This study was an investigation of the strategies and supports used by adult basic and literacy education (ABLE) teachers who had students in their classrooms who were successful writers. Teachers of successful writers were defined as having had two or more students published in two or more volumes of the student anthology, Beginnings. Based on that definition, the participants of this study were four ABLE teachers and their current students.

Data were collected with teacher surveys, classroom observations, teacher and student interviews, and classroom documents. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Interrater reliability for the resulting analysis was 90% or above. Data analysis showed that all four teachers in this study used some of the research based strategies for helping students improve their writing but none of the teachers used all of the strategies found in the research. These strategies could be grouped into three categories: strategies used to help students start writing, strategies used to help students keep writing, and strategies used to focus instruction on student needs.

In addition to the strategies, these teachers also used a variety of supports. These supports were grouped into the following categories: caring for students, valuing students' writing, and encouraging students.

Other conclusions based on this study were that the instructional strategies for improving the writing of K-12 students seem to be effective for adult literacy students, the student anthology Beginnings is a useful instructional tool for adult literacy teachers, participating in Beginnings had an influence on the teachers' writing instruction, and emotional support is a key ingredient of effective writing instruction.

The implications for practice and future research are discussed. Appendices contain the data collection tools and classroom documents.