Beyond the Page: How Knowledge Fuels Stronger Student Writing

As educators, we often face the challenge of helping students apply their thoughts and ideas into well-structured writing. They might need support with synthesizing and organizing information or incorporating text evidence. They might provide surface-level details in their words instead of a deep analysis. These issues may be due to the lack of exposure to complex texts or not having enough practice with critical thinking, but they often have to do with a lack of knowledge.

Students with limited background knowledge often find it difficult to respond to texts through writing, particularly if the topic is unengaging to them. This can result in writing that lacks depth. Emphasizing knowledge building, collaboration, and effective classroom conversations are three effective strategies that can help improve student writing.

The Knowledge and Writing Connection

To build knowledge, students must have background knowledge for the new knowledge to “stick.” But building knowledge isn’t just about reading more texts. It’s about creating opportunities for students to collaborate, discuss, and engage with the material. When they do this, they’re not just filling their heads with facts; they’re laying a foundation to which the new knowledge can stick.

Research shows that students with greater content knowledge tend to perform better in writing, with a notable 32-percent¹ increase in writing accuracy. That’s why it is important to build a strong knowledge foundation before expecting students to write effectively. 

Collaboration also plays a crucial role in knowledge building. By engaging students in discussions and activities that encourage them to share and build on each other’s ideas, we help them develop a deeper understanding of the material. This collaborative approach not only enhances knowledge retention but also creates a supportive learning environment.

Note-Taking Improves Retention

Note-taking isn’t just busy work—it’s brain work. Students who take notes experience increased memory recall of important information. This isn’t just anecdotal—the benefits of hand writing notes are documented by research. When done collaboratively, note-taking can lead to even greater learning gains. Working with a partner encourages students to engage more actively with the material and support each other in understanding complex concepts. 

Classroom Conversations Support Writing

Dynamic classroom discussions can greatly enhance writing skills. Conversations can improve your students’ ability to organize ideas by 18 percent,² boost motivation by 35 percent,³ and increase confidence in writing by 22 percent⁴ . By facilitating meaningful conversations, you can create an environment where students feel empowered to express their thoughts clearly and effectively.

Pulling These Writing Strategies Together

Once you’ve established the different strategies, it’s time to apply them in your classroom.

1. Start with a rich, engaging text. Use texts that are interesting and relevant to your students’ interests and that connect with something they are already familiar with.
2. Have students take collaborative notes. Encourage students to work together to promote shared understanding and retention.
3. Facilitate a classroom discussion about the text. Lead discussions that encourage students to share their insights and build on each other’s ideas.
4. Use a word-sentence-paragraph protocol to bridge the gap between discussion and writing. This will help students transition from discussion to writing by starting with keywords, developing sentences, and crafting paragraphs.

Before you know it, your classroom will be filled with empowered writers. 

The Impact Is Real

Effect sizes standardize results from research and allow us to directly compare results from different studies. The higher the effect size, the stronger the impact. According to John Hattie’s book Visible Learning, the average effect size of factors that influence student achievement in education is .40, which makes effect sizes like these particularly striking:

• Building background knowledge has an effect size of .57.
• Effective discourse has a significant effect size of .82.
• Note-taking shows an effect size of .52.

These aren’t just numbers—they’re a roadmap to your students’ success. These strategies lay the groundwork for budding writers and ultimately enhance student learning outcomes. 

Developing Young Writers

Writing isn’t just about putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). It’s about building knowledge, organizing thoughts, and communicating ideas clearly. By embracing these strategies, you’re not just teaching writing; you’re nurturing thinkers, collaborators, and confident communicators.

For more writing strategies, check out Igniting Your Students' Reading and Writing Flames.

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Other recommended resources in our literacy blog library: 
The Science of Reading in Focus
Where Do We Go from Here—Responding to the NAEP Reading Scores
The Importance of Foundational Literacy
Safeguarding Students—Why Responsible AI in Education is Essential

¹ Hirsch, E. D. (2006). The knowledge deficit: Closing the shocking education gap for American children. Houghton Mifflin.
² Applebee, A. N., & Langer, J. A. (2013). Writing instruction that works. Teachers College Press.
³ IBID
⁴ Graham, S., & Harris, K. R. (2016). A path to better writing: Evidence-based practices in the classroom. The Reading Teacher, 69(4), 359–365.