Tips for Successful Student Writing Conferences in ELA

If the thought of student writing conferences makes you break out in a cold sweat, this one’s for you. Student writing conferences seem like a good idea, but the implementation can be a headache. Trying to conference with every student feels impossible. You’re not sure what to say during conferences or if you’re even helping. And then, you have to manage behavior while also meeting 1:1 with students. The good news is student writing conferences don’t have to be that way. After years of practice, I found tried-and-true strategies for student writing conferences that make them worth it.

Tips for Successful Student Writing Conferences

#1 Let Go of Rigid Schedules

In all honesty, having a firm schedule or even a specific number of students to meet with is setting yourself up for failure. If you want conferences to be a regular thing in your classroom, you have to be willing to let go of that rigid schedule. 

Instead, set up a flexible system so that when students are done with their draft, they can easily get feedback from you. For instance, I had students come up to my desk or raise their hands when they were ready to conference. If the line got long, students wrote their names on the board and read a book while they waited.

If you’re thinking, “Well, I want to track data about students. Doesn’t that get messy without a schedule?” Not really. I had one binder for each of my ELA class periods and within each binder, a tab for each student. Behind their tab, I had writing conference forms, so I just flipped to their name and began jotting notes. You could also use a Google Doc or Sheet to track information there.

#2 Keep it Casual

To take some pressure off both my students and myself, I kept things super casual. Sometimes, I would grab my binder and sit down right next to the student – and we’d get to work. We kept the focus on their individual work, and I relied on the relationships I’d built with them to guide our conversations. 

Because we kept it casual, students actually wanted to show me what they were working on! I know that sounds fake (“Really, Martina? Middle schoolers wanting to talk about writing?”), but it’s true! It felt like a conversation, not an analysis of all the things they did wrong.

I used my binder to keep track of everything, but that was about as formal as it got. During the writing conference with students, I’d jot down things they were doing well, things they needed to work on, and various observations I was making. This helped me keep track of what each student was working on and informed my discussions whenever I’d check back in with them. 

#3 Take Away the Pressure

Writing conferences with students are not tests or quizzes, and it’s important to make sure they know that. Students don’t need to be “prepared” for their conference. Not only is preparing 100+ of your students for conferences unrealistic, but it also makes students feel nervous and can make them more guarded during your conferences. 

Instead of asking them what questions they might have, just start reading over their essay. As I was reading, they would start reading along with me. Let’s be honest: students don’t usually take the time to look over their work. Naturally, they would start to notice issues. “Oh, I misspelled that.” or “I didn’t mean to put that there.” The corrections would feel really natural.

#4 Note Common Struggles

Another plus to student writing conferences is that you can gather information on what your students are struggling with. Take note of the various skills that seem to trip students up, and use that information as you move into the upcoming lessons. This will help you create mini-lessons and form small groups. 

Noting common struggles also helps you scaffold your writing lessons. When you know what students are struggling with, you can find ways to prepare reviews of those skills and intervene accordingly.

#5 Prepare for the Early Finishers

Another secret to successful writing conferences is to prepare for students who finish early and might be waiting to meet with you. You and I both know that ELA classes are short enough, and you don’t want to waste time, especially as students wait to meet. 

Instead, give students clear directions on what they should do if they finish or are waiting. I usually had my students read independently during this time, but you could also have them start a new writing prompt (like a creative writing activity). 

On the other hand, you’ll also likely have students who rush through their work to get to meet with you. In these instances, it’s important to remind them that you’re there to be a support, but not a crutch. 

Student writing conferences bring so much value to ELA classrooms, and they don’t have to be complicated. Put systems in place that work for you and your students, keep it casual, and use the information you gain to support your writers.