Teacher's Guide to Organizational Strategies for Thinking and Writing - (Wrinkles in Teaching: A Guidebooks for Teachers) by Billie F Birnie

About the Book

A Guide to Organizational Strategies for Thinking and Writing offers teachers and students ten patterns for arranging ideas that will expand their repertoire of organizational skills. Each pattern is illustrated by passages that model the strategy, and each is accompanied by a...

Book Synopsis

A Guide to Organizational Strategies for Thinking and Writing offers teachers and students ten patterns for arranging ideas that will expand their repertoire of organizational skills. Each pattern is illustrated by passages that model the strategy, and each is accompanied by an assignment that invites application and practice.

Review Quotes

Billie Birnie's Guide to Organizational Strategies for Thinking and Writing helps students to understand the different ways in which good writing is organized. Students often learn by emulating, and the mentor texts found in this book provide students with rich practice. A great addition to any writing teacher's toolbox.


Dr. Billie Birnie incorporates the natural way we learn into her carefully structured steps for teaching writing. I can't think of any other book which actually teaches organizational strategies. As teachers, we all know the terms: chronological, spatial, topical, comparison, comparison-contrast--but wait! There are more: question-answer, traditional narrative, point-counterpoint, and, amazingly, my favorite--extended analogy. Point-counterpoint? A strategy for organizing an essay? Brilliant! In fact, this entire guidebook is not only brilliant; it gives teachers precise guidelines for teaching multiple kinds of essays. I commend Dr. Birnie for providing this balanced approach to teaching these organizational strategies for writing.

We are all used to texts that promote one theory or another but never give us the bedrock. That's what Dr. Birnie does in this guidebook: gives teachers of all grade levels (designated in the text) models for developing interesting, provocative, well-structured essays.

What I especially value in Dr. Birnie's approach is that she does not limit young writers. She does not proclaim that the five-paragraph essay is essential. What she does do is allow for that model, if it is appropriate, along with many others. There is room for the innovative, creative student as well as for the student who needs the secure structure that is always provided. In fact, this guidebook provides a complete lesson plan which utilizes the strategies in the book to teach modeling rhythm and rhyme; this one lesson can be adapted to any age level.

I hope that this guidebook will be widely used in teacher training as well as in workshops at every level, from department to district to writing projects nationwide. I commend Dr. Birnie for providing this balanced approach to teaching these organizational strategies for writing.


Dr. Billie Birnie's book is the perfect blend of theory and practice for elementary, middle, high school, and adult education teachers. Divided into three sections, the book provides an outline of the fundamentals of writing; followed by a list of critical steps to follow for writing success; and organizational strategies to writing.

The third section describes how to write in ten different ways, and highly engaging passages are included as examples for writers at each educational level. In addition to the narrative descriptions, Dr. Birnie compiles the organizational strategies into a chart for easy reference.

This book makes the teaching of writing approachable with outstanding models to follow. Her book as a smorgasboard of ideas for teachers to use to motivate and empower student writers.

I highly recommend this book!


What a gem! Written with clarity, precision and perceptiveness, A Teacher'sGuide to Organizational Strategies for Thinking and Writing presents ten exquisitely crafted teaching strategies for teaching writing, set in a framework for understanding how clear thinking and skillful writing are developed and nurtured!
In her guide, Dr. Billie Birniereveals the power of structure and models for helping students become mature writers and thinkers. At the same time, her guidance artfully balances direct instruction with reminders to teachers to honor student preferences and individual needs so that one never forgets who "owns the writing."

A Teacher's Guide to Organizational Strategies for Thinking and Writing is a must-have book for anyone serious about teaching thinking and writing while honing the craft of teaching.

About the Author

Billie F. Birnie, PhD, has been teaching writing most of her life, first to students in elementary, middle, and senior high schools, and in recent years, to prospective and experienced teachers. Her published writing ranges from poetry and memoir to professional articles and books on teaching and learning.