This paper examines, from the perspective of mediated action (Wertsch, 1991, 1998), the ways in which an experienced, primary‐grade teacher used and continually modified an instructional too—“the practice page”—to mediate specific aspects of interactive writing, an approach to beginning writing instruction. The authors provide a detailed, theoretical account of the teacher's use of this instructional tool and argue that it provided a context for the kinds of explicit instruction and authentic activity that research demonstrates is essential to young children's literacy learning.

Students often experience academic writing in school as difficult, irrelevant, and hard to focus on. Student voice has been shown to have a positive effect in the education of young adolescents including better grades, attendance, and increased engagement in their learning. When students are motivated and feel positive about their writing, their writing performance is improved. This chapter presents the process, product, and reflection of a student-led inquiry project aimed at empowering students and improving their writing by three literacy educators. Sixth-grade students generated issues important to them, researched topics, decided on solutions, and carried out those solutions. Researchers recorded student conversations, collected writing, and artifacts from the project. They reflect on the process including teacher bias, honoring student choice, and the importance of prewriting. Suggestions for practice and implications are provided.