Future research on writing instruction for US ELL students should examine linguistic supports¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q3 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

The meta-analysis closes by pointing to directions for future research, stating "the importance of examining linguistic supports" for ELL writers. This reflects the review's finding that prior interventions relied on general best practices for writing instruction, with relatively few tailored to the linguistic knowledge and cultural experiences of ELL students, and that few interventions engaged students in writing in their native language or provided instructional materials in that language.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Studies must code and report language-related instructional features such as the language of writing, native-language materials, and whether students may use their native language during the writing process.

Constraints¶

• The article reports that only two treatment types (strategy instruction and process writing) were measured in enough studies to estimate average effect sizes, limiting what moderator analyses could examine.

Target Learners¶

• K-12 English language learners in the United States

Target Learning Goals¶

• English writing development and writing quality

Claims¶

• Metacognitive knowledge was examined as a component of writing proficiency alongside linguistic knowledge and fluency [+W]

Related Strategies¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Aitken, A. A., Graham, S., Cao, Y., & Nusrat, A. (2026). The Impact of Writing Instruction for English Language Learners in the United States: A Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-026-10197-6