Yearlong Genre-Based Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades: An Investigation of Writing and Self-Efficacy

Traga Philippakos, Zoi A.; Rocconi, Louis M.; Macarthur, Charles A.

doi:10.3390/educsci16040603

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Yearlong Genre-Based Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades: An Investigation of Writing and Self-Efficacy

by

Zoi A. Traga Philippakos

^1,*,

Louis M. Rocconi

²

and

Charles A. Macarthur

³

¹

Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA

²

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA

³

School of Education, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(4), 603; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040603

Submission received: 2 February 2026 / Revised: 26 March 2026 / Accepted: 30 March 2026 / Published: 10 April 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Practices to Address Reading and Writing Disparities in Education)

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Abstract

This study investigated associations between a yearlong genre-based writing curriculum and students’ writing and self-efficacy outcomes. The curriculum had two stages: first, teaching genre elements without requiring use of sources and citations, and then integrating information from readings. Participants included 340 students and 3 teachers across 6th to 8th grades in a rural Title I middle school. Using a quasi-experimental, one-group pretest–posttest design with repeated measures, analysis showed significant improvements in writing quality across argumentative, compare-and-contrast, and narrative genres for all grades. Improvement patterns varied by grade and genre; self-efficacy and affect results were mixed—gains appeared in specific areas, but overall, self-efficacy decreased when reading was incorporated. Findings suggest the yearlong approach enhances writing quality but may require additional strategies to maintain student motivation.

Keywords: writing instruction; yearlong curricula; writing quality; strategy instruction; genre; self-efficacy; sources

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MDPI and ACS Style

Traga Philippakos, Z.A.; Rocconi, L.M.; Macarthur, C.A. Yearlong Genre-Based Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades: An Investigation of Writing and Self-Efficacy. Educ. Sci. 2026, 16, 603. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040603

AMA Style

Traga Philippakos ZA, Rocconi LM, Macarthur CA. Yearlong Genre-Based Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades: An Investigation of Writing and Self-Efficacy. Education Sciences. 2026; 16(4):603. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040603

Chicago/Turabian Style

Traga Philippakos, Zoi A., Louis M. Rocconi, and Charles A. Macarthur. 2026. "Yearlong Genre-Based Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades: An Investigation of Writing and Self-Efficacy" Education Sciences 16, no. 4: 603. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040603

APA Style

Traga Philippakos, Z. A., Rocconi, L. M., & Macarthur, C. A. (2026). Yearlong Genre-Based Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades: An Investigation of Writing and Self-Efficacy. Education Sciences, 16(4), 603. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040603

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Yearlong Genre-Based Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades: An Investigation of Writing and Self-Efficacy

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