation 2 -- Table D.5. Studies that contribute to the level of evidence for Recommendation 3 -- Table D.6. Supplemental evidence supporting the effectiveness of Recommendation 3 -- Table D.7. Studies that contribute to the level of evidence for Recommendation 4 -- Table D.8. Supplemental evidence supporting the effectiveness of Recommendation 4 -- List of Figures: Figure 1. Gradual release of responsibility to students -- Figure 2. Handwriting-practice diagram -- List of Examples: Example 1. Applying the writing process in an upper elementary classroom -- Example 2. Story emulation of Rosie’s Walk with 1st-grade students -- Example 3. Using text as a model -- Example 4. The Westward Movement prompt -- Example 5. “Star of the Day” -- Example 6. “Author’s Chair”.