Writing Instruction and Self-Regulation for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may struggle to self-regulate their learning, and such difficulty may be especially notable in the area of written expression. One intervention that has explored self-regulation in writing is the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) approach. In this article, a review of the research using SRSD to teach children with ASD to write is conducted. Investigation yielded 11 studies including 27 participants with ASD. Results of the review indicated that students with ASD taught using an SRSD approach can improve their overall quality of writing, their discourse elements (e.g., persuasive or story) utilized, and the length of their products. Self-regulatory abilities, such as self-monitoring and planning, were also noted to improve. Suggestions for practice and future research are provided.