Self-Regulated Strategy Development for Students With Writing Difficulties

Students with writing difficulties often struggle with the planning, composing, and revising skills required for effective writing. Fortunately, researchers have documented that explicit, interactive, scaffolded development of powerful composing strategies and strategies for self-regulating the writing process, as in Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) instruction, results in improved student performance across writing genres. In addition, SRSD has had significant and meaningful effects among students with learning disabilities (LD) in both elementary and secondary settings. In this article, examples of SRSD instruction for planning, composing, and revision are described. Promising findings of recent research for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are also highlighted. Finally, tips for effective classroom implementation are provided.