Writing Conferences Made Easy
A Guide for Teachers and Students

Writing conferences can transform your students’ growth as writers. They’re a chance to provide personalized support, build confidence, and create a respectful classroom community where students help each other thrive. They are not another thing to add to your teacher’s plate (already way too full) and for you to make time to do it by yourself. Once modeled and explored, these student conferences can all be done in bets. Writing conferences can be done as a whole group, with pairs and groups of students, or as a teacher-student conference.
This guide takes the guesswork out of conferences, offering practical tools and strategies to make them manageable and meaningful.
Building a Foundation for Successful Conferences
Before diving into writing conferences, teaching, modeling, and practicing how they work is essential. Students need a clear understanding of expectations and the purpose of conferences. Here’s how to get started:
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Teach Norms and Expectations:
- Explain that conferences are about growth and improvement, not criticism. Use examples to show how constructive feedback helps writers, such as the inspiring video “Austin’s Butterfly” (you can find it on YouTube).” This quick video demonstrates how specific feedback leads to meaningful progress for the learner.
- Build a supportive classroom community by asking students to acknowledge that everyone wants to see each other succeed. A quick show of hands or survey can reinforce this shared goal.
- As a class, create an anchor chart reminding students how they should talk and treat each other during writing conferences. You may consider adding behavior expectations and a list of what one would see and hear during a writing conference. As a class, you could even brainstorm phrases you could use as you work together.
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Introduce the Traits of Good Writing:
- Discuss what makes writing effective and clear. Use anchor charts or class discussions to explore traits like ideas, organization, voice, word choice, and conventions. Share a scoring rubric with students so they understand how their writing will be evaluated.
- Remember that students can’t be expected to talk about improving their writing when they haven’t been exposed to good writing and discussed the parts of effective writing. The Traits of Writing is a resource that introduces this topic.
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Introduce the Writing Process:
- Help students understand the steps of the writing process: pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Provide visual aids, such as a classroom anchor chart, to give them a clear road map of what to expect.
- Reinforce that the writing process is cyclical, and revisiting steps is a natural part of improving their work.
- Consider introducing the steps of the Writing Process before their first extended writing piece. Something like this resource can be quick and effective.
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Use the Classroom Writing Rubric to Guide Conferences:
- Could you provide students with the writing rubric used in your class? This will give them a clear understanding of how their work is evaluated and what they can improve.
- Students should use the rubric to self-assess their writing before conferences, identifying areas they want to focus on during their discussions.
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Practice Conference Roles:
- Could you model a conference with a student or a fellow teacher? Then, let students practice with each other while you observe and guide them. Focus on building confidence and reinforcing norms.
- Introduce one type of writing conference at a time. Make sure to introduce the type of conference you are modeling and allow students to guess what they might see during this type of conference. Chart their answers and let them check off what they see. The more involved the students are in creating the conferences, the more invested they are in seeing them work.

Types of Writing Conferences
1. Student-Teacher Conferences
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Purpose: A one-on-one check-in where the teacher reviews the student’s writing goals, progress, and next steps. The student is running this conference and has decided on their goal, how well they are progressing, and what their next steps will be. The teacher listens, guides, and encourages as the student takes ownership of their learning and writing goals.
- How to Run It:
- Preparation: Students score their own writing using the classroom writing rubric. They identify one area to improve, usually a lower-scored area. Beginning writers may need to focus on just one aspect to keep it manageable. Students also prepare by noting what strategy or focus they’ll use to address their chosen goal.
- Discussion: When the student meets with the teacher, they share their goals, their plan, and the progress they’ve made in their writing. The teacher can then guide them through areas where they are stuck, provide suggestions, or offer examples to help them grow in their targeted area. For example, if a student’s goal is to use more descriptive details, the teacher might say, “Can you show me a part where you’ve added description? What could make it even more vivid?”
- Feedback: Offer targeted and specific feedback, such as, “I love how you used dialogue here! You really are adding more dialogue. Nicely done. Remember to read carefully to ensure the reader knows who is speaking by including expressions or actions.” The teacher may provide a real-text example to illustrate the suggestion. Students respond by agreeing or asking clarifying questions.
- Goal Setting: The student sets a specific goal for their next draft, such as “Add sensory details to describe the setting” or “Include more transitions between paragraphs.” Goals should be clear and actionable to give students direction for their next steps.
- What to Do with Reluctant or Unprepared Students:
- If a student arrives without preparation, use the time to model how to assess their writing and set a goal. For example, review the rubric with them and help them identify one strength and one area to improve. Reinforce the importance of coming prepared for future conferences.
- Teacher’s Key Phrases:
- “Tell me about your favorite part of your story.”
- “What’s one thing you are working to improve?”
- “What are you proudest of?”
- “What is your goal for this piece?”
- “How can I support you in your goal?”**
- “Tell me about your favorite part of your story.”
- “What’s one thing you are working to improve?”
- “What are you proudest of?”
- “What is your goal for this piece?”
- “How can I support you in your goal?”

2. Peer Planning Conferences
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Purpose: Students collaborate to brainstorm or share outlines or planning for their story. These are held at the beginning of a writing assignment during the Pre-writing (planning) phase. Students confer with each other. One student talks while the other student (or students) listens to the story idea. The listening student ensures the story idea runs smoothly together and asks questions when the ideas become muddled. Young writers can usually catch their own mistakes or confusions when they get used to talking their storyline out first.
- How to Run It:
- Preparation: Before the conference, students should have a basic outline or idea ready to share. Encourage them to jot down their main idea, characters, and setting to provide structure to their discussion.
- Sharing Ideas: Pair or group students to share their ideas. One student speaks while the others listen carefully. Students take turns explaining their storyline, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to share.
- Guided Discussion: Use prompts to guide the discussion, such as “Does my plan make sense?” or “Listen to this part” or “I want this to happen, so I will…” Encourage listeners to ask clarifying questions and provide constructive feedback to help refine ideas.
- Constructive Feedback: Remind students that feedback should be specific and helpful. Instead of saying, “That’s great,” suggest improvements like, “I think your ending could be stronger if you explain why the character made that choice.” If parts of the story are confusing, students should point them out respectfully.
- Follow-Up: After the discussion, students write down at least one piece of feedback they plan to incorporate and one thing they feel confident about in their plan.
- What to Do with Reluctant or Unprepared Students:
- If a student is unprepared, pair them with a stronger peer who can guide the conversation. Model how to break down a vague idea into a more detailed plan. Provide sentence starters if necessary to help them articulate their thoughts.
- Student Checklist:
- Share your idea or outline clearly.
- Ask your partner for feedback.
- Write down at least one suggestion to improve your plan.
- Thank your partner for their help.
- You don’t have to use every suggestion or idea, but consider them from the listener’s perspective. They represent your target audience.
- Key Phrases for Students:
- “Does this part make sense?”
- “What do you think about my character’s problem?”
- “Do you think this event fits with the rest of the story?”
- “I’m not sure about this part—what do you think?”

3. Peer Editing Conferences
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Purpose: Students exchange drafts to provide constructive feedback after they have written their first draft. These conferences are held during the revising process to ensure there are no gaps or confusing parts and that students meet the goals they were working on.
- How to Run It:
- Preparation: Before the conference, students should review their partner’s writing goal and read the draft thoroughly. Please encourage students to make notes or highlight sections they want to address during the discussion.
- Feedback Discussion: Pair students to exchange drafts. The student author begins by sharing their writing goal and pointing out any specific areas where they need feedback (e.g., “Does my ending make sense?” or “Do I have enough details in this part?”). Their partner listens and then provides targeted constructive feedback.
- Using the Checklist: Students use a peer editing checklist to focus on organization, clarity, conventions, and the writing goal. Feedback should include one specific compliment and one actionable suggestion.
- Follow-Up: After receiving feedback, the student author reviews the suggestions and decides which ones to implement in their next draft. Students can discuss suggestions they don’t fully understand to clarify their peer’s intent.
- What to Do with Reluctant or Unprepared Students:
- If students struggle to provide feedback, pair them with a stronger peer editor and model the process together. Provide sentence starters or prompts to guide their feedback, such as, “I like how you…” or “This part could be clearer if you…”
- For unprepared authors, use the time to review their writing goals and rubrics together to refocus their efforts before the next conference.
- Student Checklist:
- Read your partner’s draft carefully.
- Use the checklist to guide your feedback.
- Share at least one compliment and one actionable suggestion.
- Ask clarifying questions if you don’t understand a part of their writing.
- Thank your partner for their feedback.
- Key Phrases for Students:
- “I liked how you…”
- “This part was really clear because…”
- “I was confused about…”
- “Maybe you could try…”
- “What if you added…”
- Example Activity: Provide students with sticky notes to write compliments and suggestions as they read their partner’s work. After discussing, they can attach these notes to the draft for the author to reference during revisions.
- Read your partner’s draft carefully.
- Use the checklist to guide your feedback.
- Share at least one compliment and one suggestion.

4. Whole-Group Writing Meetings
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Purpose: Collaboratively discuss a writing topic or address common challenges. These meetings allow students to seek feedback on a specific problem or challenge they are stuck on. This is to clarify one issue or thought—NOT to share their entire writing piece or dominate the discussion.
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How to Run It:
- Preparation: Identify a focus topic for the meeting, such as “How to write a strong introduction” or “Ways to add sensory details.” Alternatively, keep it open-ended and ask students to prepare one specific question or challenge they’d like help with.
- Structured Sharing: Begin by having a student share their specific challenge. For example, a student might say, “I’m not sure if my ending ties back to the beginning of my story.” Encourage concise and focused explanations to keep the meeting moving.
- Class Brainstorming: As a group, brainstorm possible solutions or ideas. Please encourage students to offer constructive and specific feedback, ensuring the discussion stays positive and solution-oriented.
- Reflection: After the discussion, ask students to reflect on how the ideas or solutions apply to their own writing. For instance, “What idea from today’s meeting could you use to improve your draft?”
- Stick to Norms: Establish clear norms for participation and time limits to ensure the meeting is productive and everyone’s time is respected.
- What to Do with Reluctant or Overly Talkative Students:
- Encourage reluctant participants to bring even a small issue or question to the group to practice sharing. Pair them with a peer beforehand to help them articulate their thoughts.
- For overly talkative students, gently remind them of the norms and time limits. You can use a timer if necessary to keep discussions balanced and fair.
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Student Checklist:
- Prepare one specific question or challenge to share with the group.
- Listen carefully to ideas and feedback from peers.
- Take notes on suggestions or strategies you find helpful.
- Reflect on how the group’s feedback applies to your own writing.
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Key Phrases for Students:
- “I’m stuck on this part… Can you help?”
- “Does this section make sense?”
- “How can I make this idea stronger?”
- “What do you think about my character’s actions here?”
- Example Activity: Create a collaborative anchor chart during the meeting with solutions, tips, and strategies discussed. For example, if the focus is on writing strong conclusions, the chart might include phrases like “Tie back to the opening scene” or “Use a question to leave the reader thinking.” Post this chart in the classroom for ongoing reference.** Create a class anchor chart with tips and strategies discussed. Include phrases and feedback suggestions.
Teacher Tools for Success
Setting Up for Success:
- Scheduling: Rotate through students over a week or two, ensuring everyone gets individual time. Allow students to sign up for conferences when they are ready, but keep a roster to ensure reluctant writers don’t slip through the cracks. If a student seems hesitant, approach them gently to build trust and encourage participation.
- Time Management: Keep conferences brief (5-10 minutes). To stay on track, establish a routine where students come prepared with their goals and examples ready to discuss. Use a timer or visual cue if needed to ensure time is used effectively. Focused conferences are efficient and leave students feeling supported and motivated to continue working.
- Tracking Progress: Use a simple conference notes template to jot down key points, goals, and feedback for each student. Alternatively, allow students to maintain their own notes, adding teacher comments as needed. These notes can be stored in a writer’s journal, a dedicated folder, or stapled to their drafts for easy reference. Regularly reviewing these notes helps track growth over time and ensures accountability.
Words and Phrases for Teachers:
- “What’s working well in your writing?”
- “What is your goal for this piece?”
- “Can you show me a section where you’re focusing on improving your goal?”
- “Before, your goal was ____. I can see you’re incorporating that here. Great job!”
- “What’s one thing you’d like to try next?”
Additional Tips:
- Create a dedicated space for conferences in the classroom, such as a small table or corner, to provide a quiet and focused environment.
- Establish norms for the rest of the class during conferences, such as independent work or peer collaboration, to minimize interruptions.
- Celebrate progress! Highlight improvements during conferences to build confidence and excitement about writing.
These tools and strategies will help you streamline your writing conferences and ensure they are impactful for every student.
Final Thoughts
Writing conferences are a powerful way to empower students, build a respectful classroom community, and make writing time more effective. You can make conferences a positive and manageable part of your routine by providing structure, clear expectations, and support tools.
Remember that writing conferences are not just about improving drafts; they’re about nurturing confident, thoughtful writers. These moments of personalized attention can inspire students to take ownership of their writing journey, fostering growth and a love for the craft.
Start small and stay consistent. Whether a quick peer planning session or a detailed teacher-student conference, each step builds toward a stronger writing community in your classroom.
Let’s help your students thrive as writers—one conference at a time!
Ready to Jumpstart Your Writing Conferences?
Get started with our free Writing Survey Template! This simple tool helps you better understand your students’ writing strengths, goals, and needs, making your conferences even more impactful.
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