Model Texts¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 3 claims (3 for) · 6 studies (4 causal, 2 quant-synthesis), q3–q4 · 1 of 6 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

Model texts (also called mentor texts or exemplars) are finished samples of the kind of writing learners are asked to produce — a persuasive essay, lab report, or short story written at or near target quality. Learners read, analyze, and discuss these texts to internalize genre structure, style, and quality criteria before drafting their own pieces.

Design Implications¶

Model texts function as worked examples for writing: they substitute a completed product for unguided invention, reducing the load of figuring out both what to say and how to say it simultaneously Example–problem sequences reduce cognitive load. [+M]. Their effectiveness depends on active analysis — learners who annotate or deconstruct a model's structure and moves learn more than those who merely read it Multiple contrasting cases support abstraction. [+M]. Presenting two or three contrasting models of the same genre, rather than one, helps learners abstract the underlying features instead of imitating surface details.

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Authentic, high-quality exemplars of the target genre, ideally drawn from real publications or strong prior student work
• An analysis task that directs attention to structure, moves, and language — not just content (Annotating)
• Explicit quality criteria or a rubric so learners know what makes the model good
• A follow-on writing task where learners apply what the model showed

Constraints¶

• Passive reading of a model without analysis or imitation produces little transfer [-M] — learners often cannot extract genre features without guided attention
• A single model can anchor learners to one voice or structure, producing formulaic imitation; contrasting models mitigate this Multiple contrasting cases support abstraction. [+M]
• Models far above learners' current level can discourage rather than inform, particularly for struggling writers [~W]
• Over-reliance on models can suppress originality in creative tasks where divergent goals matter [~W]

Implementation Variability¶

• Full exemplars — complete finished texts studied before drafting
• Contrasting pairs — strong and weak versions compared to sharpen quality criteria; flawed models can be especially productive when learners diagnose the weaknesses Erroneous examples build conceptual knowledge. [+M]
• Process models — drafts, revisions, and author commentary that make the writing process, not just the product, visible
• Gradual release — teacher-guided analysis, then collaborative analysis, then independent use of models as reference during drafting

Target Learners¶

• Novice writers who lack a mental model of the target genre's structure and conventions [+M]
• English language learners, who benefit from seeing target discourse patterns modeled explicitly [~M]
• Less valuable for advanced writers who already possess flexible genre knowledge [~M]

Target Learning Goals¶

• Genre knowledge: recognizing the structure, moves, and register of a text type
• Quality criteria: developing standards for evaluating one's own and others' writing
• Style and craft: acquiring sentence-level and rhetorical techniques worth imitating

Instructions¶

1. Select one to three authentic model texts at an appropriate level, ideally contrasting in approach Multiple contrasting cases support abstraction. [+M]
2. Pose an analysis task — learners Annotating the text to identify structure, moves, and effective language
3. Lead a discussion that names the genre features and connects them to the quality criteria or rubric
4. Have learners plan and draft their own piece, explicitly borrowing structures or moves from the model
5. Return to the model during revision as a reference standard for self- and peer-evaluation

Related Strategies¶

• Use Worked Examples — the problem-solving analogue: a completed solution studied before independent attempts
• Think-Aloud Modeling — complements model texts by making the process of producing such a text visible
• Comparing Cases — the general mechanism behind contrasting multiple models

Examples¶

• The Writing Revolution — Hochman & Wexler's method uses exemplar sentences and paragraphs that students analyze and imitate before composing their own.
• National Writing Project — teachers study mentor texts and published authors' craft moves as a core routine of writing workshop instruction (https://www.nwp.org).
• IB and AP language courses — students annotate scored sample essays with examiner commentary, then apply the criteria to their own drafts.

Key Sources¶

• Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). A meta-analysis of writing instruction for adolescent students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(3), 445–476. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.99.3.445
• Graham, S., & Sandmel, K. (2011). The process writing approach: A meta-analysis. The Journal of Educational Research, 104(6), 396–407. doi:10.1080/00220671.2010.488703
• Hochman, J. C., & Wexler, N. (2017). The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades. Jossey-Bass.
• Fitzgerald, J., & Shanahan, T. (2000). Reading and writing relations and their development. Educational Psychologist, 35(1), 39–50. doi:10.1207/S15326985EP3501_5