Why Writing More Isn’t Enough, The Power of Sentence-Level Writing Instruction, Writing and Multilingual Learners, and Better Feedback for Developing Writers.
Recently, I had the privilege of speaking with Natalie Wexler, an education journalist, researcher, and co-author of the influential book The Writing Revolution. For educators across the country, her work has become synonymous with a renewed focus on literacy, knowledge building, and the critical role writing plays in helping students become stronger thinkers. As someone who works with multilingual learners and adult English learners, I’ve long been interested in the intersection of reading, writing, language acquisition, and cognitive science. Wexler’s work has helped shape many of the national conversations surrounding these topics, making this discussion especially meaningful.
One of the central themes of our conversation was a question many teachers have wrestled with for years: Why doesn’t simply writing more automatically lead to better writing? As Wexler explains, writing is one of the most cognitively demanding tasks students undertake. While educators would never expect students to become proficient readers simply by reading without some guidance and instruction, many classrooms have historically approached writing as if students would naturally improve through repeated practice alone. The reality, she argues, is that most students require explicit instruction to develop strong writing skills. Period.
Our discussion then turned to one of the hallmarks of The Writing Revolution: sentence-level instruction. Wexler emphasizes that students who struggle to construct coherent sentences are unlikely to produce effective paragraphs and essays. More importantly, sentence-level practice helps reduce cognitive overload. When students become more comfortable constructing sentences, they free up mental resources that can then be devoted to organization, analysis, and deeper thinking.
For multilingual learners, this insight is particularly powerful.
In this conversation, we explored the challenge many English learners face when transitioning from conversational English to academic language. Wexler shared that students often write the way they speak, and that written academic language must often be taught almost as a “second language” in its own right. Through structured sentence work, explicit vocabulary instruction, and deliberate exposure to complex syntax, students begin developing the language necessary for academic success.
One aspect of the conversation I found especially valuable was Wexler’s discussion of feedback. Rather than overwhelming students by correcting every mistake at once, she acknowledged the value of targeted instruction that focuses on one or two key areas at a time. This approach not only makes feedback more manageable but also helps students experience success, an essential ingredient in maintaining motivation. Throughout the interview, Wexler repeatedly returned to an important message: writing instruction is not simply about producing better essays. It is about helping students think more clearly, communicate more effectively, and engage more deeply with knowledge.
For educators working with multilingual learners, adult learners, and students who continue to struggle with writing, this conversation offers practical insights grounded in both classroom experience and research. It was very enlightening speaking with Natalie Wexler. Her work continues to influence educators around the world, and our discussion reinforces an important truth: effective writing instruction is one of the most powerful tools we have for supporting literacy development.
I invite you to watch the full interview and reflect on how these ideas connect to your own teaching practice. Whether you teach elementary students, secondary learners, or adults learning English, there is something in this conversation that can inform and strengthen your work. Together, we can continue building stronger readers, writers, and thinkers…one sentence at a time.
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