The Write Way: Reversing Trends of Failing Adolescent Literacy for Academic, Occupational, and Social Success (2015)

Undergraduate: Anna Cantwell

Faculty Advisor: Patrick Akos
Department: English & Comparative Literature

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Despite the recent gains in elementary students¿¿¿ literacy, almost 75% of adolescents participating in the National Assessment of Education Progress did not meet the proficient standard in writing, according to researchers Jacobson and Reid (157). Because of this, many have explored the potential factors, including lack of teacher education in writing instruction, insufficient time to provide feedback, and disparities between high school teachers¿¿¿ expectations for writing and college instructors' expectations for writing. Some claim the lack of writing in classrooms, along with the lack of instruction and feedback, cripples students as they go into the workforce and onto college. Furthermore, businesses and educational institutions pay the price for this, through remedial programs and courses for their employees. By incorporating writing-to-learn strategies and low-stakes writing assignments (such as freewriting and journaling) in all classrooms¿¿¿not just English and Language Arts¿¿¿students can receive the instruction, practice, and feedback they need to properly develop writing skills, as well as deepen their knowledge of individual subject areas. This paper will examine data collected by Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in elective classrooms before and after additional writing instruction, writing support, and low-stakes writing assignments.