The road to writing consists of two distinct but related paths. Students who successfully travel these paths often have had teachers and/or parents assisting them to safely navigate their way. Successful navigation frequently results in reinvigorating students' enthusiasm for writing even if they struggle with learning disabilities.

As part of assessments and/or high school graduation requirements in many states, students must pass a writing test. In most of those tests, students are given a writing prompt and are asked to compose an essay following the prompt's instructions. For my ELL students, the writing test posed one of the biggest challenges to their successful graduation. It's not surprising that they struggled since writing is usually one of the last language skills in which students develop proficiency.