What Really Matters in Writing: Research-based Practices Across the Elementary Curriculum - Couverture souple

Patricia M. Cunningham ― James W. Cunningham

What Really Matters in Writing: Research-based Practices across the Curriculum, 1e

What Really Matters in Writing follows a practical, user-friendly arc from getting students off to a successful start in writing on the first day of school to students sharing and publishing their writing by the end of the school year. With a focus on gradually teaching students “mini-lessons” to build skills and increase confidence, this book combines process writing, systematic instruction, and writing across the curriculum to help teachers and schools build a successful and comprehensive writing program.

In their well-known and much welcomed thought-provoking style, Pat and Jim Cunningham--along with Dick Allington in the other books in the series--bring you the best research-based instructional advice available. Each of the brief, inexpensive books in the What Really Matters series features what Pat, Dick, and their co-authors know about one aspect of teaching and learning to read and write independently with understanding. To learn more about the series see the inside front cover. 

“One of the best things about this book is the way the information is organized.  I love how the book takes you from what you do the first day of school and builds from there.  Teachers will love how each chapter continues to explain more and more lessons to try with their students as they grow as writers. I know this would be one [book] that I would mention to new teachers in my inservices who are trying to set upan elementary writing workshop but are not sure how to begin.”  --Dena Harrison, Mendive Middle School, Sparks, NV

“The author[s have] an excellent grasp of what classroom teachers need, the chapters on editing and revising were great, [and] I can’t wait to use them in my classroom next school year!”  --Jodi Grubb, Pittsfield Elementary School, Pittsfield, NH

Patricia M. Cunningham is the author of Beyond Retelling, Classrooms That Work, Schools That Work, Phonics They Use, and the Making Words series. She is a professor of education at Wake Forest University with more than 30 years of experience in various elementary grades and in remedial reading. Pat promotes literacy for all children through her Four Blocks® workshops and staff development sessions with educators.

James W. Cunningham has more than 100 professional publications in reading and writing education, such as college textbooks, book chapters including major research reviews, and original research published in major research journals. He has been a professor of education at UNC-Chapel Hill and an elementary classroom teacher.

Patricia Cunningham grew up in Rhode Island. For seven years, after graduating from The University of Rhode Island, she taught a variety of elementary grades in Florida and Indiana.  She received her Ph. D in Reading Education from the University Of  Georgia in 1974.  After teaching at Ohio University and serving as Director of Reading for Alamance Co., North Carolina Schools, she came to Wake Forest University to direct the Elementary Education program in 1978.  Pat’s particular interest has always been in finding alternative ways to teach children for whom learning to read is difficult.  Reading and Writing in Elementary Classrooms, first published in 1978, is currently in its fourth edition.   In 1991, She published Phonics they Use:  Words for Reading and Writing, which is currently available in its fourth edition.  Along with Richard Allington, She published Classrooms that Work and Schools that Work.  Along with Dorothy Hall, she developed the Four Blocks Literacy framework, which is currently used as the balanced literacy framework in thousand of classrooms throughout the country.  She and Dorothy Hall are co-directors of the Four Blocks Literacy Center, which is housed at Wake Forest University.

James W. Cunningham has over 100 professional publications in reading and writing education such as college textbooks, book chapters including major research reviews, and original research published in major research journals. He has been a professor of education at UNC-Chapel Hill and an elementary classroom teacher.