These Kids Can't Write

Season 4, episode 11 Replay Show NotesThese 12th Graders Can't Read or WriteA Texas teacher’s viral reaction to finding 12th graders unable to complete a simple sentence frame sparks a larger conversation about literacy, expectations, and what schools can do when students are far behind. T.D. Flenaugh and Lauren Moseley unpack why the frustration is real, but also why giving up or over-scaffolding is not the answer.In this episode, they focus on how to assess students honestly at the start of the year, how to use scaffolds without keeping them forever, and how creativity, choice, and consistent practice can help older students close literacy gaps.Episode Highlights00:19 - Why a Texas 12th grade literacy meltdown went viral03:23 - What scaffolding means in practice08:24 - Why beginning-of-year assessment matters more than immediate scaffolding14:33 - Telling students where they need to be without shaming them16:32 - Grade-level standards and asking students to articulate them19:28 - How a five-page narrative helped eleventh graders succeed22:44 - Why choice helped get 100 percent work completion in some tasks26:12 - Setting a 10-minute writing goal and increasing expectations over time32:22 - Pulling back sentence frames as students improve40:33 - Why the conversation will continue with reading as well as writing41:02 - Closing advice: release scaffolds, raise expectations, and keep practice fun