Jim Wright www.interventioncentral.
org
Writing Skills Checklist
Directions: Use this checklist to inventory students’ foundation writing skills. Any writing skill that is marked
‘N[o]’ should be targeted for intervention.
Problem? Writing Competency Sample Intervention Ideas
Physical Production of Writing
___Y ___N Writing Speed. Writes words on the • Teach keyboarding skills
page at a rate equal or nearly equal to • Allow student to dictate ideas into a tape-
that of classmates recorder and have a volunteer (e.g.,
classmate, parent, school personnel)
transcribe them
___Y ___N Handwriting. Handwriting is legible to • Provide training in handwriting
most readers • Teach keyboarding skills
Mechanics & Conventions of Writing
___Y ___N Grammar & Syntax. Knowledge of • Teach rules of grammar, syntax
grammar (rules governing use of • Have students compile individualized
language) and syntax (grammatical checklists of their own common
arrangement of words in sentences) is grammar/syntax mistakes; direct students to
appropriate for age and/or grade use the checklist to review work for errors
placement before turning in
___Y ___N Spelling. Spelling skills are appropriate • Have student collect list of own common
for age and/or grade placement misspellings; assign words from list to study;
quiz student on list items
• Have student type assignments and use
spell-check
Writing Content
___Y ___N Vocabulary. Vocabulary in written work • Compile list of key vocabulary and related
is age/grade appropriate definitions for subject area; assign words
from list to study; quiz student on definitions
of list items
• Introduce new vocabulary items regularly to
class; set up cooperative learning activities
for students to review vocabulary
___Y ___N Word Choice. Distinguishes word- • Present examples to the class of formal vs.
choices that are appropriate for informal informal word choices
(colloquial, slang) written discourse vs. • Have students check work for appropriate
formal discourse word choice as part of writing revision
process
___Y ___N Audience. Identifies targeted audience • Direct students to write a ‘targeted audience
for writing assignments and alters profile’ as a formal (early) step in the writing
written content to match needs of process; have students evaluate the final
projected audience writing product to needs of targeted audience
during the revision process
___Y ___N Plagiarism. Identifies when to credit • Define plagiarism for students. Use plentiful
authors for use of excerpts quoted examples to show students acceptable vs.
verbatim or unique ideas taken from unacceptable incorporation of others’ words
other written works or ideas into written compositions
Jim Wright www.interventioncentral.org
Writing Preparation
___Y ___N Topic Selection. Independently • Have student generate list of general topics that
selects appropriate topics for writing that interest him or her; sit with the student to
assignments brainstorm ideas for writing topics that relate to
the student’s own areas of interest
___Y ___N Writing Plan. Creates writing plan by • Create generic pre-formatted work plans for
breaking larger writing assignments writing assignments that break specific types of
into sub-tasks (e.g., select topic , larger assignments (e.g., research paper) into
collect source documents, take notes constituent parts. Have students use these plan
from source documents, write outline, outlines as a starting point to making up their
etc.) own detailed writing plans.
___Y ___N Note-Taking. Researches topics by • Teach note -taking skills; have students review
writing notes that capture key ideas note -cards with the teacher as quality check.
from source material
Writing Production & Revision
___Y ___N Adequate ‘Seat Time’. Allocates • Use teacher’s experience and information from
realistic amount of time to the act of proficient student writers to develop estimates
writing to ensure a quality final of minimum writing ‘seat time’ needed to
product produce quality products for ‘typical’ writing
assignments (e.g., 5 -paragraph opinion essay;
10-page term paper). Share with students.
• Have students keep a writing diary to record
amount of time spent in act of writing for each
assignment. Require that this information be
submitted along with the students’ assignment.
(Additional idea: Consider asking parents to
monitor and record their child’s writing time.)
___Y ___N Oral vs. Written Work. Student’s • Allow student to dictate ideas into a tape-
dictated and written passages are recorder and have a volunteer (e.g., classmate,
equivalent in complexity and quality parent, school personnel) transcribe them
• Permit the student to use speech-to-text
software (e.g., Dragon Naturally Speaking) to
dictate first drafts of writing assignments.
___Y ___N Revision Process. Revises initial • Create a rubric containing the elements of
written draft before turning in for a writing that students should review during the
grade or evaluation revision process; teach this rubric to the class;
link a portion of the grade on writing
assignments to students’ use of the revision
rubric.
___Y ___N Timely Submission. Turns in written • Provide student incentives for turning work in on
assignments (class work, homework) time.
on time • Work with parents to develop home-based
plans for work completion and submission.
• Institute school-home communication to let
parents know immediately when important
assignments are late or missing.
