Reading and Writing Workshops at Secondary Schools

This project explores the use of reading and writing workshops at secondary schools to teach English language arts, from implementation to assessment.

Research suggests reading and writing workshops at secondary schools improves academic outcomes, and has gained enthusiastic support from stakeholders nationwide. Reading and writing workshops refer to a model of literacy instruction popularized by educator Lucy Calkins and the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP). Lucy Calkins and TCRWP designed their approach to the model for elementary school students. However, both TCRWP and administrators at districts have adapted the model for secondary schools.

This project explores the use of the reading and writing workshop model to teach English Language Arts at the secondary level. It includes details on implementation, supporting the model through resources and professional development, and assessing the model.

Program implementation

Districts that implement the workshop model typically use the curriculum developed by TCRWP, though some districts develop reading and writing workshop curriculum based on the principles of the workshop model. To effectively instruct the workshop model, students need access to books that represent different writing styles, stories, and reading levels. This diversity allows students to choose books that best support their educational needs and interests (i.e., students read books calibrated to their reading level on topics that interest them). However, contacts at profiled districts note that they often lack funds to purchase books for a classroom library.

Supporting the model

To prevent pushback, ensure teachers understand the research that supports the workshop model. Emphasize that research supports the workshop model during the initial professional development offered to teachers prior to implementation. This focus on the workshop model efficacy research…