The writing activities in Write Choices are designed for ELLs and native-English-speaking children in traditional classrooms or in independent study and tutorials. The 32 units (a total of 64 writing activities) are autonomous and may be used in any order that fits the class curriculum. Each unit is comprised of two facing pages with the same title but different writing prompts and assignments. In most cases the first activity is less demanding than the second. The second invites a more complex and creative response.

The teacher assigns a single unit for everyone and then allows each child to choose one of the two activities. When children have choices, they find it easier to gather their thoughts and feel an important part of the writing process. They can write at their individual level of competence. In using this book, your students will work towards Common Core Anchor Standard 3: They should be able to “write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.”

A drawing box begins each lesson. This warm-up, with clear concise directions, prepares students for writing. The teacher may decide to encourage coloring. To assist reluctant writers, writing ideas are suggested in a small box on each page. The bottom half of each page is for writing.

The last page of the book is a photocopyable teacher report form. Brief responses to writing may be sent home with children and filed in the classroom. At the conclusion of the school year, the children, as well as their families, can see the improvements in writing made during the year.