Q: Our school is in the process of targeting writing achievement for students in Years 1 through to 8. Students in my Years 5 and 6 class who were below or well below the writing standard at the end of their previous year have been targeted as a focus group for improvement. These students need to have their achievement accelerated. What strategies do I need to put in place to ensure that this acceleration can happen? Can this accelerated improvement be sustained over a long period?—Lanie Moore, Years 5/6 homeroom teacher, Reefton Area School A: These questions are among those that teachers and schools grapple with every day. And because they are such important questions, they are difficult questions to answer in the space of a few pages. As you will appreciate, any response will depend on what the students’ individual and collective strengths and needs are. There are, however, a number of general principles that might guide your decision making for these students ...