Tracey Biscontini, a veteran editor and the founder of Northeast Editing, Inc., is calling on educators, content creators, and education companies to prioritise clarity and purpose in the materials they produce for students. In a newly released feature article, Biscontini shares insights from over 30 years of experience in educational publishing, urging others to think beyond deadlines and word counts.

"If students don’t understand it, it doesn’t matter how well it’s written," says Biscontini. "Good writing in education isn’t about flair—it’s about function."

The Impact of Confusing Content on Learning

Studies have shown that more than 65% of students in grades 4–8 struggle with reading comprehension when materials are too complex or lack structure. According to the Nation’s Report Card, only 33% of eighth graders in the U.S. are proficient in reading.

"We’ve worked on projects where the original brief was packed with jargon or overly clever language," she says. "We had to slow down, simplify, and remember who the reader was—a child, not a scholar."

Her team once turned a dense topic like Mesopotamian trade into a short, age-appropriate story about a child bartering goats for grain. "That piece got the point across, and students actually connected with it," she said.

A Quiet but Urgent Call to Action

Biscontini is not asking for sweeping policy changes—she’s advocating for daily choices. Clearer instruction. Better questions. More thoughtful editing.

"You don’t need to overhaul the whole system," she notes. "Just ask yourself, ‘Who am I writing for?’ If the answer is ‘students,’ then every word should honour that."

She also stresses the role of editors and project managers in catching confusing material before it reaches the classroom. "Sometimes we’re the last eyes on a piece before a child sees it. That’s not just editing—it’s responsibility."

A Culture of Purpose and Precision

At Northeast Editing, Biscontini’s philosophy extends to how she trains her team. Writers are tested not with resumes, but with real tasks: crafting a multiple-choice question, writing answer rationales, and showing they understand how students think.

"One solid question tells me more than a polished portfolio," she says. "You can teach voice, but you can’t teach care."

What You Can Do

Biscontini encourages teachers, tutors, writers, and curriculum developers to:

• Read their content out loud before submitting.

• Test instructions or questions on someone unfamiliar with the subject.

• Cut anything that sounds smart but isn’t helpful.

"It’s not always glamorous work," she adds, "but it makes a difference. And we all have a role to play."

Media Contact
Contact Person: Tracey Biscontini
Email: Send Email
City: Old Forge
State: Pennsylvania
Country: United States
Website: traceybiscontinipennsylvania.com