Top 5 Teaching Strategies for Improving Student Writing Skills

Strong student writing skills are so important for success in school and beyond. But let’s be honest—helping students improve their writing can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. I’ve learned that using the right strategies, tools, and resources can make a world of difference in how students approach their writing. In my classroom, I’ve tried out a lot of different methods, and these five strategies have truly made a noticeable impact. Here’s what’s worked for me, along with some tips on how you can use these strategies with your own resources.

1. Incorporate Transitional Phrases to Improve Writing Flow

Why It’s Important: One of the most common issues I’ve noticed in student writing is the lack of smooth transitions between ideas. Without effective transitions, their writing can appear choppy or disjointed. Teaching students to use transitional phrases has been a game-changer in creating coherent, polished pieces.

Strategy in Action: In my classroom, I introduce students to a variety of transitional phrases through interactive lessons. We often start by reading example paragraphs and identifying how transitional phrases connect ideas. From there, I encourage students to practice rewriting sentences using these phrases to see how they change the tone and flow.

How I Use Transitional Phrase Posters: I can’t emphasize enough how much of a difference the Transitional Phrase Posters have made in my classroom. I’ve hung them in a prominent spot where students can easily refer to them during writing activities. I noticed that when students have these phrases visually accessible, they are much more likely to incorporate them into their writing. Seeing them look up at the poster, find a phrase, and confidently insert it into their paragraphs is rewarding.

Activity in My Classroom: One successful activity I’ve used is the “Transitional Phrase Challenge.” I provide students with a writing prompt and set a requirement that they must use a certain number of transitional phrases in their work. They become very creative and competitive in finding ways to fit these phrases in naturally. It’s not only effective in improving their writing flow, but they also have a lot of fun with it!

2. Scaffold Writing Assignments

Why It’s Important: Large writing assignments can be overwhelming for students, which is why I found success in breaking them down into smaller, manageable steps. Scaffolding has helped my students focus on one aspect of writing at a time, building their confidence as they progress.

Strategy in Action: I start with brainstorming sessions, using graphic organizers to help students outline their thoughts. We then move step-by-step through the writing process: creating an outline, writing a draft, revising, and finally editing. Each stage is broken down into focused lessons that allow students to grasp the writing process more clearly.

How I Use Classroom Resources: To support scaffolding, I use graphic organizers and writing templates from my resource collection. I distribute these to students at the beginning of a writing project, so they have a roadmap to follow. The writing process posters in my classroom serve as visual reminders of each stage, and I often refer to them when guiding students through their assignments.

Classroom Activity: One of my favourite approaches is the “Step-by-Step Essay.” I assign different days for brainstorming, outlining, drafting, and revising. By spreading the task over multiple days, students don’t feel overwhelmed and are more focused. Recently, I had students outline their essays using a template I created, and the quality of their drafts improved remarkably because they had a clear structure to follow.

3. Use Mentor Texts for Inspiration

Why It’s Important: Early in my teaching career, I realized that students often need concrete examples to understand what effective writing looks like. Using mentor texts has become a staple in my classroom to show different writing techniques, styles, and structures.

Strategy in Action: I select mentor texts that align with the writing genre or style we’re studying. We read them together, marking up the text and highlighting aspects like sentence structure, descriptive language, and organization. We then discuss what makes the writing effective and how they can apply similar techniques in their own work.

How I Use Classroom Resources: Alongside mentor texts, I refer to the writing posters and guides I have in the classroom. For instance, when we examine how a mentor text uses transitional phrases, I point to the Transitional Phrase Posters to reinforce this concept. Having these resources available helps students make direct connections between what they read and what they write.

Activity in My Classroom: After studying a mentor text, I have my students try a “Mimic Writing” exercise. They write a piece using a similar style or technique from the mentor text. I remember the first time we did this with a descriptive narrative: the students were initially hesitant, but the results were amazing. They felt a sense of accomplishment in emulating a professional writer’s style, and their confidence in their own writing grew.

4. Emphasize the Revision Process to Boost Student Writing Skills

Why It’s Important: Revision is where real writing improvement happens. In my classroom, I emphasize that writing is a process, and the first draft is just the beginning. When students understand the importance of revising their work, they become more invested in refining their ideas and structure.

Strategy in Action: I teach different revision techniques, focusing on areas such as adding descriptive details, improving word choice, and using transitional phrases for coherence. I also incorporate peer review sessions, where students give and receive constructive feedback. This peer interaction is incredibly valuable, as it helps students view their writing from a new perspective.

How I Use Classroom Resources: I provide my students with editing checklists and writing revision guides to help them through the revision process. The revision posters in my classroom outline key questions to ask when reviewing their work, like “Have I used transitions to connect my ideas?” I’ve noticed that students are much more thorough in their revisions when they have a structured guide to follow.

Activity in My Classroom: One of the most successful activities I’ve used is setting up “Revision Stations.” I create stations around the room, each focused on a specific aspect of writing (e.g., sentence variety, use of transitional phrases, word choice). Students rotate through these stations, applying different revision techniques to their drafts. It’s an engaging way for them to focus on one element of revision at a time, and they often walk away with a much stronger piece of writing.

5. Integrate Writing into Daily Classroom Activities

Why It’s Important: Regular practice is key to improving writing skills. I’ve found that when I make writing a daily habit in my classroom, students become more comfortable and proficient with the process.

Strategy in Action: I start every class with a short writing prompt, encouraging students to use specific writing techniques we’ve been practising, such as transitional phrases or descriptive language. Writing doesn’t always have to be formal; even quick responses or reflections can build their skills over time.

How I Use Classroom Resources: I created a “Writing Wall” in my classroom where students can showcase their work. I also use writing prompt cards to inspire daily exercises. Displaying Transitional Phrase Posters next to the “Writing Wall” reminds students to use transitions to connect their ideas. Seeing their work evolve with the use of these phrases has been incredibly rewarding.

Classroom Activity: One of my favourite routines is the “Writing of the Day” exercise. I give students a specific transitional phrase to use in a short paragraph. I rotate the phrases daily, which helps build their repertoire and confidence in using transitions. The results have been impressive; students now naturally incorporate transitional phrases into their writing without being prompted.

Improving student writing skills takes time, patience, and the right strategies. By incorporating transitional phrases, scaffolding assignments, using mentor texts, emphasizing revision, and integrating writing into daily activities, I’ve seen a marked improvement in my students’ writing. Utilizing resources like Transitional Phrase Posters, writing guides, and graphic organizers has made these strategies even more effective. I encourage you to try these methods in your classroom—you might just witness the same amazing growth in your students’ writing as I have in mine!

Oh! Here are three excellent websites where I find valuable resources to help improve student writing skills:

1. LiteracyIdeas.com – A comprehensive platform packed with writing guides, lesson plans, and teaching strategies. It covers a wide range of topics, including how to teach different writing genres, build vocabulary, and enhance writing through various literacy activities.
2. ReadWriteThink.org – Sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), this site offers free resources, including student interactives, lesson plans, and professional development materials focused on improving literacy and writing skills.
3. TeachWriting.org – A collaborative site with articles, teaching tips, and classroom resources specifically focused on writing instruction. It includes practical ideas for engaging students in different forms of writing, from narrative essays to creative fiction.