Self-regulated strategy development for writing
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
Self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) teaches students a specific writing strategy, such as a planning mnemonic for opinion essays, together with the self-regulation to use it: goal setting, self-talk and self-monitoring. Instruction moves through six stages, from building background knowledge and modeling to memorizing, supported practice and independent use. Students graph their own progress.
Many students who struggle with writing do not lack ideas. They lack a plan. They start writing, run out of things to say after two sentences and stop. SRSD gives them a strategy for planning and drafting a specific genre, and it teaches them to manage their own writing: set a goal, talk themselves through the steps, check their work against the goal and notice their own progress.
The What Works Clearinghouse guide on elementary writing recommends teaching students to use the writing process, including explicit instruction in strategies for planning and drafting, with teacher modeling and gradual release to independence.[1] The guide for secondary students recommends explicitly teaching writing strategies through a cycle of modeling, practice and reflection.[2] SRSD is a well-known, structured way to do both.
This page covers the six stages, the self-regulation pieces, one common opinion strategy and one student's data. For the full set of writing goals, see the IEP goals for writing pillar.
The six stages
The stages are a sequence, but teachers revisit earlier ones whenever a student needs it. Students move to the next stage when they are ready, not on a fixed date.
| Stage | What the teacher does | What the student shows | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Develop background knowledge | Teaches the genre's parts and any vocabulary (reason, claim, transition) using model essays | Can find the parts in a model essay | 1 to 2 lessons |
| 2. Discuss it | Introduces the strategy and why it helps; looks at the student's own past writing for missing parts; student commits to learning it | Counts parts in own baseline essay; sets a goal | 1 lesson |
| 3. Model it | Thinks aloud while planning and writing an essay with the strategy, including self-talk ("What do I need next?") | Helps the teacher; writes down self-statements to use | 1 to 2 lessons |
| 4. Memorize it | Practices the mnemonic and its steps until automatic | Says each step from memory | Short daily practice |
| 5. Support it | Writes with the student, then fades help; uses prompts, graphic organizers and peers | Plans and writes with less help; graphs parts | Several lessons to weeks |
| 6. Independent performance | Checks use and maintenance; plans for use in other classes | Uses the strategy alone and in new settings | Ongoing |
The self-regulation pieces
The strategy alone is not SRSD. The self-regulation is what makes it stick.
- Goal setting. "My essay will have all the parts and at least 3 reasons."
- Self-instruction. Self-talk the student chooses: "First I plan. What is my opinion? Good, now three reasons."
- Self-monitoring. The student counts the parts in each essay and graphs them.
- Self-reinforcement. "I did it. I have 7 parts, more than last time."
Graphing is powerful for students who believe they are "bad at writing." Seeing the line rise is often the first evidence they have had that effort pays off.
A common opinion strategy: POW + TREE
Teachers often pair a general planning mnemonic with a genre-specific one. For opinion writing, a widely used pairing is POW and TREE.
| Mnemonic | Step | What the student does |
|---|---|---|
| POW | Pick my idea | Decide on the opinion |
| Organize my notes | Plan with TREE before writing | |
| Write and say more | Write from the plan and add detail | |
| TREE | Topic sentence | State the opinion |
| Reasons (3 or more) | Give reasons why | |
| Explain reasons | Say more about each reason | |
| Ending | Wrap it up with a closing sentence |
Other genres use other mnemonics, such as a story strategy built on who, when, where, what happens and how it ends, or an informational strategy built on a topic, important evidence and an ending. The structure of instruction stays the same.
Scenario: Destiny's opinion essays
Destiny is a fictional sixth grader with an IEP in written expression. All numbers are illustrations.
Baseline, September 16 to 20. Three opinion prompts, 20 minutes each. Destiny writes 38, 45 and 41 words. She states an opinion and gives one reason, with no explanation and no ending. Essay parts (opinion, each reason, each explanation, ending): 2, 3 and 2. She spends less than 1 minute planning.
Stages 1 and 2 (September 23 to 27). Destiny and her teacher find the parts in two model essays, then count the parts in her baseline essays. She sets a goal of 8 parts.
Stage 3 (September 30 to October 2). Her teacher models planning and writing two essays aloud. Destiny picks three self-statements: "What do I believe?", "Do I have three reasons?", "Did I explain each one?"
Stages 4 and 5 (October 3 to November 8). She memorizes POW and TREE in two days. Supported practice runs 5 weeks, 30 minutes, 4 days a week, fading from writing together to a reminder card to nothing.
Progress probe. Every week, a new 20-minute opinion prompt, scored for essay parts and total words.
| Date | Essay parts | Total words | Planning time | Support level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20 (baseline median) | 2 | 41 | under 1 minute | None |
| Oct 11 | 6 | 88 | 4 minutes | Organizer and teacher prompts |
| Oct 18 | 7 | 96 | 4 minutes | Organizer only |
| Oct 25 | 8 | 104 | 5 minutes | Reminder card |
| Nov 1 | 8 | 117 | 5 minutes | None |
| Nov 8 | 9 | 126 | 6 minutes | None |
| Dec 13 (maintenance check) | 8 | 121 | 5 minutes | None, in social studies class |
Destiny graphed each essay herself. The December check, done in another class without reminders, shows the strategy held.
Her IEP goal, built from the plan before drafting template and the opinion piece template: "Given a grade-level opinion prompt, Destiny will write a planned essay that includes an opinion, at least 3 reasons with an explanation for each and an ending (8 parts), on 3 of 4 weekly probes."
Rules and options, and where they differ
| Question | Who decides | Varies by state or district? |
|---|---|---|
| Whether SRSD is part of core writing instruction | District curriculum | Yes |
| Which genres and grade-level writing standards apply | State English language arts standards | Yes |
| Whether SRSD is specially designed instruction in an IEP | IEP team, from present levels | No; individual decision |
| How writing progress is measured and reported | IEP team; the IEP must state the method and schedule[4] | No |
| Whether a planning organizer is allowed on state writing tests | State testing accommodation policy | Yes |
| Training requirements for teachers using SRSD | District professional learning | Yes |
Common mistakes
- Teaching the mnemonic without the stages. A poster of TREE is not SRSD. Students need the modeling and supported practice.
- Skipping self-regulation. Without goal setting, self-talk and graphing, the strategy tends to fade when reminders stop.
- Moving on by calendar. Move to independent use only when the student writes all parts without support on several essays.
- Measuring only length. Count essay parts and quality, not just words. Longer is not always better.
- No plan for transfer. Tell other teachers which strategy the student knows and ask them to cue it in their classes.
Goals and next steps
The written expression goals library has templates for planning, opinion, narrative and informational writing, and the writing IEP goals hub covers every writing area. Score essays consistently with the rubric scoring data sheet and see the writing rubric for IEP progress guide. Related guides: opinion writing IEP goals, narrative writing IEP goals, paragraph writing IEP goals and sentence combining. The IRIS Center's module on helping students become independent learners covers the self-regulation strategies in more depth.[3]
Frequently asked questions
What are the six stages of SRSD?
Develop background knowledge, discuss it, model it, memorize it, support it and independent performance. Teachers revisit earlier stages when a student needs it, and students move forward when they are ready rather than on a set schedule.
What does POW TREE stand for?
POW is Pick my idea, Organize my notes, Write and say more. TREE is Topic sentence, Reasons, Explain reasons, Ending. Students use POW to plan and write, and TREE to organize the notes for an opinion essay.
Is SRSD only for students with learning disabilities?
No. It is used with whole classes and small groups as well as students with IEPs. Students who struggle with writing often benefit most, because they get both a clear plan and tools to manage their own effort.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Written expression goals (writing)
- Written expression in the IEP glossary
- Writing IEP goals
- Plan before drafting goal template
- Rubric scoring data sheet
Related guides
- IEP goals for writing: written expression, spelling and mechanics
- Paragraph writing IEP goals: 20 examples by sub-skill
- IEP goals for narrative writing: 20 examples from labels to dialogue
- IEP goals for opinion and argument writing: 12 examples
- IEP goals for writing simple sentences
Sources
- Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences
- Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences
- SOS: Helping Students Become Independent Learners, IRIS Center, Vanderbilt University
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.