The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Practice Guide, "Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively," offers educators three specific, evidence-based recommendations that address the challenges of teaching students in grades 6-12 to write effectively. This summary focuses on the first of the three recommendations: Explicitly teach appropriate writing strategies using a Model-Practice-Reflect instructional cycle. The most effective way to teach writing is through: (1) explicit and direct instruction; and (2) utilizing a Model-Practice-Reflect cycle. Explicit and direct instruction suggests teaching students specific components of the writing process in addition to learning how to select and execute the steps of the writing process strategies. Through the second method, students should be able to observe a strategy being used, practice the strategy on their own, and then evaluate their own writing and use of the strategy. These strategies applied in tandem support improvement in student writing. This brief document provides steps to carry out the recommendation and identifies potential roadblocks and suggests ways to address them. [For "Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively. Educator's Practice Guide. What Works Clearinghouse.™ NCEE 2017-4002," see ED569984.]