The Effects of Process Writing Instruction on Three 2nd-Grade Students with Different Achievement Profiles

Abstract

The effectiveness of writing process instruction in the regular classroom with three 2nd-grade students (a learning disabled, a low achieving, and a gifted student) is described. All three students participated in the writing process instructional program with their classmates for a 6-month period. At the end of this time, their writing attitudes and achievement in writing were assessed. Results indicate that all three students demonstrated significant growth in writing ability during the 6-month period. Sample writing pieces were examined (one every 3 weeks) to determine growth in punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and fluency. Independent raters indicated positive changes in all four areas for each of the three students. Results suggest that a writing process approach holds promise for addressing the diverse writing achievement needs of students in the regular classroom.