EPIC

The Science of Writing: How Students Learn to Write

This professional learning session builds educators’ understanding of the Science of Writing and the research that explains how students learn to write. Grounded in the Writing Rope and decades of research on effective writing instruction, participants will examine the components of skilled writing, including transcription, sentence construction, text organization, and executive processes. The session emphasizes evidence-based principles of explicit writing instruction that support sentence clarity, coherence, and idea development. Educators will analyze writing instruction and consider how structured, intentional writing practices strengthen student writing, support reading comprehension, and contribute to content learning across the curriculum.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Explain what the Science of Writing is and describe how it is grounded in decades of research on how students learn to write, rather than in programs or writing philosophies.

• Use the Writing Rope to describe the components of skilled writing, including transcription, sentence-level skills, text structure, and executive functions, and explain how these components develop over time.

• Analyze writing instruction to identify strengths and gaps related to sentence construction, syntax, text structure, and explicit instruction.

• Apply evidence-based principles of explicit writing instruction to support sentence construction, text organization, and idea development.

• Describe how explicit, systematic writing instruction supports reading comprehension and content learning, particularly for developing and struggling writers.

Date: July 27, 2026

Time: 8:30-3:30 CT

Location: GRREC Events Center. Bowling Green, KY

Cost: $250 (includes breakfast and lunch)

Registration Coming Soon!

Questions? Please email epic@grrec.org.