Academic Writing & Essay Development Strategies K-12
Trainer: Engy Hammam
Duration: 20 Hours
Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Understand the components and characteristics of effective academic writing.
2. Teach students how to plan, draft, revise, and edit essays with purpose and structure.
3. Identify and apply development strategies for various types of essays (narrative, expository, persuasive, analytical).
4. Scaffold writing instruction for diverse learners at different grade levels.
5. Use mentor texts, rubrics, and feedback to guide students’ writing development.
6. Design lessons and activities that align writing instruction with curriculum standards.
7. Integrate academic vocabulary and transition skills into essay writing.
8. Assess student essays using formative and summative methods.
Outline
Module 1: Foundations of Academic Writing
• What is academic writing? Key features and purposes
• Differences between academic and creative/personal writing
• The writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing
• Developmental stages of writing in K–12 students
• Common student struggles and misconceptions in academic writing
Module 2: Essay Types and Organizational Structures
• Overview of essay genres:
o Narrative
o Expository
o Persuasive/Argumentative
o Analytical/Literary Analysis
• Teaching thesis statements and controlling ideas
• Structure and organization of a paragraph and an essay
o Topic sentence, supporting details, transitions, concluding sentence
• Teaching outlines and graphic organizers
Module 3: Paragraph Development and Coherence
• Teaching paragraph unity, coherence, and development
• Using transitions and cohesive devices
• Expanding ideas with examples, evidence, explanations
• Embedding quotations and citations in upper grades
• Differentiation strategies for early writers vs. advanced writers
Module 4: Language, Style, and Conventions in Academic Writing
• Academic tone, formal language, and avoiding informalities
• Teaching grammar and sentence variety in context
• Punctuation and mechanics in essay writing
• Developing academic vocabulary and subject-specific language
• Common errors and how to address them through mini-lessons
Module 5: Assessment, Feedback, and Lesson Planning
• Using rubrics to assess academic writing
• Strategies for peer and teacher feedback
• Conferencing and revision techniques
• Designing writing prompts aligned with standards
• Planning scaffolded essay units across grade levels
• Incorporating mentor texts and model essays
Module 6: Extensions
• Integrating writing across content areas (science, social studies)
• Using digital tools to support writing instruction (AI, collaborative writing platforms)
• Designing cross-grade writing portfolios
• Supporting ELLs and students with learning differences in academic writing