The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects

Writing is a complex task-and today’s students must learn to write proficiently and write to learn in different content areas. The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects clearly explains the intertwined skills and processes involved in writing well: transcription, writing craft, critical thinking, syntax, and text structure. Steeped in writing research and packed with reproducible handouts and templates, this book provides the knowledge and resources educators need to help students master writing.

Author Biography

Joan Sedita has been in the literacy education field for over 40 years. She began her career at the Landmark School in Massachusetts for students with reading and learning disabilities, where she worked from 1975 to 1998 as a teacher and administrator. Joan was the founder and director of the Landmark College Preparation Program and the Landmark Outreach Training Program. While at Landmark School, she also was a member of a team that conducted psycho-educational evaluations at Boston Children’s Hospital. From 1998 to 2007, as the founder of Sedita Learning Strategies, Joan trained educators and consulted with schools and literacy organizations throughout the country. During this time, she was a lead developer and trainer for the Massachusetts Reading First initiative and consultant to the state’s Secondary Reading initiative. Joan also authored several guides for using the Kurzweil text-to-speech software to support reading and study skills, and she was a national author and trainer for LETRS:Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, published by Voyager Sopris Learning. She was a member of the Educational Testing Service Praxis National Reading Advisory Committee and a board member of Learning Disabilities Worldwide. Joan is currently the president of Keys to Literacy, a literacy professional learning company she founded in 2007 that develops, publishes, and delivers reading and writing professional development to educators across the country. Joan has authored numerous books, book chapters, and articles related to literacy instruction. She has also authored several professional development programs that include online courses, training manuals, and professional development delivery materials, including Keys to Beginning Reading, The Key Comprehension Routine, The Key Vocabulary Routine, Keys to Content Writing, and Keys to Early Writing. She oversees the hiring and supervision of Keys to Literacy trainers and the literacy professional development plans for school districts and state departments of education, and she continues to develop the content for literacy trainings, books, and online courses. Joan received her B.A. from Boston College and her M.Ed. in Reading from Harvard University.