Secondary students face increasing demands in OST writing, from synthesizing information across multiple texts to crafting logical, evidence-based arguments. This session provides an in-depth look at what scorers are evaluating-and how to help students meet and exceed those expectations. Participants will analyze mentor texts, explore high-impact approaches for teaching argumentation and explanatory writing, and learn practical methods for improving organization, elaboration, and precision. We will also address common challenges such as weak evidence integration, unclear reasoning, and formulaic writing. You’ll gain strategies for supporting diverse learners, building writing stamina, and using feedback cycles to strengthen student work. By the end of the session, teachers will be equipped with actionable tools, model responses, and classroom routines that drive consistent writing growth.