Grounded in Research. Designed for Real Classrooms.

Writing with Design turns established research on reading, writing, and learning into clear classroom practices, shared language, and measurable growth—PreK–12.

Writing about a text enhances comprehension because it helps students record, connect, analyze, and manipulate key ideas.

Graham and Hebert, Writing to Read (2010)

What is the Science of Reading?

The Science of Reading is a large body of research from cognitive science, linguistics, and education that explains how students learn to read and what effective instruction requires. It supports explicit instruction in:

Decoding & Word Recognition

Language Comprehension (Vocabulary & Syntax)

Background Knowledge

Comprehension & Written Expression

The Writing–Reading Connection Is Reciprocal

“Reading and writing share a reciprocal relationship. Instruction in one can influence performance in the other.”

— Fitzgerald and Shanahan (2000)

Writing improves reading, and reading improves writing, but they are often taught as separate skills. Writing with Design integrates reading and writing so students strengthen vocabulary, knowledge, comprehension, and composition together.

How We Apply the Science of Reading to Writing

H-POP (Hidden Power of Pictures)

Students build vocabulary and language fluency by labeling images with precise words and phrases. This strengthens background knowledge and syntax, which supports both reading comprehension and clear writing.

Sedita (2023), The Writing Rope

Composing

Students write every day using explicit, scaffolded instruction that moves from sentences to full compositions. This reduces cognitive load and helps students internalize the structures needed for fluent writing and strong comprehension.

Graham et al. (2012), Teaching Elementary Students to Be Effective Writers

Skill Focus Activities

Students practice one high-impact skill at a time through short, focused exercises. Layer-by-layer practice builds control, automaticity, and stronger sentence fluency that transfers to longer writing.

Graham and Perin (2007), Writing Next

Rubric + Feedback

Our rubric makes expectations visible and feedback actionable. Teachers and students use clear criteria to revise with purpose, set goals, and track growth over time.

Graham et al. (2016)

“If we want students to become skilled readers, we need to teach them how to write.”

— Steve Graham, paraphrased from multiple works including Writing to Read (2010) and Teaching Elementary Students to Be Effective Writers (2012)

Want the Research? We’ve Got it.

A meta-analysis showing that writing instruction improves reading comprehension, content learning, and overall academic performance in middle and high school students.
Writing about reading—especially summaries, response-to-text, and note-taking—improves comprehension and retention.
Research-based guidance for providing explicit, scaffolded writing instruction in grades 6–12.
Describes the multiple strands that support skilled writing: critical thinking, syntax, transcription skills, and text structure.
Identified writing as a critical factor in vocabulary development, comprehension, and fluency—especially when paired with structured instruction and feedback.