Using Expressive Writing and Essentials for Writing to Meet the Needs of Secondary Students

Essentials for Writing and McGraw Hill/SRA Expressive Writing are Direct Instruction programs designed to strengthen writing skills for secondary students, including those with learning disabilities (LD) and long-term English language learners (ELLs/L-TELLs). Both programs emphasize explicit, systematic instruction modeled by the teacher, frequent guided practice, and skill mastery before independent writing. Instruction focuses on sentence construction, paragraph organization, grammar, usage, and mechanics while promoting continuity and self-expression.  Studies with high school students in the southeastern United States examined progress using Expressive Writing 1. Participants—students aged 14–16 with LD—showed increased writing fluency, accuracy in conventions, and organization. Similar gains occurred among mixed student groups including English-only and bilingual learners. Measured outcomes included the number of correct word sequences and test scores on standardized writing assessments, demonstrating consistent improvement and skill maintenance over time. Social validity measures indicated students valued the program and felt confident in their progress.  

Essentials for Writing extends the scope to advanced skills such as argument and essay composition, emphasizing logic, clarity, and evidence-supported reasoning. Combined, the programs align with Common Core State Standards and focus on readiness for high-school graduation-level compositions. They are particularly effective with students performing below grade-level expectations, providing structured scaffolding and repeated practice opportunities that lead to sustained competency in written expression.