Rain, Steam, and Speed

Building Fluency in Adolescent Writers

This book shows how adolescent students at all skill levels, including English learners, can be engaged in systematic writing practice, enabling them to communicate quickly, confidently, and thoughtfully on a variety of topics. In describing their innovative approach, the authors:

• Show how to introduce timed writing exercises to build fluency and thinking skills
• Provide 150 powerful writing prompts on provocative topics
• Offer strategies for enabling students to overcome writing blocks
• Include assessment, grading, and motivational guidance

The approach has been extensively tested by a master teacher, takes about one hour of instructional time per week, and can be used over an entire school year.  240 pages  2004