A new-research based program, Ready Writing, has been launched to provide educators with instructional materials and easy-to-use professional development resources to help students meet expectations of Common Core writing standards for grades 2 to 5.

"With the Common Core, elementary grade students are now expected to do the type of rigorous research that was previously not expected of them until high school," said Adam Berkin, Vice President of Product Development for Curriculum Associates in a press release. "This shift requires a new way of teaching. Ready Writing addresses this shift by making writing to sources the focus of each lesson through explicit, step-by-step instruction that takes students and teachers through the research and writing process."

Ready Writing “develops proficient writers using a research-based, gradual-release instructional model that deconstructs the complex CCSS into discrete segments that build naturally over the course of a lesson,” said the release.

Each lesson begins with the study of a mentor text that “models the structure and organization of exemplary writing.” Students analyze the mentor text and receive tips from a “writing buddy” throughout the lesson.

“These features work together to provide explicit modeling needed to develop strong writing,” said the press release.

“Each Ready Writing assignment is framed by a motivational real-world writing assignment that requires students to integrate information from source texts—many of which are shared with Ready Reading,” the release said. “An eight-step lesson provides explicit instruction for every step of source-based writing, including gathering and organizing text-based evidence, planning, drafting, revising, and editing.”

Ready Writing also includes a Teacher Resource Book that “offers step-by-step guidance to help teachers address the Common Core State Standard writing standards effectively.”

he Achievement Classroom Package, the release said, is 25 Student Instruction Books, one Teacher Resource Book, and one-year access to the Online Teacher Toolbox, and can be purchased at an introductory cost of $275 until December 31, 2014. Multi-year discounts apply and additional Student Instruction Books can be purchased separately, the release said.

"Ready Writing Student Instruction Books for Grades 3–5 and the Online Teacher Toolbox are currently available," said the release. "The Teacher Resource Book for Grades 3–5 will be available in November and all Grade 2 materials will be available in spring 2015."

To learn more about Ready Writing, visit here. 

Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld Contributor