Presented by Dea Paoletta Auray, Author, Founder, Empowering Writers; and Jennifer Seaton, Director of Learning and Development, Empowering Writers

Sponsored by Empowering Writers

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As the spring semester approaches, many schools are looking to fine-tune their instructional approaches to constructed response. While mid-year student samples seem to be headed in the right direction, they may be missing important components that ensure a well-developed and effective response. During this edWebinar, the presenters share:

• Important foundational skills required for thinking through an effective response
• Free resources from Empowering Writers to equip teachers with easy-to-use lessons and strategies for responding to text
• Opportunities for professional development that will increase teacher confidence and understanding of these new assessment demands

By the end of the session, you’ll have specific graphic organizers that make connections between reading and writing, before and after student samples and exemplars, and a nine-step procedure for approaching response to text.

This recorded edWebinar is of interest to elementary and middle school teachers and school and district leaders.

About the Presenters

Founder of Empowering Writers, LLC and author Dea Paoletta Auray is, first and foremost, an educator. She began her career in the classroom where she and her then-partner developed their highly innovative writing approach. Over a five-year period, they fine-tuned their methodology to meet the challenges of writing instruction—such as consistency, assured experiences, and manageability in classrooms with students working at different levels. As they put their philosophy into practice, they continued an active interchange with colleagues incorporating their input. Test scores of students who had been using their approach provided the solid basis to formalize their method for distribution, launching Empowering Writers, LLC in 1997. Now, 25 years later, Empowering Writers is used in over 1,000 schools to develop enthusiastic, confident writers and engaged readers. Dea continues to reach beyond the classroom. She has trained thousands of teachers, co-authored over 40 titles, and is always developing new content.

After attending only one workshop, Jennifer Seaton quickly realized that Empowering Writers was the practical approach to teaching writing that she had desperately been searching for. Not only did the skills she learned transform her instruction and help create effective writers, but they also brought the fun back into the process! After 17 years in public education, Jennifer made the decision to join the EW team as a trainer so she could passionately share these impactful skills with others. She now serves as EW’s Director of Learning and Development, where she partners with school and district leaders in helping their staff advance their knowledge and skills in writing. Jennifer holds degrees in both interdisciplinary studies and educational administration and resides in North Central Texas.

Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.

Join the ELA Today community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.

Empowering Writers’ mission is to offer high-quality, flexible professional development, utilizing comprehensive resources and coaching support that enables teachers K-8 to be effective writing instructors. The result is capable and confident students who can communicate effectively in all forms of expression, verbal and written.