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Adolescent Writing and The Writing Rope Framework: Evidence-Based Teaching Suggestions for Grades 5–12
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST
Presented by Joan Sedita, Author of The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects
Moderated by Pam Austin, Director of Instructional Technology, Voyager Sopris Learning
Sponsored by Voyager Sopris Learning
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Writing is a powerful tool for learning, especially for adolescent students navigating increasingly complex academic demands. During this second edWebinar of The Science of Writing Week: Research-Based Approaches for Confident, Capable Writers, literacy expert and author Joan Sedita presents practical, evidence-based strategies drawn from her Writing Rope framework to help educators strengthen writing instruction in grades 5–12. Focusing on three key strands—Syntax, Text Structure, and Critical Thinking—Joan offers actionable guidance for teaching advanced sentence construction, genre-specific text organization, and written responses to text across content areas.
Viewers explore how writing supports comprehension, retention, and academic success, particularly in middle and high school settings. With a focus on instructional routines that build fluency and confidence, Joan shares tools for notetaking, summarizing, and planning written responses that deepen student engagement and elevate writing outcomes. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, literacy coach, or curriculum leader, this session helps you integrate writing as a vehicle for learning across disciplines.
Viewers learn:
- How to teach advanced sentence writing using the Syntax strand of The Writing Rope
- Strategies for helping students organize informational, argumentative, and narrative writing using text structure
- Techniques for guiding students to respond to text in writing across subject areas
- Tools for notetaking, summarizing, and pre-writing that support critical thinking
- How to apply The Writing Rope framework to strengthen adolescent writing instruction
This recorded edWebinar is of interest to middle and high school teachers, school leaders, and district leaders.
This edWebinar is part of The Science of Writing Week: Research-Based Approaches for Confident, Capable Writers.
About the Presenter
Joan Sedita is founder of Keys to Literacy, a professional development organization dedicated to literacy instruction. With more than 45 years of experience in the literacy field, she has served as a teacher, administrator, and teacher trainer. Joan is creator of The Writing Rope framework and book, author of Essentials of Adolescent Literacy, and developer of multiple literacy professional development programs, including The Key Comprehension Routine, The Key Vocabulary Routine, Keys to Beginning Reading, Keys to Content Writing, Keys to Early Writing, and Keys to Adolescent Literacy. From 1975 to 1998, she worked at the Landmark School, a pioneer in the development of literacy intervention programs. Since 1998, Joan has provided literacy training and consultation to hundreds of school districts and departments of education. She has an M.Ed. in reading from Harvard University and a B.A. from Boston College.
About the Moderator
Pam Austin, Director of Instructional Technology for Voyager Sopris Learning, has over 35 years of experience as an educator. She has worked as a Professional Learning Facilitator Manager with over 17 years of experience in training and supporting districts in various literacy and numeracy interventions for Voyager Sopris Learning in addition to delivering LETRS professional development sessions. She has also shared her love of proven VSL solutions as a Product Marketing Manager when she began her role as an EDVIEW360 podcast host in 2019 and continues to this day. Her goal is to aid teachers in changing the lives of students so that they not only become proficient and successful learners but also individuals confident in pursuing personal and professional life goals.
She previously held the role of Literacy Specialist at the Center for Development and Learning (CDL) now the Center for Literacy and Learning. As an educator in the New Orleans Public Schools for 14 years, she served as an elementary teacher, a reading interventionist, a school-based reading coach, and a central office field literacy facilitator. These varying roles allowed her to gain a myriad of experiences that has enhanced her ability to work in collaboration with other educators, schools, and districts for impactful professional learning. Pam’s first steps into a lifelong career as an educator began as a fourth-grade teacher in a small school in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. And the journey continues…
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Join the Empowering Struggling Readers community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Voyager Sopris Learning® is the specialist in reading, writing, and math intervention. Fully focused on intervention, we have established four decades of results that demonstrate the efficacy of our solutions. Providing a holistic offering of reading, writing, and math interventions and assessments, our solutions help educators create strong, sustainable foundations to ensure academic success for all students.
