Graduation Date
5-2014
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department or Program
Education
Department or Program Chair
Elizabeth Truesdell PhD
First Reader
Rande Webster, EdD
Abstract
Poor writers do not display the skills and strategies employed by skilled writers. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) set forth an expectation that all children will become skilled writers; yet, for most students with executive functioning weakness and/or learning disabilities, writing is the most challenging academic task. For poor writers to begin to develop essential skills for college and career readiness and the willingness to write, teachers need to provide students with specialized materials and teach instructional strategies that students can utilize independently. The purpose of this thesis was to create a toolkit for grade 3-5 teachers containing a range of instructional tools and strategies that target the needs of struggling writers challenged to master the CCSS writing standards.