FEBRUARY 2026 EDWEB LUNCH AND LEARN: THE SCIENCE OF WRITING - Adolescent Writing and The Writing Rope Framework: Evidence-Based Teaching Suggestions for Grades 5–12

Adolescent Writing and The Writing Rope Framework: Evidence-Based Teaching Suggestions for Grades 5–12 

Joan Sedita, author of “The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects”

Writing is a powerful tool for learning, especially for adolescent students navigating increasingly complex academic demands. During this webinar, literacy expert and author Joan Sedita presents practical, evidence-based strategies drawn from her Writing Rope framework to help educators strengthen writing instruction in grades 5–12. Focusing on three key strands—Syntax, Text Structure, and Critical Thinking—Sedita offers actionable guidance for teaching advanced sentence construction, genre-specific text organization, and written responses to text across content areas.

Participants will explore how writing supports comprehension, retention, and academic success, particularly in middle and high school settings. With a focus on instructional routines that build fluency and confidence, Sedita shares tools for note-taking, summarizing, and planning written responses that deepen student engagement and elevate writing outcomes. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, literacy coach, or curriculum leader, this session will help you integrate writing as a vehicle for learning across disciplines.

What You’ll Learn

• How to teach advanced sentence writing using the Syntax strand of The Writing Rope
• Strategies for helping students organize informational, argumentative, and narrative writing using text structure
• Techniques for guiding students to respond to text in writing across subject areas
• Tools for note-taking, summarizing, and pre-writing that support critical thinking
• How to apply The Writing Rope framework to strengthen adolescent writing instruction