NWP 2008 Research Brief: Writing Project Professional Development for Teachers Yields Gains in Student Writing Achievement
Date: August 27, 2008
Summary: This Research Brief summarizes nine studies that examined the effects of NWP professional development programs on teacher practices and student writing achievement in schools and districts served by writing project sites. The results demonstrate positive effects on the writing achievement of students of writing project teachers across a range of grade levels, schools, and contexts.
Excerpt
In nine independent studies, in every measured attribute of writing, the improvement of students whose teachers participated in NWP professional development exceeded that of students whose teachers were not participants.
The studies took place in rural, urban, and suburban areas across the country and included students with diverse economic, language, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.Student results are strong and favorable in those aspects of writing for which the NWP is best known, such as development of ideas and organization.Students in writing project classrooms made greater gains than their peers on writing conventions as well, suggesting that NWP professional development also helps teachers improve their students' basic skills.The full four-page report is in a downloadable pdf file. Click here to go there now.
