Abstract
The present study investigated the effective use of a writing strategy for enhancing sixth graders' comprehension of a world history topic. Based on an integrated communication arts approach, the procedures included speaking, listening, and reading for all students, with writing the crucial variable of difference between experimental groups. Over 4 days, the treatment group was assigned writing tasks following class brainstorming and text reading activities; in contrast, the control group was given common identification and short-answer comprehension type tasks. Based on a written posttest, results indicated that the treatment group generated significantly higher quality ideas than the control group, including fewer text-based ideas and more class brainstorming ideas, and produced more coherent, integrated writing samples. In addition, within the treatment group students significantly improved their writing with regard to both overall writing ability and the quality of ideas across the 4-day period. Recommendations for a writing strategy to enhance content area learning are discussed.