FROM THE DESK OF The Structured Writing Teacher

  The Best Order to Teach Writing Skills in Middle School (And Why It Matters) When it comes to teaching writing in middle school, the what is important—but the when is just as crucial. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Should I teach figurative language before sentence structure?” or “Why do my students still struggle with writing hooks halfway through the year?” —you’re not alone. After years of trial, error, and real-world writing experience as a children’s book author and middle school writing teacher , I’ve developed a structured approach to teaching writing. More specifically, I’ve figured out the exact order in which to teach six essential writing skills —and today I’m breaking it all down. ✏️ These skills are the foundation of my student-led, real-world-based writing workshop , (that's a lot of hyphens!) and the sequence I use isn’t random.  It’s purposeful, practical, and incredibly effective at getting students confident, motivated, and writing with ...