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Grades level iconsGrades 1, 10–12, 2–9, k
Genre information iconInformational, Narrative, Persuasive, Poetry
Resource type iconEducator

Teaching Writing With Mentor Texts

by Shavonde Chase, Ashley Houston-King, Kathy Seipp, and Bryan Wilson, 826 Digital Educator Leaders
This Educator Tool shares practical tips and useful resources for teaching writing using mentor texts.
What You Will Do

When you think of the word mentor, what images do you conjure? Does a trusted adult from your youth—a coach, a teacher, a family friend— come to mind? Do you imagine your students supporting each other through in-class assignments and collaborating on group projects? Or perhaps the word mentor simply reminds you of its most basic definition: to teach.

Mentor texts do just that: teach. On a practical level, mentor texts introduce students to new vocabulary, model story structures, and demonstrate the craft of writing in a specific genre. Going deeper, however, mentor texts can also fill the role of that trusted figure or supportive friend in your learning space. Mentor texts can broaden students’ worldviews or shine a light on characters who look and sound just like them. They can help students connect to the past and build their ideas about the future.

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