Writing is a foundational skill for learning, communication, and success beyond school—but many teachers say they need more support to teach it effectively. To provide this support, REL Pacific worked with teachers to develop the Institute of Education Science’s (IES) Secondary Writing Toolkit, an accessible, easy-to-use translation of the IES What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively Practice Guide. The toolkit offers practical, ready-to-use resources and professional learning activities designed to deepen teachers' understanding of evidence-based writing recommendations from the practice guide, including:
- Integrating writing and reading to emphasize key writing features.
- Explicitly teaching appropriate writing strategies using a Model-Practice-Reflect instructional cycle.
- Using assessments of student writing to inform instruction and feedback.
In particular, the kit focuses on helping educators teach sixth through eighth grade students how to build strong policy arguments by using claims, evidence, and reasoning. These are skills students can employ in writing assignments across subjects throughout their academic careers and afterward.
Ideally, teachers can explore the toolkit in a collaborative setting of three to eight people who meet consistently in a professional learning community (PLC) led by a facilitator. While learning about the toolkit through a facilitator-led PLC has the advantage of allowing teachers to discover, discuss, and implement research-based strategies together, it doesn’t mean that someone can’t use the materials independently or in a pair.
Whether working alone or in a group, you can set your own pace. The kit is broken into four modules designed to be completed over four to five months, to give educators time to fully absorb the evidence-based practical classroom strategies, self-reflection tools, classroom videos, lesson-planning templates, and student work analysis protocols within:
Each module follows a consistent format, and its resources are designed to help educators establish routines, support continuous improvement, and strengthen students' writing skills over time. As you progress through the modules, you'll learn how to help students analyze effective arguments, develop their own writing, refine their drafts, and use feedback and assessment to support continued growth.
Together, these four modules provide a practical roadmap for strengthening writing instruction, from helping students recognize the features of effective arguments to supporting them as they draft, revise, and refine their writing. Along the way, educators will learn how to use student work to guide instructional decisions and provide targeted feedback.
To bring these evidence-based strategies into your classroom—and help students become more confident, capable writers—explore the toolkit today by watching an introductory video on the toolkit’s homepage on the IES site.
