Writing Rhetorically: Fostering Responsive Thinkers and Communicators

by Jennifer Fletcher

Writing Fostering Responsive Thinkers and Communicators, author Jennifer Fletcher aims to cultivate independent learners through rhetorical thinking. She provides teachers with strategies and frameworks for writing instruction that can be applied across multiple subjects and lesson plans. Students learn to discover their own questions, design their own inquiry process, develop their own positions and purposes, make their own choices about content and form, and contribute to conversations that matter to them. Inside this book, Fletcher helps remove some of the scaffolding and explains how to put in practice some methods which can successfully Inquiry, Invention, and Rhetorical Thinking Writing for Transfer Paraphrasing, Summary, Synthesis, and Citation Skills Research Skills and Processes Evidence-Based Reasoning Rhetorical Decision Making' Rhetorical decision making helps students develop the skills, knowledge, and mindsets needed for transfer of the ability to adapt and apply learning in new settings. The more choices students make as writers, the better prepared they are to analyze and respond to diverse rhetorical situations.' Writing Rhetorically' shows teachers what it looks like to dig into real texts with students and novice writers and how it develops them for lifelong learning.

Genres: Education, Professional Development, Nonfiction

318 pages, Paperback

Published July 14, 2021

Reviews

[Kenzie]

This was a tad long for my taste, and some of it went over my head (and would definitely need to be wayyyy scaffolded for my students), but I really appreciate Fletcher's beliefs about writing for transfer. All of her ideas are such important discussions to be having as English teachers (especially during this age of AI), and I got a lot of great ideas from this book.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I marinated on this one and read it slowly, as I usually do with books related to my profession/the art of teaching. This one totally has me rethinking how I teach research as a librarian, and I want to try some of the writing activities with students as well. I would say this is a must if you teach AP Lang. But all middle and high school teachers could benefit from reading it.

[Lisa Penninga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have read for teaching how to write the essays in AP LANG. Incredibly helpful, so many lesson ideas and templates, and real life teacher experiences from the amazing Jennifer Fletcher. She teaches so students can use their learning throughout life, not just the exam.

[Keisha Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer Fletcher’s Writing Rhetorically is an invaluable resource for ELAR educators at both the secondary and post-secondary levels. With clarity, accessibility, and a deep understanding of pedagogy, Fletcher presents insights that bridge the gap between theory and practical classroom application. Her approach is not only engaging but also profoundly effective in fostering meaningful skill transfer beyond the English classroom.

One of Fletcher’s greatest strengths is her ability to explain complex rhetorical concepts in a way that is digestible for both teachers and students. She doesn’t just provide strategies—she unpacks the reasoning behind them, offering a strong rationale for each activity. This focus on metacognition helps educators guide students toward a deeper understanding of writing as a process rather than just a product.

A central theme in Writing Rhetorically is the need for students to apply their writing and analytical skills across disciplines and in real-world contexts. Fletcher challenges the common tendency for students to compartmentalize their learning, treating skills as class-specific rather than broadly applicable. By emphasizing interdisciplinary connections and the transfer of rhetorical strategies beyond the classroom, she provides a framework that makes writing instruction more relevant, adaptable, and enduring.

What sets this book apart is its balance between theory and hands-on practice. Fletcher doesn’t simply advocate for change—she equips educators with concrete examples, adaptable lesson ideas, and models that can be readily implemented. Whether discussing rhetorical reading, argumentation, or the recursive nature of writing, her work encourages thoughtful, student-centered instruction that fosters genuine engagement and intellectual curiosity.

For any ELAR teacher looking to elevate their instruction and help students see writing as a dynamic, transferable skill, Writing Rhetorically is a must-read. Fletcher’s insights make this book not just an excellent reference but an essential tool for creating a more rhetorically aware and empowered generation of writers.

[Alana Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few school systems that do not tout the importance of preparing students for post-secondary readiness and success. At the same time, however, few have specific, concrete strategies to nudge all students toward this goal. Writing Rhetorically is a gift for teachers, writers, students, and anyone wanting to building confidence for reading and writing rhetorically—an important skill for post-secondary literacy readiness and success no matter what next steps students choose. One of my favorite quotes among many in Writing Rhetorically is, “Students don’t get better at making choices if all the choices are made for them. We need to move novices past mimicking the forms of academic writing without fully experiencing the intellectual processes that produce those forms in authentic contexts.” Fletcher weaves this eloquent point throughout the book, guiding instructional options with relevant examples and beautifully crafted metaphors. One of my academic mentors often asserts that "Telling is not teaching." Jennifer Fletcher certainly understands this as every intentional word in Writing Rhetorically aims to show rather than tell how to engage students in rhetorical thinking, allowing them to make choices and move toward independence and confidence in intellectual processes.

[Debs Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb resource for teaching writing--particularly research writing, but having moved into AP Language the last couple of years I have developed a new appreciation of the importance of the Rhetorical Situation in all writing. This book takes that idea and shows how you can teach transferrable skills intentionally that benefit students in writing for school assignments but writing generally, in any context--including the ones we can't imagine right now. I am primarily using this to develop skills in the younger classes to better prepare them for AP Seminar, but also just to make them more skilled writers.

[Adam Gutschenritter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was thought producing and I think it might be the beginning of my next phase of history teacher. The idea here is to move beyond the “scripted” and scaffolded approach to teaching wrong and instead teach students the writing process rhetorically, “forcing” them to learn the reasons behind their choices.

[Melissa Braden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer Fletcher never disappoints.