Using the Science of Writing to support literacy instruction

There are plenty of creative and effective ways to inspire and teach students to write. Many teachers tap into their own experiences, insights, and talents to help students learn how to communicate with the written word.

And there’s also science behind how kids become effective written communicators. Just as the Science of Reading has transformed literacy development and instruction, the Science of Writing offers research-backed strategies to help students learn to write with clarity and confidence.

Here’s how the Science of Writing can help you support student learning.

The Science of Reading and Writing, defined

The Science of Reading represents the large and ever-growing body of research into how students best learn to read—and, therefore, how best to teach them. (You might call it the Science of teaching reading.) It emphasizes the principle that kids don’t learn to read just by being immersed in words on pages around them. Rather, instruction must be structured, explicit, and systematic.

Likewise, the Science of Writing is a research-based approach to effective instruction that emphasizes structured, explicit, and systematic methods to help students develop strong and confident writing skills. While the Science of Reading focuses on how students decode and comprehend text, the Science of Writing addresses how students construct and communicate meaning through written language.

Reading and writing are deeply connected. Strong reading skills support strong writing skills, and vice versa. A simple example: When students are expressly taught to identify the characteristics and purpose of a given text structure (say, the presentation of a problem and its solution) while reading, they are better able to replicate that structure in their writing; they can continue to improve their writing by analyzing additional and more advanced texts with that structure.

A Science of Reading curriculum and Science of Writing curriculum—that is, a comprehensive literacy curriculum—must integrate both, ensuring that students are not only able to understand texts but also to articulate their own thoughts clearly and effectively. By aligning high-quality instructional materials with these proven frameworks, educators can significantly enhance student learning outcomes.

How to bring the Science of Writing into your core curriculum

Effective writing instruction requires a comprehensive approach that addresses transcription skills and composition skills, both of which require explicit teaching and practice. If you’re looking to improve writing instruction in your classroom or district, there are five critical shifts you need to consider. Below, we’ll give you a peek at two of them. Note that we’re not asking you to add more to your plate every day; each of these approaches will actually allow you to sunset some others.

1.  Develop both transcription and composition skills, not one or the other.

Skilled writing is a product of transcription skills (such as handwriting and spelling) and composition skills (such as developing and expressing ideas). Both are best taught through an integrated reading and writing approach that recognizes reading and writing as reciprocal processes.

By working on the development of both skills, you’ll be able to shift away from:

  • Focusing exclusively on handwriting and spelling at the expense of composition practice.
  • Free writing time without explicit guidance or goals.

2.  Teach transcription skills in tandem with phonics, not in isolation.

As you know, reading and writing are reciprocal and strengthened when taught together. Some specifics:

  • Transcription skills—such as handwriting and spelling—are best taught and practiced in alignment with a phonics scope and sequence.
  • Research shows that building automaticity in handwriting supports the neural pathways associated with reading.

By working on transcription and phonics in tandem, you’ll be able to shift away from:

  • “ABC” handwriting instruction, focusing instead on instruction aligned to sound-spellings students are learning.
  • Asking students to spell words without explicit instruction in the sound-spellings.

Making this shift means moving away from phonics instruction that occurs on an “as-needed” basis and ensuring that all students receive the foundational skills necessary for fluent reading and writing.

These are just two of the essential shifts you can make to transform your literacy, and specifically writing, instruction. By focusing on evidence-based strategies, educators can make sure that students receive the support they need to become strong, independent writers.

More to explore

Want to learn all five key shifts and how to implement them in your classroom? Download our full guide to discover how the Science of Writing can help improve student learning and long-term literacy success.

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The Science of Writing: Key to mastering reading

Book cover titled "Science of Writing: A Primer," with colorful scientific and handwriting illustrations in the background.

We know that “reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic” doesn’t cover all the core skills students must learn in school. Still, it’s easy to sense in our gut why reading and writing come first—and together. Reading and writing reinforce each other.

The way we now understand these two skills and how kids learn them is connected, too. That is, the Science of Reading and the Science of Writing are also linked, and invaluable. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 27% of 12th graders achieved a proficient level in writing in 2011.

The key to unlocking literacy success resides not just in understanding the Science of Writing, but also in acknowledging its dynamic connection to the Science of Reading.

Connecting writing with literacy development

The Science of Reading refers to the vast collection of evidence-based practices that explore and explain how kids learn to read and form the foundation for literacy instruction that works. It emphasizes key components such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. It stipulates that—no matter what magical worlds reading unlocks—reading instruction must be systematic and intentional.

The Science of Reading clearly indicates how best to support students as they learn to read. But reading is only half of the literacy equation. What about writing?

Akin to the Science of Reading, the Science of Writing refers to the body of research that examines effective writing instruction and the processes involved in developing writing skills. It emphasizes explicit, systematic teaching of writing structures, strategies, and conventions—again, similar to the Science of Reading’s approach. This includes understanding the cognitive processes behind planning, drafting, revising, and editing, as well as the development of handwriting, grammar, and composition skills.

The Science of Writing also highlights the importance of integrating writing with reading instruction. It enhances comprehension and communication abilities by reinforcing language skills through practical application.

Using instruction based on the Science of Writing can transform student communication, making it clearer, more effective, and more creative—opening up new worlds of connection, expression, and opportunity. Indeed, the 2024 survey by The National Association of Colleges and Employers found that 73% of employers look for written communication skills when selecting candidates to hire.

Effective instruction: Why teach writing and reading in tandem

This doesn’t mean that we should use evidence-based methods to teach reading in the morning, and then evidence-based methods to teach writing in the afternoon.

An integrated approach to reading and writing isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential. These two facets of literacy are interwoven processes that enhance each other. The more students read, the more they know. And a robust knowledge base helps students become not only stronger readers, but also stronger writers.

When students read a variety of texts, they absorb different writing styles, sentence structures, and vocabularies, which can serve as models for their own writing. Reading instruction based in the Science of Reading can also help students address writing problems and challenges. And writing about what they read also helps students deepen their capacity for both comprehension and expression.

Explicit and structured writing instruction is necessary for all students to be successful writers, as well as successful readers. When students write, they employ the same comprehension skills they use in reading.

How to teach writing and reading together

Here are just a few strategies to consider:

  • Inspiration through imitation. Use reading materials as models for writing assignments. Encourage students to mimic sentence structures or vocabulary from texts they read.
  • Read and respond: After reading, have students engage in response writing. This practice not only sharpens writing skills, but also reinforces comprehension by encouraging reflection and analysis.
  • Instruct on structure. Introduce students to the writing process: prewriting/outlining, drafting, revising, and editing. These steps parallel the cognitive processes students use when understanding complex texts.

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