Abstract
The limited research available on writing in Grade 1 led to the development and implementation of an intervention for students who were performing below expectations. Ten students participated in a writing intervention for 11–13 weeks. A multiple baseline design across three units of instruction was focused on (a) paragraph structure, (b) sentence structure and handwriting, and (c) vocabulary and spelling allowed for analysis of the effects of the intervention. Treatment effects were evident from visual analysis, nonoverlap statistics, and multilevel modeling. Descriptive data collected on literacy measures administered before and after the intervention also indicated growth. Educator ratings of student writing and social validity surveys provide further evidence that improvements in student writing were apparent. Students also provided favorable input. These results indicate the malleability of writing behavior in at-risk first-grade students. Although preliminary findings are promising, iterative development would help improve this intervention and determine its efficacy with a broader sample of students.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are extremely grateful to the principal, assistant principal, writing coach, and first-grade teachers who supported this study. The leadership team members truly believe that success is the only option and they are champions of research to improve educational practice. Thank you all so much! This project would have never been possible without your partnership.
Disclosure statement
There are no relevant conflicts of interest.