Macmillan/McGraw-Hill's California Treasures Integrates Research-Based Methods to Improve Students' Writing Skills

Macmillan/McGraw-Hill has partnered with The Writers' Express to incorporate a proven research-based model for writing instruction into California Treasures, an all-new reading and language arts program for California elementary students.

The Writers' Express is a non-profit organization committed to improving students' reading and writing skills. Their strategies are based on 15 years of rigorous research carefully attuned to the real classroom environment throughout California and the nation.

California Treasures incorporates a strategic scope and sequence of writing instruction focused on first building foundational skills, such as strong sentences and paragraphs. To accelerate reading and writing growth, the program aligns phonics and spelling instruction and links phonics and vocabulary through word study lessons. Quick Writes and Writing-on-Demand assignments provide opportunities to build writing fluency and stamina needed to succeed on the California Standards Test (CST).

Strategies in California Treasures include using selected skills demonstrated to make the greatest impact on student achievement, sequenced skill instruction to drive progress, and integrated lessons to teach students both expressive and technical skills. Also, professional development opportunities integrated throughout the program help teachers develop their own skills as both writers and educators.

"The writing instruction strategies in California Treasures are based on years of research in schools across the nation, including California schools," said author Donald Bear, Ph.D., director of the E.L. Cord Foundation Center for Learning and Literacy. "Writing assignments focus on building basic skills at all grade levels and linking to student interest and experiences so that students have a purpose for their writing."

Developed to address California standards, California Treasures is a comprehensive reading and language arts program that includes differentiated instruction, an English language development program, writing instruction, and classroom management resources.

For more information about California Treasures, please visit www.califtreasures.com.

About Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Macmillan/McGraw-Hill is part of McGraw-Hill School Solutions Group (MHSSG). The group combines Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, which focuses on Grades PreK-6, and Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, which serves Grades 6-12. MHSSG is the only major educational publishing business to provide a comprehensive approach to the development of print and digital instructional materials from pre-kindergarten through high school. Additional information is available at http://www.macmillanmh.com/.

About McGraw-Hill Education

McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, is a leading global provider of print and digital instructional, assessment and reference solutions that empower professionals and students of all ages. McGraw-Hill Education has offices in 33 countries and publishes in more than 60 languages. Additional information is available at http://www.mheducation.com/.

  Contact:  Tom Stanton                        Yvonne Pentz
            McGraw-Hill Education              Paul Werth Associates
            (212) 904-3214                     (614) 224-8114
            tom_stanton@mcgraw-hill.com        ypentz@paulwerth.com

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SOURCE: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

CONTACT: Tom Stanton of McGraw-Hill Education, +1-212-904-3214,
tom_stanton@mcgraw-hill.com; or Yvonne Pentz of Paul Werth Associates,
+1-614-224-8114, ypentz@paulwerth.com

Web Site: http://www.macmillanmh.com/
http://www.mheducation.com/