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First Author

First Author is a comprehensive curriculum that guides educators to teach beginning writing skills, helping ALL students learn to write as a form of expressive communication.

3 Authors Chair infographics The first with a red background and text that reads Say More 1 What else can I say about my topic 2 What else would others want to hear The middle green infographic reads Authors Chair Listening Rules 1 To get a turn with the Talking Stick keep your lips quiet and raise your hand 2 Listen to the speaker Keep your eyes on the person talking Keep your body still lips arms and legs The right orange infographic reads Be a Fearless Speller

The Only Special Education
Writing Curriculum You Need

Differentiated

Differentiated

Meet the widest range of needs for students with complex learning barriers.

Engaging

Engaging

Engage every student in the learning process, no matter their learning style or ability.

Purposeful

Purposeful

Drive meaningful progress towards IEP goals and today’s academic standards.

First Author Features

Blank Authors Chair All Star Award certification with First Author Curriculum Guide cover on the left of the certification and the cover of First Author Curriculum Mini Lessons and the right
Classroom
Management

Structured classroom time
broken down through mini-
lessons (4x/week), writing time
(4x/week), and Author’s Chair
sharing time (1x/week).

Assessment
Tools

A comprehensive
group of measurement tools
for monitoring writing development, communication,
and behavior.

Accommodation
Strategies

Guides for
instructional supports
for each student including
“writing” tools and
communication methods.

Diverse
Lessons

82 mini-lessons that are designed to repeat with variety keep students engaged.

Alternate
Assessment

Preparation to demonstrate skills using alternate assessments including DLM, STAAR, and NCSC.

What First Author Educators Say

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Case Study:

First Author Helps Teacher Spark
Writing Breakthroughs for Students

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Meet The Author

First Author was developed in partnership with an
interdisciplinary team of specialists, including Dr. Janet Sturm, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, F-ASHA

Headshot of Janet Sturm wearing a green shirt

Dr. Janet Sturm


Janet M. Sturm, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, F-AHSA, Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Central Michigan University. Dr. Sturm's research and clinical interest include developing high-quality differentiated writing instruction for students with developmental disabilities, assistive writing software, formative and summative writing assessments of beginning writers, and tools and strategies to support effective classroom communication. Her work in special education classrooms has spanned more than 30 years.

First Author Pricing

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Free Curriculum
Sampler


FREE

Get free access
to samples of
First Author materials
and try them with your
students—no credit
card required.

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Full Writing
Curriculum


$699/classroom

Getting started
with First Author
is simple. Just
inquire, implement,
then watch your
students soar.

FAQs

The First Author curriculum aligns to the expectations of the new alternate assessments, so you can feel confident that your students are getting the best writing instruction possible and will be prepared to demonstrate their skills.

Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching

DLM Essential Elements

NCSC Core Content Connectors

STAAR Alternate 2

Florida English/Language Arts Access Points

Karen A. Erickson, Ph.D.​

Karen A. Erickson, Ph.D. is Director of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill. Her focus is on understanding the best ways to assess and teach reading and writing to children with the most severe disabilities. As a special education teacher, Dr. Erickson has worked to support students with a range of disabilities in a variety of classroom settings, particularly students who do not use speech as their primary means of communication.

Website: https://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds

Author Profile: https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_Contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=110&Name=Karen+Erickson,Ph.D.

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