This report describes a program for instructing students in the writing process in order to improve their overall writing skills. The targeted population consisted of fourth and fifth grade students in a growing upper middle class community, located in northern Illinois. The writing problems of the students were documented through data revealing lack of use of process writing skills under formal and informal assessments. Analysis of probable cause data revealed that students demonstrated a lack of skills related to organization and revision in the writing process. Reviews of instructional strategies revealed a lack of teacher modeling, instruction using literature connections, time provided for student writing, revision, self-assessment, and reflection. A review of solution strategies suggested by authors and researchers resulted in the implementation of new teaching strategies. These included an increase in the time allowed for writing, more teacher modeled demonstrations of writing techniques using six writing traits (organization, ideas, word choice, sentence fluency, voice, and conventions), increased use of literature as examples of good writing, increased use of assessments and reflections, and greater opportunities for a variety of audiences. The results of this action research project showed a marked improvement in student writing for all three sites. Based on the data for improving student writing skills, the students exhibited greater ability to communicate more effectively through their writing at the conclusion of the project. Appendixes contain a writing rubric, final writing reflection, portfolio rubric, literature model, student reflection for portfolio, student self-assessment for portfolio, writing lesson plans, and original data collection scores for each of the three sites. (Contains 48 references, and 10 tables and 12 figures of data.) (Author/RS)