🎒 Meet Lucas

Lucas perched at his desk, third-row from the front, feet swinging just above the tile floor. His classmates were scribbling away, pencils humming. But Lucas? He stared at the blank page. The room seemed to shrink around him.

He had no idea what the 4 secrets to confident writers could be.

Earlier that morning, Lucas had dazzled the class with a retelling of Charlotte’s Web. “Charlotte saved him with words,” he’d said, voice rising with excitement. His teacher smiled, impressed by how vividly he spoke—complete with sound effects and hand gestures.

But now?
Lucas’s fingers clenched the pencil. He glanced up at the assignment: Write a book report in five sentences. Easy, right?
His mind raced: What did I say earlier? I remember it… but how do I start? What if I spell something wrong? What if it sounds dumb?

He looked down again. Still nothing on the page.
Inside, he felt the familiar squeeze of frustration. “Why is this so hard?” he whispered, barely audible. The more he tried to remember his words, the more they scattered—like trying to catch leaves in the wind.

His teacher knelt beside him. “You said it perfectly out loud. What’s holding you back?”
Lucas blinked, ashamed. “I don’t know. I just… can’t get it out.”

Sound familiar?
Lucas isn’t alone. For many students, writing struggles aren’t about motivation—they reflect skill gaps rooted in oral language and cognitive development. To unlock strong writing, we must build from the ground up—starting with the brain, not just the page.

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🧩 Why Writing Breaks Down Before It Begins

Writing is complex. The 4 secrets to confident writing is that it draws on memory, organization, processing speed, and motor skills—all layered on top of language. When even one piece falters, output suffers.

Lucas’s Challenge:
Creative and curious, but frustrated. His thoughts raced faster than he could capture them. Lucas rubbed the eraser against his palm. His thoughts were loud, but his page was silent.

Key Barriers:

– Verbal Working Memory (Working memory is the ability to temporarily hold and manipulate information in the mind. For writers, it means being able to keep an idea in mind while figuring out how to write it down.): Lucas couldn’t hold ideas long enough to write them down.

– Executive Functioning (Executive functioning includes mental skills like planning, organizing, starting tasks, staying focused, and self-monitoring. These are essential for structuring and completing writing assignments.): Writing demands mental coordination—organizing, prioritizing, editing.

– Processing Speed (Processing speed is how quickly the brain interprets and responds to information. In writing, slower processing speed can result in delays in getting ideas onto paper, despite having good thoughts.): Smart thinkers may write slowly. That disconnect leads to incomplete or scattered work.

Key Insight:
Writing is where language and cognition meet. Support both to reduce frustration and build fluency.

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📚 Oral Language: The Hidden Foundation of Writing

Lucas spoke fluently in conversation—but writing told a different story. Strong oral language goes beyond casual talk. It’s a structured, layered system that underpins written expression.

What Lies Beneath:

– Phonology (Phonology refers to the study of the sound system of a language. In the context of writing, it means recognizing and using the distinct sounds of spoken language (phonemes) to spell and decode words accurately.) – Sound recognition supports spelling

– Semantics (Semantics is the aspect of language concerned with meaning. It involves understanding the meanings of words, phrases, and sentences, which is essential for clear and accurate written communication.) – Word meaning and nuance shape clarity

– Morphology (Morphology involves the structure of words, including roots, prefixes, and suffixes. This helps children understand how words are formed and altered, which supports both vocabulary growth and grammatical accuracy.) – Word parts affect grammar and precision

– Syntax (Syntax is the set of rules that determines the structure of sentences. It governs how words are arranged to make coherent, grammatically correct statements. Mastering syntax improves sentence fluency and complexity in writing.) – Sentence structure drives flow and complexity

– Discourse (Discourse refers to extended written or spoken communication. In writing, it includes organizing ideas into a logical flow across sentences and paragraphs, ensuring clarity and cohesion.) – Logical storytelling connects ideas

– Pragmatics (Pragmatics is the use of language in social contexts. It includes choosing the right tone, style, and level of formality for the audience and purpose of the writing.) – Tone and purpose match the audience

🎯 If your child struggles with writing or reading, start by evaluating these layers—not just surface-level language.

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✍️ Why Speaking Well Doesn’t Guarantee Strong Writing

Common Misconception:
“If you can say it, you can write it.” But writing isn’t just speech on paper.

Here’s the Difference:
– Writing is deliberate and demands structure
– It requires fine motor coordination and spelling accuracy
– Writers must apply formal syntax and audience awareness

📌 Oral rehearsal helps—but doesn’t replace—the need for direct writing instruction.

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🧠 Brain-Based Strategies That Move Students Forward

Lucas’s Breakthrough:

Lucas’s writing transformed when his teacher shifted to brain-aligned instruction. He spoke into the recorder and saw it turn into text—his grin said everything.

Structured Supports That Drive Results:

– Thematic Instruction
– 3-Phase Brainstorming
– Oral Rehearsal
– Phonetic Spelling
– Mnemonics (Mnemonics are memory aids or strategies, such as acronyms or rhymes, that help students remember information like grammar rules or conjunctions (e.g., FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So).) & Overlearning

– Micro-Discourse (Discourse refers to extended written or spoken communication. In writing, it includes organizing ideas into a logical flow across sentences and paragraphs, ensuring clarity and cohesion.) & Sentence Frames

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🎯 The secret to Confident Writing results in Hesitation to Independence

By spring, Lucas didn’t just write better—he thought like a writer. He re-read his own work, added detail unprompted, and checked structure instinctively.

Your Next Moves:
– Model “thinking aloud” as you write together
– Make writing expressive—journals, comics, or letters all count
– Seek targeted support from speech-language pathologists or literacy specialists when needed

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🏛️ What Texas Parents Should Know: State Rules Behind the Struggle

In Texas, writing difficulties may signal deeper reading challenges. Under TEC §38.003, schools must screen K-1 students for dyslexia. These screenings aren’t optional—they’re the law.

Texas also recognizes dysgraphia, which affects written expression. If your child avoids writing or struggles with organization, they may qualify for evaluation under IDEA. The Dyslexia Handbook outlines the Delivery of Intervention:

Multisensory: using all learning pathways (visual, auditory, kinesthetic-tactile)

Systematic and cumulative: sequenced material from easiest to more difficult concepts

Explicit instruction: modeled teacher instruction with review

Diagnostic teaching to automaticity: Prescriptive teaching with continual assessment of the individual’s needs.

School Responsibilities:

Not only should schools address the instructional elements needed to meet your child where he or she is currently performing, but they should address access to the general education curriculum:

Accommodations: copies of notes, a peer-notetaker, recording device could be applicable, audio-books, raised paper, graphic organizers are a few

Assistive Technology: instruction in typing for productivity, proficiency with software that supports spelling and sentence generation, (speech-to-text and co-writer)

Occupational Therapy: Graphomotor and fine motor skills used for handwriting should be addressed in goal format.

📘 Why It Matters:
When Lucas says “I can’t get the words out,” Texas law says it’s time to look deeper—not assume he’s lazy or distracted.

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📝 Ready to Take Action? Now you know the 4 secrets to confident writers

– Review your child’s writing samples. Is your child “drawing” letters, are the letters floating above or below the line. The curriculum standard is cursive by the middle of 2^nd grade.

– Ask: “Has dyslexia or dysgraphia been considered?” Has your child received an evaluation that looks specifically at writing skills and is not only a subtest on a wider assessment?

– Request an evaluation. Schools must respond within 15 school days under Texas law. Write to your Special Education Director to make this request. Your child does not have to be enrolled in an ISD to do so. If you Homeschool, you reach out to the school district in the location of your home. If your child attends Private school in another ISD catchment, you reach out to that school district.

– Use our template at home for writer’s “block” and assess.

Contact us here

Bring the ‘Overview of Special Education for Parents’ (https://www.spedtex.org/resources/notice-procedural-safeguards) to your next school meeting and any outside data you have gathered.

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📚 Research That Informs Our Practice

• Jennings, J.H., & Haynes, C. (2020). ‘From Talking to Writing’

• Texas Dyslexia Handbook (2024)

• ASHA (2023). Role of Oral Language in Academic Success

• Shaywitz, S. (2020). ‘Overcoming Dyslexia’