Writing Strategies

1. Colored Paragraphs


Source: (Ewoldt & Morgan 2017).


Explanation: Through color coding the different elements of a paragraph, students are able to

learn the necessary components of a paragraph. Starting out with a green topic sentence,

reminding students this is the hear of the paragraph. Then moving onto the yellow ideas

which are supported by red details. Through color coding, students will be able to visually

plan out paragraphs including all components and to reread in order to double check that

they have all been included within the paragraph. Also by taping a string with colored beads

in order within their notebook, students have a sensory object that they can visualize and

touch as they plan their ideas and writing. This strategy also allows students to fully develop

ideas and properly support them with proper details.


2. RAFT


Source: (Tompkins, 2013)


Explanation: The RAFT strategy provides students with somewhat of a mini template to

guide their writing for certain pieces. First students state the role of the writer. Often times

roles that students take on include characters from movies or books, famous people, someone

from the past etc. Next, the students must establish and audience which is the person or

people who will be reading their paper. After that, it is time for the student to format by

choosing if they will be typing a letter, drawing a cartoon, creating a poster or typing an

essay, just to name a few. Lastly, the student must address the topic of what they will be

discussing or addressing within the project. This strategy is beneficial to students because it

allows them to assume the role of someone else within their project. It also prepares students

to provide appropriate information but having them state who the audience is before

beginning the assignment. Overall, the RAFT strategy prepares students to begin writing and
 sets them up to formulate a successful writing piece. 


3. Say, Say, Say, Sketch, Sketch, Sketch, Write, Write, Write


Source: (Serravallo, 2015).


Explanation: This strategy takes students through the process of mentally planning out their

writing before they start writing. Students flip through the pages and verbally say their ideas

of what they want to happen on each page. Next, students move on to sketching what will be

happening on each page. Lastly, students will write their story including details from the

sketches they drew and ideas from the verbal planning that they did. This strategy is

beneficial to students because it allows them to scaffold their own thinking through verbal

planning to brainstorm a layout and then sketching and then progressing to writing. When

students reach the writing stage, they have sketches to base their writing off of which will

help them to incorporate a variety of details within their writing. When introducing this

strategy, it should be modeled by the teacher as well as posted on the board so students can

check in and remember what they are supposed to do next although it is a short strategy. It is

important to discuss with students the idea of touching the page as they’re saying their ideas.

This will help them to remember the details they wanted to include and the order of the ideas

that they came up with. After some independent students could share their experience and

their progress throughout working on this strategy.


4. Write Off The Page


Source: (Serravallo, 2015).


 Explanation: Writing off the page is a strategy that entails students having a separate sheet of

scratch paper next to them as they’re writing in order to work out the kinks of any odd

sentences. On this scratch paper students can experiment with ideas, details, possible

information they would like to include etc. This strategy allows students to keep their draft

more organized by having a separate space for the random scribbles of ideas they might

include. Students could also write ideas about their writing on this paper to make it more of a

metacognitive experience. They could write details or sentences they enjoy about this piece

as well as, details they don’t enjoy as much and brainstorm how to make them better. When

students revise their draft, they can visit their “off the page” scratch sheet to see if they can

incorporate any of the ideas they were originally unsure about as they constructed the

original draft. Prompts that teachers could use with this strategy include, “ask yourself ‘what

am I missing?’ Now answer it on the the page.” Or “write to ask and answer some question

about what you’ve already written.” Within this strategy, it is important that students realize

the page is not intended to be a space where they completely re-write their draft but simply a

workspace to improve upon details. Students could try this strategy out after a demonstration

and then fill out a metacognition sheet in order to consider the ways that it helped (or

possibly did not help) to progress and edit their ideas. Adding the metacognition piece allows

students to really consider the ways this strategy helped them through the draft process.


5. Purposefully Wander


Source: (Serravallo, 2015).


Explanation: When generating ideas or topics to write about, using the purposefully wander
 strategy is beneficial to use. Within this strategy, students are encouraged to start with a topic

that interests them and begin writing about it for a certain amount of time. Encourage

students to write for the entirety of the time without stopping about whatever comes to mind.

If students do not stick to one topic the entire time, it is okay. At the end, students should

read through what they wrote and highlight new ideas that were produced during the writing

time. This strategy allows students to acquire new topics or ideas to include within their

writing or to possibly save for future writing. This strategy allows students to be active and

productive rather that sitting and trying to brainstorm, which some students struggle with. To

practice this strategy, students could have 5-10 minutes of non-stop writing every day or at

least every couple of days, in their notebooks. From here, they can store their ideas in order

to save them for a writing piece in the future. As teachers work with students on this strategy,

they can say things such as, “let yourself go off on a new topic.” Or “look back at what

you’ve written. Do you see anything new hiding?”


6. Experiment With Change


Source: (Serravallo, 2015).


Explanation: Students can use the experiment with change strategy to revise their rough

drafts. To use this strategy, students should identify a spot within their draft that they feel

could be improved. Rather than crossing out or erasing it, students should take out a separate

sheet of paper and write their revision there. Then, students should get another piece of paper
 and rewrite their ideas for a second time in a different way. Then students can compare their

two experiments and decide which is better for the piece. This strategy encourages students

to truly work on the revision process and to learn that it is more than simply checking for

punctuation, capitals, and spelling. Also through having them write more that 1 revision

allows them to challenge themselves to produce and select their best work. In order to

practice this strategy, students could be given paragraphs where they have to experiment

with change and rewrite the details. After they selected their best writing, they can share their

selection with at partner. This allows the students to become more comfortable with the

process of writing two revisions and selecting the best one. Ways that teachers can prompt

students within this strategy include “what part are you thinking of experimenting with?”

“think, ‘what if…?’ When looking at your draft?” And “looking back at your options, which

one works best?” These should allow students to identify which part they will experiment

with, how they can change their draft and which revision is best for the piece they’re

working on.


7. Write A Line Again and Again and Again 


Source: (Serravallo, 2015).


Explanation: This strategy also allows students to practice revision. For this, students find a

sentence within their writing piece that seems weird to them or that they believe can be

improved. From here, students write the sentence two more times. It is important to review

with students that sentences can be improved by re-arranging the words, adding more details,

or selecting different words to use. Once the students have three options, they can read them
 all and select whichever one fits best within their piece. This strategy allows students to learn

to stop and tweak things if needed within their writing. Eventually, students will hopefully be

able to re-write multiple lines to improve them within their writing. To introduce the strategy,

the teacher could write a generic sentence on the board. As a class, everyone could work

together to add details and make that sentence better. Then again for the second re-write of

the sentence. Then, as students are more comfortable with the strategy, they could be given

sentences as they work with a partner and each partner could take turns editing the sentence

in order to improve it. This allows students to build off of each others ideas while also

practicing the strategy which will improve their writing. Teachers could use prompts such as,

“try changing the order of the words.” Or “don’t say a new idea, keep the idea but change the

word order or the words you’re using to describe it.”


8. Alphabet box


Source: (Serravallo, 2015).


Explanation: An alphabet box is a strategy that allows students to produce a variety of details

regarding a specific topic. Students should use a paper that has 26 boxes each labeled with a

letter of the alphabet. After students select a topic, they begin to brainstorm things relating to

that topic that start with different letters of the alphabet and thus, fit into each box. This

strategy allows students to produce a plethora of ideas and vocabulary to match the topic

they’re writing about. Then, as students write they can return to the sheet to remind
 themselves of possible details they could use to improve their writing. This strategy could be

introduced as more of a game or a challenge to select a topic and to try to think of things that

relate to in to fill as many boxes as possible. Then, once students have had adequate time to

fill the boxes (not every single one needs to be filled) the teacher can explain that they have

just brainstormed details to support a writing topic. Students are now more prepared at this

point to start planning their writing including the ideas they were able to brainstorm.


9. Show Don’t Tell


Source: (Serravallo, 2015).


Explanation: Show don’t tell is another strategy that helps students in the drafting process.

Just as the name suggests, it encourages students to use details to show places or emotions as

opposed to coming out and saying a generic sentence such as “I was sad.” When considering
the setting, students should be encouraged to think about their five senses. How are the sights

different in the mountains than at the beach? How does a lake smell compared to a carnival?

How does Christmas look different than the fourth of July? This strategy could also be used

to show emotions but both should be taught separately. When focusing on describing places,

to practice, students can each receive a different place on a card. They could complete a 5-10

minute quick write practicing describing those places with their 5 senses. Then, students can

share out and the class can take guesses about what place the student was writing about.

Prompts that teachers can use when teaching this strategy include, “slow down and describe.

What do you see, hear, feel, smell, taste?” “Your two new sense details help me to feel like

I’m really there!” Or “add more details about what you’d experience if you were actually

there.” Working through adding details of the senses allows students to improve their drafts

and focus on improving the way they describe setting in their future writing.





10. Digital Storytelling


Source: (Sylvester & Greenidge n.d.)


Explanation: Digital storytelling can be used to improve writing because it allows students to

work toward a goal of digitally producing their written work. Digital storytelling gives

students writing a greater purpose and the opportunity to work through the writing process

and employ different writing strategies in order to take the time to improve their skills.

Within digital storytelling, students progress through to traditional writing process but also

get to add in the component of technology in order to allow their writing to come to life.

Students have the opportunity to add pictures, sounds, and sometimes even videos to their

writing in order to produce and publish a final product. Students are able to use the platform

of digital storytelling to share a story, teach a skill or a lesson, or bring awareness to an issue

or a cause. This allows the digital storytelling process to hold more purpose as opposed to

writing simply just to hand a paper in. Through the opportunity to digitally produce a

product students will remain engaged in the project throughout the entirety of the writing

process in order to improve their writing.