Self-Regulated Strategy Development: Connecting Persuasive Writing to Self-Advocacy for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Abstract

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders often experience difficulties in expressive writing and social outcomes in school and beyond. Therefore, writing instruction and self-determination skills are critical for this population. This research study, in which special education teachers were trained to be implementers, successfully intertwined persuasive writing with self-determination instruction to improve students' writing and self-determination skills. Emphasis was given to teaching students how persuasive writing can be used to self-advocate for needs and wants. The Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model of writing instruction was examined with a multiple-probe-across-participants design to evaluate the instructional effects. Instruction was provided 4 days per week, 40 min per session, for 14 to 23 days. Visual analyses indicated level changes and a functional relation between the SRSD/self-determination instruction and students' writing skills. Students' essays increased for number of words written, transition words, number of essay parts, and overall quality. Furthermore, students' self-determination perceptions and knowledge as well as writing self-efficacy significantly increased as a result of instruction. Teachers implemented the intervention with high degrees of fidelity. Teacher and student interviews revealed an overall satisfaction with SRSD procedures and results.