Date Approved

8-10-2026

Graduate Degree Type

Project

Degree Name

Education-Literacy Studies: Reading (M.Ed.)

Degree Program

College of Education

First Advisor

Lindsay Stoetzel

Second Advisor

Elizabeth Stolle

Academic Year

2025/2026

Abstract

“Schools in many countries are faced with the challenge of developing student writing proficiency. Identifying and implementing effective writing instruction for young, beginning writers play important roles in improving student writing performance. Providing effective writing instruction to beginning writers can promote writing development and minimize the number of children who encounter challenges in learning to write” (Finlayson & McCrudden, 2022, p. 1). Despite the amount of research that has been done on the importance of early writing instruction, many lower elementary students struggle with the ability to write and cannot keep up with the cognitive demands of written instruction. Many teachers in the field often voice that they are unsure how to teach writing and oftentimes will glaze over a daily writing instructional block for their students due to time constraints or the unknown. This research proposal outlines a school-wide professional learning series that will be offered to help bridge the gap of writing instruction by integrating evidence-based writing instruction with research based writing shifts in the early elementary classroom. This proposal uses a mixed-methods design and the research will evaluate if the professional learning series is successful on the outcome of writing instruction. Data collection will involve pre and post teacher surveys, observations, and reflective coaching cycles throughout as well as participants will be encouraged to provide a pre and post writing sample from their students. The final writing pieces and the pre and post survey will be analyzed to determine if the evidence-based writing instruction shifts help  to improve their writing performance and motivational levels.

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