Writing for pleasure is at an unprecedented low. In our recent research, fewer than 3 in 10 (28.7%) of young people aged 8 to 18 said that they enjoy writing in their free time.
But we know that writing is a powerful tool to support children and young people's creativity, self-expression and wellbeing. We also found that, of those who write for pleasure, 2 in 5 (40.4%) did so to relax, and 1 in 3 (33.1%) because it made them feel happy.
In the classroom, finding a love of writing can support pupil's academic potential - igniting the abilities that the SPAG tests can't reach. As teachers and practitioners, you have the opportunity to support pupils to find the writing that engages them.
At the National Literacy Trust our definition of literacy is deliberately broad because we know that a narrow focus will not raise literacy levels for our target communities. Through our CPD and resources offer, we are committed to ensuring that teachers and education practitioners are equipped to support the broad needs of their pupils.
In this article, you'll find resources to help you develop engaging and creative strategies for improving writing in your school.
To kick off, here are our top tips for getting started:
Five ways to encourage writing in primary school classrooms
- Celebrate National Writing Day in your school and start, or reinvigorate, the conversation about supporting children to write in their own time.
- Read our writing research to learn more about the barriers children face in writing and what motivates them to write.
- Provide pupils with a free writing notebook that is just for them and will not be marked – you could introduce Free Writing Friday in your school. Even better if teachers take part too!
- Boost your expertise - we support schools with a range of CPD fully aligned with the DfE's standards for teacher's professional development. Our Writers for Life programme is based on the IPEELL approach, and supports teachers to build pupils' engagement with writing, developing their skills, confidence, independence and enjoyment.
- Are you providing writing opportunities for every type of writer? We'll take a look at what this means below, and resources to support this.
Flipping the script: What type of writer are you?
It's important that we provide enough writing opportunities for pupils. To help identify these opportunities, it can be useful to reflect on what kind of writing engages you.
Perhaps you're a list maker and enjoy getting things out of your head and down on paper?
Or maybe you prefer a gratitude journal, or love writing notes to friends and family, preferably in handmade cards with mini doodles?
Maybe you think there might be a novel in you so you carry around your writer’s notebook in case inspiration strikes?
Or you might be campaigning to save your local library using social media, letters to your local council and articles in your local newspaper.
You might even have been all of these types of writer at different points in your life.
How we can help you to facilitate writing opportunities
The good news is that the children who do write in their free time have told us clearly what motivates them to write. This is a fantastic starting point. Reflect on the opportunities for writing in your school – are your pupils getting the chance to explore creative writing, writing for wellbeing, writing for social connection, and writing for social change? Here are some of the ways we can help:
Create sparks of inspiration
Primary schools across the country signed up for our Comics Rule! Summer Writing packs which include lesson plans and materials that pupils can take home over the holidays.
Secondary schools: take a virtual tour of the National Justice Museum in Nottingham and let poet Panya Banjoko lead your students in writing inspired by the venue. This is a taster of our brilliant Young Nottingham Poets programme!
Writing for wellbeing
What says wellbeing more than nature and poetry?! We bring the two together in our brilliant resources produced in partnership with the RSPB.
Writing for social connection
We've also produced Premier League Magazine Team which is aimed at bringing together your reluctant writers around a shared interest. We’re confident they will forget they’re even writing.
Writing for social change
If your pupils are angry about parking outside the school or concerned about their local playground, harness their conversations and set up a training school for journalists in your classroom, using our brilliant NewsWise unit of work produced in partnership with The Guardian Foundation and the PSHE Association.
Older students might be starting to think about how to express their feelings of injustice through lyrics or performance and our Monologue Jam lessons are perfectly placed to support them with this.
And finally...
Remember that ‘good’ writing is about so much more than spelling, punctuation and grammar. Celebrate creative, compelling or original writing in assemblies, displays, and through your school’s reward systems.