Beyond the Paragraph: Teaching Writing in Middle School with Structure
If you're tired of guessing how to teach writing in middle school, you're in the right place. Robin Mellom is a veteran ELA teacher and published author of over ten children’s books with Disney, HarperCollins, and Houghton Mifflin. She brings the clarity and structure you've been craving without the gimmicks.
Hosted by Robin Mellom, author, middle school teacher, and creator of the Structured Writer’s Workshop™, each episode delivers practical, classroom-tested strategies that work in grades 4–8.
Learn how to implement evidence-based writing routines, like CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning), build lasting writing habits, and engage students in meaningful work that actually sticks.
Best of all, they will learn how to write like the pros!
Beyond the Paragraph: Teaching Writing in Middle School with Structure
Latest Episodes
Why Grammar Isn't Transferring to Student Writing (And How To Fix It) Ep. 27
Grammar instruction is one of those topics that sounds simple… until you’re actually in the classroom trying to make it stick. You’ve probably heard “teach grammar in context” a hundred times, but what does that really look like in practi...
Writing Test Prep That Actually Works: CER + Collaboration Ep. 26
State testing season is coming… but test prep doesn’t have to mean endless practice tests.In this video, I share some of the most effective ways to prepare students for the writing portion of the state test, especially the performance t...
RACE Writing Strategy vs C.E.R.: Which Strategy Works Better? Ep. 25
In this episode, I compare the RACE writing strategy and the CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) framework to help you decide which approach works better for students. I explain why I moved away from RACE and now use CER across all subjects, inclu...
How to Teach Writing with a "Skills First" Approach Ep. 24
In this episode, I explain how I teach writing using a skills-first approach, and why strong writing instruction shouldn’t start with essays.Instead of working backward from essay types alone, I focus on building foundational w...
Curriculum Changes Coming in 2026 for Structured Writing (Grades 4–8) Ep. 23
In this episode, I’m sharing what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and what’s evolving in my Structured Writing program for 2026.After a short break, I reflect on where writing instruction feels different right now, especially as mor...
Fan Mail
Hi! Do you think this is age appropriate for 4th grade?
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