SQ Write Research
Inhibit
Definition:
Control one’s own thoughts and actions
Development within SQ Write:
The Thought Organizer keeps students on a predetermined writing path and helps prevent rambling.
Shift
Definition:
Think Flexibly and move freely from one idea or activity to another
Development within SQ Write:
Self-questioning helps students to think flexibly. The Thought Organizer identifies all the parts of the whole writing product, allowing students to move between ideas and activities without effort.
Emotional Control
Definition:
Modulate emotional responses with rational thought
Development within SQ Write:
Self-questioning provides students with a simple process to develop thoughts so that they don’t become emotionally overwhelmed.
Initiate
Definition:
Begin a task and independently generate ideas
Development within SQ Write:
Students easily generate ideas through self-questioning. The Thought Organizer identifies all parts of the writing process so that students know how to begin composing sentences. Verbal rehearsal makes writing easier because students already have a mental imprint of the essay.
Working Memory
Definition:
Hold information in mind in order to complete a task
Development within SQ Write:
The Thought Organizer, Q Card, essay worksheets and Individualized Editing Booklet (IEB) provide students with visual records of their work, decreasing the load on working memory.
Planning/Organization
Definition:
Grasp main ideas and manage current and future tasks
Development within SQ Write:
Self-questioning helps students identify and convey main ideas. The Thought Organizer ensures that students manage work flow.
Organization of Materials
Definition:
Impose order on work
Development within SQ Write:
The Student Workbook contains a folder to hold all materials and helps keep students organized. The Q Card helps students effectively ask self-questions while the Thought Organizer and essay worksheets help them organize, resulting in answers and subsequent sentences and paragraphs.
Self-Monitoring
Definition:
Check work and monitor one’s own performance
Development within SQ Write:
Verbal rehearsal provides students with auditory feedback to hear if sentences sound right. Essay worksheets help ensure that students include all information needed in a detailed, complete essay. The IEB is an authentic editing tool that enables students to easily record prior writing mechanical errors so that they can avoid repeating them.
