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What Is The Best Way To Teach Writing?

What is the best way to teach writing? Read this post to find out ways that I teach writing with my students and have great success!

Teaching writing can be tough, but over the years I have found that there are a few things that seem to work well with my students.

how to teach writing - what is the best way to teach writing?

Mentor Texts

I use mentor texts in almost all of my writing lessons! Mentor texts are great because they show students wonderful pieces of written work that students can base their writing on. They are written correctly, don’t have errors, and give students an opportunity to hear a good story.

Check out my mentor text posts to get ideas for each kind of writing prompt. Fictional narratives, opinion, & personal narratives.

what is the writing process?

Bulletin Board Crafts

Most classrooms are going to have a bulletin board or two, so why not use your students’ work to decorate it? I love making writing crafts with my students to display for each month or season.

I find that students will work really hard to make a good writing piece if they know it is going into the hallway or on the wall for everyone to see. They take a little more time and complete neater work. That’s a win-win for you!

Check out my these free writing crafts!

free writing crafts no prep writing prompts

Writing Centers

Writing centers are a great tool for teachers to keep students engaged and learning at the same time!

You can incorporate them into your daily center rotations or make a special time for writing centers that are focused on what you are studying at that time. Once students are in the process of writing, I like to make revising and editing centers so that students can practice editing their peers’ work.

how to teach writing skills - what are methods of teaching writing?

Anchor Charts

When I was in the classroom, I ran out of wall space because of my love of anchor charts. I think they are the perfect tool to show students on a larger scale the expectations or important features that must be included in each type of writing.

Grab some bright and bold markers and get creative! I know that can be hard for some people but just have some fun with your anchor charts. Include all the important information that you want students to remember and then make it eye-catching!

Modeling/ Scaffolding

This is a teaching tool that we all know about but sometimes we forget the power that it has with our students.

When I begin a new kind of writing, I always spend a lot of time modeling, modeling, modeling! Students don’t know how to write like authors; they need someone to teach them and that is you! Don’t be afraid to spend a day or two writing a piece together so that students can see all the steps that you take when creating a piece.

Once students have a draft, spend time scaffolding their learning by taking the time to show them how to revise and edit their pieces of work. Rubrics are handy so students know exactly what is needed to get a good score. But, I think time spent with the teacher discussing how to improve their piece is important!

And I know, meeting with each student will take a lot of time but that is a great way to include writing centers in your classroom. While students are working in the centers, you can be meeting with students individually, providing them with the scaffolding and modeling they each need!

what is the best method for teaching writing? how to teach writing to elementary students

Whole Class Writing Project

Get students involved in a whole class writing project to get everyone excited and learning! In the past, I have had great success with students working to write one page of a story that will be put together to make a wonderful tale. We pick a theme and title and then I write the first page with their help, of course. Then, each child is given time to write the next page of the story. Put them all together and you have a funny and quite imaginative tale!

Another option is getting pen pals. Students love learning about a new person from somewhere else in the world and getting mail is rather fun too!

A third option for whole-class writing projects is to write a piece completely together. Get their ideas and compose a piece that shows all your student’s personalities.

what is the best way to teach writing?

Teaching writing doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Make it fun and stress-free with my writing prompt bundles! Click each picture for the grade level that you need.

Each bundle contains prompts for informational, procedural, opinion, and narrative writing pieces. It includes all you need for the whole year! There are 100 writing prompts and 20 blank writing templates for you to use with your students.

The writing prompts have varying levels of scaffolding to give your students exactly what they need to be successful in the classroom!

Free Informational Writing Prompt informative writing worksheet information report penguin facts

Grab an informational writing prompt FREEBIE here!

I hope this post was helpful in explaining the best ways to teach writing and what has worked in my classroom! Comment below and tell me your best ways to teach writing.

Have a terrific day,

P.S. If you need some Informational Writing Prompts for kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, or fifth grade, check out my post here!

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Hi, my name is Alex! I love creating fun, colorful, and engaging resources for the early years. I’ve taught 3rd and 1st grade and I’m passionate about creating interactive activities that engage all learners Read More…

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If you’re looking for a cute writing craft, thes If you’re looking for a cute writing craft, these snow globe narrative writing prompts are perfect for bulletin boards and writing centers! ❄️ 

Comment below or message me if you’d like the link! I’ll also add a link to my bio and stories 🙂

 #Writingcurriculum #writingprompts #writingteachers #writingteacher #writingworkshop #writingworkshops #writersworkshop #writinglessons #writinglesson #writingcenter #writingcenters #bulletinboardideas #writingactivity #writingactivities #iteachwriting #kindergartenwriting #firstgradewriting #secondgradewriting #thirdgradewriting #literacycenters #literacycentres #literacycenter #bulletinboards #literacylearning #elateacher #elateachers #iteachela #iteachelementary #bulletinboard #winterbulletinboard
Bump is coming along 😬 I know this isn’t te Bump is coming along 😬 

I know this isn’t teaching or tpt related in anyway, but so many of you have been through this.

Any tips for 3rd trimester? Things to pack in hospital bag? Must buy things for baby? I’ve heard I should do batch cooking. 

Should I just try to enjoy my sleep while I can? 😂

 #Igteachers #igteacher #instateacher #instateachers #instagramteachers #instagramteacher #teachersofig #teachersofinsta #teachersofthegram #teacherig #teacherinsta #teacherinstagram #educatorsofig #educatorsofinsta #educatorsofinstagram  #teacherssupportingteachers #teachersoninstagram #iteachkindergarten #iteach1st #educatorsofinstagram #elementaryteacher #elementaryeducation #educatorsofinsta  #iteach2nd #edugram #educatorsofig #teachersconnect #iteachelementaryschool #teachertalk #teacherblogger #teacherbloggers
Just an FYI! Revising involves making major change Just an FYI! Revising involves making major changes to the content and editing is more sentence level changes.

For example, you might ask your students to edit their writing by checking for spelling and punctuation errors.

But for revision, they might add or remove ideas to their writing.

I hope you enjoy these writing tips! Double tap if you do 💗

 #Writingcurriculum #writingprompts #writingteachers #writingteacher #writingworkshop #writingworkshops #writersworkshop #writinglessons #writinglesson #writingcenter #writingcenters #writingforkids #writingactivity #writingactivities #iteachwriting #kindergartenwriting #firstgradewriting #secondgradewriting #thirdgradewriting #literacycenters  #literacycenter  #literacylearning #elateacher #elateachers #iteachela #iteachelementary #teachertips #teachertip #1stgradeteachers #2ndgradeteachers
You can grab these for free at the link in my bio! You can grab these for free at the link in my bio! Or you can comment below or message me if you like the link 🙂

 #Writingcurriculum #writingprompts #writingteachers #writingteacher #writingworkshop #writingworkshops #writersworkshop #writinglessons #writinglesson #writingcenter #writingcenters #writingforkids #writingactivity #writingactivities #iteachwriting #kindergartenwriting #firstgradewriting #secondgradewriting #thirdgradewriting #literacycenters #literacycentres #literacycenter #literacycentre #literacylearning #elateacher #elateachers #iteachela #iteachelementary #tptfreebie
I’ve been so quiet on this account lately! So ju I’ve been so quiet on this account lately! So just popping in to say hi 👋🏻 

Had my baby shower yesterday and it was great fun 👶🏻🎉

I’m having a girl in Feb and apparently unicorns is the theme for everything so I hope she likes it 😂

I’m 30 weeks this week and need to pack my hospital bag soon. Definitely give me any tips for things I’ll need! 

 #teacherssupportingteachers #teachersoninstagram #iteachkindergarten #iteach1st #educatorsofinstagram #elementaryteacher #educatorsofinsta  #igteacher #teacherlifestyle  #iteach2nd #igteachers #educatorsofig #teachersconnect #iteachelementaryschool #teachertalk #teachersofthegram #instateachers #instagramteacher #teachersofaustralia #teachersoninsta #teachersrock #teacherinstagram #teachergoals  #teacherinspo #teacherthoughts #teacherthings #teachersengaging #teachershare #teachersofigau #teachersonig
If so, it’s important to start doing some lesson If so, it’s important to start doing some lessons where you explicitly teach sentence structure! 

I remember teaching writing in my first year. I was teaching 3rd grade and it just never occurred to me that I need to explicitly teach students how to write a proper sentence.

But after seeing their first writing piece, I was shocked!

Do your students struggle with this too?

 #Writingcurriculum #writingprompts #writingteachers #writingteacher #writingworkshop #writingworkshops #writersworkshop #writinglessons #writinglesson #writingcenter #writingcenters #writingforkids #writingactivity #writingactivities #iteachwriting #kindergartenwriting #firstgradewriting #secondgradewriting #thirdgradewriting #literacycenters #literacycentres #literacycenter #literacycentre #literacylearning #elateacher #elateachers #iteachela #iteachelementary
Cute craft idea for December! (If you’re allowed Cute craft idea for December! (If you’re allowed to do Christmas themed activities in your school).

Just grab white, red, and skin colored paper that you have in beige/brown etc. and let the students create their own Santa!

With younger students, you could cut some strips of white paper out or red triangles to help them. 

For older students, they could do it on their own! 

All the cutting and gluing is great for fine motor and I think this would make a pretty cute bulletin board! 

You could also make this craft more educational by having students write math facts or words on the beard strips!

Save this post so you don’t forget to try it 🙂

#christmascrafts #christmascraft #christmascraftsforkids #lettertosanta #santaletters #xmascrafts #xmascraft #writingprompts #writingteachers #writingteacher #writingworkshop #writingworkshops #writersworkshop #writinglessons #writinglesson #writingcenter #writingcenters #writingforkids #writingactivity #writingactivities #iteachwriting  #firstgradewriting #secondgradewriting #thirdgradewriting #literacycenters #literacycenter  #literacylearning #elateacher #elateachers #iteachela
Are you looking for a cute bulletin board or door Are you looking for a cute bulletin board or door decor idea for December? This letter to Santa writing craft is super cute and  fun for students to complete! 

The best news? It’s 25% off at the moment! 

There’s a link in my bio 🙂

#christmascrafts #christmascraft #christmascraftsforkids #lettertosanta #santaletters #xmascrafts #xmascraft #writingprompts #writingteachers #writingteacher #writingworkshop #writingworkshops #writersworkshop #writinglessons #writinglesson #writingcenter #writingcenters #writingforkids #writingactivity #writingactivities #iteachwriting  #firstgradewriting #secondgradewriting #thirdgradewriting #literacycenters #literacycenter  #literacylearning #elateacher #elateachers #iteachela
Freebie Alert! I’m offering these cute sentenc Freebie Alert! 

I’m offering these cute sentence building worksheets for free, so grab them at the link in my bio 🙂

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Unfollow the people who are making you feel bad! 📱

I mentioned this in my weekly email this week. It’s sooo depressing when you log on to social media and fall into the comparison trap with other sellers.

Honestly for me right now, it’s teacher IG influencers (like one who has a baby similar in age to mine and her life looks so glamorous all the time and I’m just sitting there wearing spit up and feeling less than)!

How to stop the comparison game is something that Maddy @livingnsunshine and I discuss this week on The Terrific Teacherpreneur podcast🎙

I really think that unfollowing people who make you feel bad is so important for your mental health. But also your business mindset.

If you’re always comparing yourself to other sellers, you’re less likely to thrive as a TPT seller because you’ll always be doubting yourself and holding yourself back 🥲

So I challenge you to unfollow someone this week! Comment below with an emoji when you’ve done it 👍🏻

#Iteachscience #spedteachers #iteachart #musicteachers #iteachela #mathteachers #iteachreading #socialstudiesteacher #iteachlanguagearts #eslteachers #iteachpe #middleschoolteachers #iteachhighschool #primaryschoolteachers #iteachprep #prekteachers #schoolslp  #scienceteachers #iteachsped #artteachers #iteachmusic #elateachers #iteachmath #readingteachers #iteachsocialstudies #languageartsteacher #iteachesl #peteachers #iteachmiddleschool
Just a reminder not to take on too many things! Just a reminder not to take on too many things! 

It’s tempting to do ‘all the things’ when it comes to TPT and marketing and it leads to burnout fast 🔥 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, step back from a few things.

Let me know in the comments if you’re feeling this way at the moment and what you plan on stepping back from!

 #Teachingtips #teachingtip #teachingadvice #teacheradvice #adviceforteachers #teachertips #teachertip  #tipsforteachers  #teacherhack #teacherhacks #teachinghacks #teachinghack #newteacher #newteachertips #teachertricks #teachertrick #newteachers #teacherhustle #teachersidehustle #teacherbusiness #teacherpreneurs #teacherpreneurship #teacherpreneurtribe #tptsellers #teacherauthors #tptauthor #tptauthors
Hot pink is my brand! Right? I bet you recognize m Hot pink is my brand! Right? I bet you recognize my posts as mine straight away when you see them on here.

Anyways, when it comes to making your brand stand out… 
Consistency is key!

It’s important to use the same fonts, colors, style of photos/mock-ups, layouts, or clip art.

That way, when your new resource is released to followers or you post something on social media, people instantly know it’s you!

It’s also important to ensure that your branding is eye catching, cohesive (and make sure your colors complement each other)!

This week on the podcast, Caileigh from @thedenniscrew joins me again and we chat about branding. Be sure to check it out 🙌🏻

Tell me below, what are your brand colors?

 #Igteachers #igteacher #instateacher #instateachers #instagramteachers #instagramteacher #teachersofig #teachersofinsta #teachersofthegram #teacherig #teacherinsta #teacherinstagram #educatorsofig #educatorsofinsta #educatorsofinstagram
Make 👏🏻 A 👏🏻 Great 👏🏻 Cover 👏 Make 👏🏻 A 👏🏻 Great 👏🏻 Cover 👏🏻

Your cover on TpT is so important when it comes to getting views and therefore securing sales.

I’m pretty passionate about the importance of a good cover and that’s why I’ve been sharing tips about them in my weekly emails and it was discussed a lot last week on the podcast with @thedenniscrew (thanks for joining me caileigh)!

👏🏻 Remember to have a big, bold, easy to read title.

👏🏻 Show the product through photography, mock-ups or screenshots.

Tell me in the comments, do you enjoy making covers or is it something you dread? 

P.S. You can sign up for my weekly emails through the link in my bio! You can grab my free Pinterest cheat sheet, prioritizing tasks doc, or email definitions guide. 

 #teacherspayteachersresources #teacherauthors #teachersidegig #teachersidehustle  #teacherentrepreneur #teacherpreneurs #tptauthors #teacherpreneurlife  #tpttips #teacherauthor  #teacherspayteachersstore #tptnewbie #teacherboss #teachertiptpt #teacherpreneurship  #teacherseller #teacherhustle #teacherbusiness #teacherbsn #teachercreator #tptsellers #tptauthor #teacherpreneurcommunity  #tptteachers #tptseller #tptteacher #tptstore #teachersoftpt #teacherpreneur #teacherpreneurtribe
Sometimes we chase new followers instead of nurtur Sometimes we chase new followers instead of nurturing the ones we already have. 

Sometimes we fixate on how many likes, comments, saves, and shares we have, instead of appreciating that a human somewhere took the time to do them.

Sometimes we make a half hearted attempt at sharing in stories or answering messages, because we’re obsessing over hashtags or impressions.

Sometimes we get so caught up in inauthentic engagement that we barely appreciate or notice when someone genuinely engages.

This is just a reminder that this is a social platform! It’s an amazing place for you to connect with other teachers, make friends, and build relationships! If you can sell some of your products along the way, that’s an awesome bonus. 

But don’t forget to relax and enjoy the amazing connections you can make on this platform.

Instagram is like a party! Sit back and chat with some new friends instead of throwing your business cards at people 🙌🏻

Relationships over reach. 🙌🏻 
Not only is this more fun, it will probably actually help you grow more. 

Connecting with your existing followers in a genuine way will help you grow more than chasing the next fake follower.

I heard the other day that not being authentic is one of the leading reasons people unfollow others.

So let’s work on this 💗

I know I need to hear this sometimes. Do you? 

#Teachingtips #teachingtip #teachingadvice  #tipsforteachers  #teacherhack  #teacherhacks #teachertip #teachertips #teachinghack #teachinghacks #teacherquote #teacherquotes #teachingquote #teachingquotes #teachertruth #teachertalk #teacheradvice  #teacherssupportteachers #teacherssupportingteachers  #teachersengaging  #igteachers #igteacher #instateacher #instateachers #instagramteachers #instagramteacher #teachersofig #teachersofinsta #teachersofthegram #teacherig
One month of sleep deprivation, endless diaper cha One month of sleep deprivation, endless diaper changes, and trying to figure out breastfeeding. 😴🤯😭

But also one month of newborn snuggles and falling in love with little Lily. 💗

Thanks for your patience when it comes to my diminished presence on here and thanks to everyone who has messaged helpful parenting tips.

As each day goes by I feel less overwhelmed and more myself and I can slowly see myself getting back to TPT stuff eventually. But I am enjoying the break honestly.

Running a business can be so all consuming and it’s important to take a break sometimes. I’m also learning it’s important to prioritize family.

I love how TPT is passive and I can make money in my sleep (or at times when a normal person would be sleeping 😅) so I’m trying to soak up the precious time while Lily is small.

Sorry for the long caption! Just wanted to share my thoughts for today 🙂

(Psst! Took like a million photos before I got one that didn’t include crying or a bow that fell in her eyes 😂 I’m baffled at how these people get such glamorous baby pics here on the gram and act like it’s effortless 😂)

Also fun fact I look AWFUL these days and that’s why you won’t see my face much on stories 😂 who has time for hair brushing?
I love using storytelling to start my emails. I th I love using storytelling to start my emails. I think it’s a great way to connect with my audience and let them get to know me 🙌🏻

Did you catch this week’s podcast episode? I chat to Melissa @notanotherva about email marketing and we discuss welcome sequences, email content, and making your list profitable.

#Iteachscience #spedteachers #iteachart #musicteachers #iteachela #mathteachers #iteachreading #socialstudiesteacher #iteachlanguagearts #eslteachers #iteachpe #middleschoolteachers #iteachhighschool #primaryschoolteachers #iteachprep #prekteachers #schoolslp #schoolcounselorsofinstagram #iteachk12 #iteach345 #iteach789 #teacherfollow
Just a reminder that TPT has emphasized the import Just a reminder that TPT has emphasized the importance of PDF previews so many times!

Two thirds of buyers won’t purchase a product if there’s no preview. That’s a lot of missed sales if 2/3 people who visit your listings leave because you don’t have a preview. 😱

It’s so hard to get products seen. Whether that’s because of ranking, an oversaturated market, or how tricky marketing is. When you finally get a buyer on your listing, you want them to buy! 

So a great question to ask yourself is - do all of your resources have previews? If not, make this a long term project at the top of your to-do list this quarter or this year.

Tell me in the comments, do you need to get to work and make some previews? 😅

 #Teachingtips #teachingtip #teachingadvice #teacheradvice #adviceforteachers #teachertips #teachertip  #tipsforteachers  #teacherhack #teacherhacks #teachinghacks #teachinghack #newteacher #newteachertips #teachertricks #teachertrick #newteachers  #teachertruth #teachertalk #teacheradvice #teacherssupportteachers #teacherssupportingteachers #teachersshare #teachersupport #teachersengaging #teachersknow #teacherproblems  #igteachers #igteacher #instateacher #instateachers
The scary truth is this…it’s probably the only The scary truth is this…it’s probably the only secure thing in your business that you own! 

With the exception of having a blog/website, so much of our marketing is done on rented land (for example, social media).

We don’t own these platforms and so they come with a bit of risk. Your account could be deleted, an algorithm could change etc

With the tpt algorithm debacle, my email list has become an even more precious asset in my business. 

This week’s podcast episode is all about this topic so be sure to check it out!

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about email marketing 🙂

#Teacherhustle #teachersidehustle #teacherbusiness #teacherpreneurs #teacherpreneurship #teacherpreneurtribe #tptsellers #teacherauthors #tptauthor #tptauthors  #igteachers #igteacher #instateacher #instateachers #instagramteachers #instagramteacher #teachersofig #teachersofinsta #teachersofthegram #teacherig #teacherinsta #teacherinstagram #educatorsofig #educatorsofinsta #educatorsofinstagram

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