The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Practice Guide, "Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers," offers educators four specific, evidence-based recommendations that address the challenge of teaching writing in elementary school. This summary focuses on recommendation 2b of the four recommendations: Teach students to write for a variety of purposes. Developing the ability to write for a variety of purposes provides students with the necessary skills for success in school and adulthood. Once students understand the different genres and purposes of writing, they are more likely to think critically about which type of writing they should use for each writing activity and audience. This brief document provides steps to carry out the recommendation and identifies potential roadblocks and suggests ways to address them. [For "Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers: A Practice Guide. NCEE 2012-4058," see ED533112.]