Writing Assessment and Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities

This valuable resource helps teachers who want to sharpen their skills in analyzing and teaching writing to students with learning disabilities. The classroom-tested, research-proven strategies offered in this book work with all struggling students who have difficulties with writing-even those who have not been classified as learning disabled. The book offers a review of basic skills-spelling, punctuation, and capitalization-and includes instructional strategies to help children who struggle with these basics. The authors provide numerous approaches for enhancing student performance in written expression. They explore the most common reasons students are reluctant to write and offer helpful suggestions for motivating them.

Includes a much-needed guide for teaching and assessing writing skills with children with learning disabilities

• Contains strategies for working with all students that struggle with writing
• Offers classroom-tested strategies, helpful information, 100+ writing samples with guidelines for analysis, and handy progress-monitoring charts
• Includes ideas for motivating reluctant writers
• Mather is an expert in the field of learning disabilities and is the best-selling author of Essentials of Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Assessment

About the Authors vii

Dedication and Acknowledgments viii

List of Figures and Exhibits xi

Foreword xvii

1. Very Gently with No Red Marks 1

2. Components of Written Language 7

Handwriting 8

Spelling 11

Usage 18

Vocabulary 21

Text Structure 23

Conclusion 30

3. Theoretical Perspectives and Effective Principles 35

Theoretical Perspectives 35

Effective Instructional Principles 39

Conclusion 69

4. Effective Accommodations for Struggling Writers 71

Accommodations and Compensatory Strategies 71

Determination of the Amount of Support 72

Selection of Appropriate Accommodations 73

Legal Requirements for Individuals with Learning Disabilities 76

Conclusion 82

5. Helping Students with Handwriting 83

General Principles 84

Writing Styles 86

Letter Formation 91

Writing Speed 97

Self-Evaluation 98

Informal Assessment 101

Examples of Commercial Programs 103

Conclusion 104

6. Building Basic Writing Skills 105

Spelling 105

Usage 141

Editing 146

Examples of Commercial Programs 150

Conclusion 152

7. Improving Written Expression 153

Metacognition, Metalinguistics, and Strategy Instruction 153

Vocabulary 163

Text Structure 171

Revision 205

Examples of Commercial Programs 213

Conclusion 215

8. Informal Assessment and Curriculum-Based Measurement 217

Informal Assessment 217

Curriculum-Based Measurement 227

Conclusion 240

9. Analysis of Writing Samples 243

Analyzed Writing Samples 243

Guided Practice Samples 276

Independent Practice Samples 295

Conclusion 303

10. Writing as Communication 305

Factors Affecting Writing 305

Hearing the Writer’s Voice 311

Conclusion 318

References 321

Index 325

The Authors

NANCY MATHER, PH.D., is a professor at the University of Arizona in the department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, and School Psychology. She specializes in assessment and reading and writing disabilities.

BARBARA J. WENDLING, M.A., is an educational consultant who has years of clinical experience as a general and special educator and diagnostician in public school settings.

RHIA ROBERTS, PH.D., is an educational consultant specializing in assessment and learning disabilities. She trains teachers and school psychologists in districts around the country.

• Research-based, classroom-tested strategies
• Helps students of all ability levels improve writing skills
• 100+ student writing samples with guidelines for analysis

Writing Assessment and Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities

This comprehensive, authoritative resource helps equip teachers to effectively analyze and teach writing to students with learning disabilities and/or language impairments. Mather, Wendling, and Roberts offer a wealth of helpful approaches and exercises including:

• Tips for analyzing difficulties in all major components of written language
• Information on the connection of oral language to written language
• An analysis of handwriting difficulties, styles, and instructional strategies
• Instructional strategies for all aspects of written language
• Helpful reviews of basic skills such as spelling, punctuation, and capitalization with numerous instructional strategies
• Methods for enhancing student performance in written expression
• Practical assessment approaches for monitoring student progress
• Suggestions for motivating reluctant writers

While the authors put the focus on working with children with learning disabilities, the strategies included have been proven to work with all students with writing difficulties, whether or not they have been designated as having a learning disability.

PRAISE FOR THE SECOND EDITION OF WRITING ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

"Well-written and organized, and filled with practical strategies, this book should be required reading for every educator dedicated to teaching written language skills to all students, not just those with disabilities. It is an essential desk reference."
—SAM GOLDSTEIN, PH.D., editor in chief, Journal of Attention Disorders, and co–editor in chief, Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development

"This book is absolutely packed with information and strategies to make assessing and teaching all writers effective and easy."
—WENDY RANDALL WALL, educational consultant/owner, Learning and Behavior Specialists, LLC

"The comprehensive model of writing that structures the book enables teachers to use assessment results as the basis for designing effective instruction to overcome writing problems for students at all grade levels."
—ESTHER MINSKOFF, PH.D., professor emerita, Special Education, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA