Voyager Sopris Learning Releases 'Step Up to Writing' for Grades 9-12

DALLAS, March 17, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Voyager Sopris Learning^™, provider of a comprehensive suite of evidence-based preK–12 core solutions, interventions, assessments, and professional services, is pleased to announce the release of the Fourth Edition of Step Up to Writing^® for grades 9–12; this new grade band follows the release of grades 3-5 and 6-8. Available for delivery in April, Step Up for grades 9-12 brings proven strategies to high-school students.

Step Up to Writing Fourth Edition has been completely revised to respond to steep increases in writing expectations. With a multitude of research-validated, hands-on, multisensory writing strategies and activities, Step Up to Writing helps students with a wide range of abilities become proficient in the areas of informative/explanatory, narrative and personal narrative, and opinion and argument writing. Grades 9-12 reflects the rigor of grade-specific high-school standards and supports students in reaching sophistication in all areas of language use.

Key highlights of the new edition include:

• Support for the writing, language, reading, and speaking and listening college and career readiness standards
• New emphasis on using technology for research and to publish students' work
• Teacher videos that model point-of-use strategies
• Comprehensive sections and strategies for standards-emphasized text types
• Unit maps that sequence instructional strategies
• A more robust assessment component
• Online CCSS Finder to locate strategies based on specific standards

"Rigorous writing assessments are in place to prepare high school students for success in college and in their careers. Step Up to Writing provides the strategies they need to become skillful, confident writers for any purpose in any content area," said George Logue, president of Voyager Sopris Learning. "The online professional development and face-to-face resources in the new edition of Step Up to Writing, Grades 9–12, model effective writing instruction for teachers in all subject areas so they can help students learn and apply specific strategies for all types of writing."

Although completely revised, the new edition retains the key elements that have made Step Up to Writing a top pick among educators: multimodal instruction, flexible implementation options, compatibility with any core curriculum, support for writing across content areas, and a comprehensive suite of proven writing strategies.

To learn more about the new edition of Step Up to Writing, visit www.voyagersopris.com/stepuptowriting.

About Voyager Sopris Learning

Voyager Sopris Learning^™ is committed to partnering with school districts to overcome obstacles that students, teachers, and school leaders face every day. The suite of instructional and service solutions we provide is not only research based, but also evidence based—proven to increase student achievement and educator effectiveness. Our solutions have been fully tested in the classroom, ensuring that they are easy to implement and teacher friendly. They are innovative, both in overall instructional approach and in the strategic use of technology in blended and 100 percent online solutions, and they are supported by an unparalleled commitment to build local capacity for sustained success. With a comprehensive suite of instructional resources, we provide assessments, professional development and school-improvement services, literacy and math instructional tools—both comprehensive intervention and supplemental—and resources to build a positive school climate. Voyager Sopris Learning is a business unit of Cambium Learning^® Group, Inc. ABCD, based in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.voyagersopris.com.