How to apply digital writing skills effectively in the classroom, from the prestigious National Writing ProjectAs many teachers know, students may be adept at text messaging and communicating online but do not know how to craft a basic essay. In the classroom, students are increasingly required to create web-based or multi-media productions that also include writing. Since writing in and for the online realm often defies standard writing conventions, this book defines digital writing and examines how best to integrate new technologies into writing instruction. Shows how to integrate new technologies into classroom lessonsAddresses the proliferation of writing in the digital ageOffers a guide for improving students' online writing skillsThe book is an important manual for understanding this new frontier of writing for teachers, school leaders, university faculty, and teacher educators.

How to apply digital writing skills effectively in the classroom, from the prestigious National Writing Project

As many teachers know, students may be adept at text messaging and communicating online but do not know how to craft a basic essay. In the classroom, students are increasingly required to create web-based or multi-media productions that also include writing. Since writing in and for the online realm often defies standard writing conventions, this book defines digital writing and examines how best to integrate new technologies into writing instruction.

Shows how to integrate new technologies into classroom lessons Addresses the proliferation of writing in the digital age Offers a guide for improving students'' online writing skills

The book is an important manual for understanding this new frontier of writing for teachers, school leaders, university faculty, and teacher educators.

How to apply digital writing skills effectively in the classroom, from the prestigious National Writing Project

As many teachers know, students may be adept at text messaging and communicating online but do not know how to craft a basic essay. In the classroom, students are increasingly required to create web-based or multi-media productions that also include writing. Since writing in and for the online realm often defies standard writing conventions, this book defines digital writing and examines how best to integrate new technologies into writing instruction.

Shows how to integrate new technologies into classroom lessons Addresses the proliferation of writing in the digital age Offers a guide for improving students'' online writing skills

The book is an important manual for understanding this new frontier of writing for teachers, school leaders, university faculty, and teacher educators.

Writing for a Change shows teachers how to engage students in “real world” problem-solving activities that can help them to acquire voice, authority, and passion for both reading and writing practice. Written in collaboration with the Center for Social Action in England, the book describes the innovative Social Action process for encouraging students to collaborate on problems of their own choosing—to analyze options, develop action plans, discover solutions, and finally to reflect on their work. Featuring stories by teachers who have successfully used the method, the book shows that first graders as well as high-school students can enjoy this exciting and educational process. Practical guidance for applying the process to any curricular area is provided along with an extensive list of classroom activities.

In an age of generative AI, writing matters more than ever.This book examines how educators can support meaningful writing instruction amid rapid technological change by drawing on more than 50 years of National Writing Project (NWP) research and practice. Rather than viewing artificial intelligence as a threat, the authors position writing as a deeply human act of thinking, meaning-making, and civic participation—one that must be taught intentionally at every grade level and across disciplines.The text is organized around core principles of effective instruction and reframes an essential question for modern classrooms: How do we cultivate confident writers when AI tools can draft and summarize at the click of a button? Through vivid classroom portraits and analyses of current literacy research, the authors demonstrate how agency is built when students are positioned as critical decision-makers and designers of their own work, rather than passive technology users.Writing Still Matters translates longstanding NWP principles—including teacher leadership and inquiry—for a field being reshaped by AI. It serves as a practical resource for K–12 teachers, literacy coaches, and school leaders committed to preserving the human dimension of writing.Key Insights for Educators:Timely Response to AI Anxiety: Provides an authoritative, calm response to urgent literacy questions without relying on fearmongering.Grounded in NWP Research: Leverages 5 decades of classroom-based evidence from the National Writing Project, one of the most trusted organizations in writing education.Focus on Writer Agency: Moves beyond "how-to" tool adoption to prioritize student identity, curiosity, and ethical reasoning.Practical Instructional Frameworks: Includes user-friendly classroom examples, design principles, and inquiry models that teachers can implement immediately.Broad Grade and Disciplinary Reach: Offers strategies applicable for K–12 teachers across English-language arts, social studies, and media studies.

How to apply digital writing skills effectively in the classroom, from the prestigious National Writing ProjectAs many teachers know, students may be adept at text messaging and communicating online but do not know how to craft a basic essay. In the classroom, students are increasingly required to create web-based or multi-media productions that also include writing. Since writing in and for the online realm often defies standard writing conventions, this book defines digital writing and examines how best to integrate new technologies into writing instruction. Shows how to integrate new technologies into classroom lessonsAddresses the proliferation of writing in the digital ageOffers a guide for improving students' online writing skillsThe book is an important manual for understanding this new frontier of writing for teachers, school leaders, university faculty, and teacher educators.

How to apply digital writing skills effectively in the classroom, from the prestigious National Writing Project

As many teachers know, students may be adept at text messaging and communicating online but do not know how to craft a basic essay. In the classroom, students are increasingly required to create web-based or multi-media productions that also include writing. Since writing in and for the online realm often defies standard writing conventions, this book defines digital writing and examines how best to integrate new technologies into writing instruction.

Shows how to integrate new technologies into classroom lessons Addresses the proliferation of writing in the digital age Offers a guide for improving students'' online writing skills

The book is an important manual for understanding this new frontier of writing for teachers, school leaders, university faculty, and teacher educators.

How to apply digital writing skills effectively in the classroom, from the prestigious National Writing Project

As many teachers know, students may be adept at text messaging and communicating online but do not know how to craft a basic essay. In the classroom, students are increasingly required to create web-based or multi-media productions that also include writing. Since writing in and for the online realm often defies standard writing conventions, this book defines digital writing and examines how best to integrate new technologies into writing instruction.

Shows how to integrate new technologies into classroom lessons Addresses the proliferation of writing in the digital age Offers a guide for improving students'' online writing skills

The book is an important manual for understanding this new frontier of writing for teachers, school leaders, university faculty, and teacher educators.

Writing for a Change shows teachers how to engage students in “real world” problem-solving activities that can help them to acquire voice, authority, and passion for both reading and writing practice. Written in collaboration with the Center for Social Action in England, the book describes the innovative Social Action process for encouraging students to collaborate on problems of their own choosing—to analyze options, develop action plans, discover solutions, and finally to reflect on their work. Featuring stories by teachers who have successfully used the method, the book shows that first graders as well as high-school students can enjoy this exciting and educational process. Practical guidance for applying the process to any curricular area is provided along with an extensive list of classroom activities.

In an age of generative AI, writing matters more than ever.This book examines how educators can support meaningful writing instruction amid rapid technological change by drawing on more than 50 years of National Writing Project (NWP) research and practice. Rather than viewing artificial intelligence as a threat, the authors position writing as a deeply human act of thinking, meaning-making, and civic participation—one that must be taught intentionally at every grade level and across disciplines.The text is organized around core principles of effective instruction and reframes an essential question for modern classrooms: How do we cultivate confident writers when AI tools can draft and summarize at the click of a button? Through vivid classroom portraits and analyses of current literacy research, the authors demonstrate how agency is built when students are positioned as critical decision-makers and designers of their own work, rather than passive technology users.Writing Still Matters translates longstanding NWP principles—including teacher leadership and inquiry—for a field being reshaped by AI. It serves as a practical resource for K–12 teachers, literacy coaches, and school leaders committed to preserving the human dimension of writing.Key Insights for Educators:Timely Response to AI Anxiety: Provides an authoritative, calm response to urgent literacy questions without relying on fearmongering.Grounded in NWP Research: Leverages 5 decades of classroom-based evidence from the National Writing Project, one of the most trusted organizations in writing education.Focus on Writer Agency: Moves beyond "how-to" tool adoption to prioritize student identity, curiosity, and ethical reasoning.Practical Instructional Frameworks: Includes user-friendly classroom examples, design principles, and inquiry models that teachers can implement immediately.Broad Grade and Disciplinary Reach: Offers strategies applicable for K–12 teachers across English-language arts, social studies, and media studies.