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Everybody Writes: writing for real

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When pupils have a clear sense of a real world audience that lies beyond the classroom, their writing is focused and they approach the task with a heightened sense of purpose.

That audience might consist of pupils’ own parents, those who shop in the local supermarket, visitors to the public library or perhaps visitors to the school website.

  • Producing a published anthology of children's writing is a great way to increase their pride and motivation in their work - one teacher shares her experience of self-publishing a class poetry book in this blog post
  • Reporting the news (primary) - see examples of real news reports produced by schools taking part in NewsWise
  • Reporting the news (secondary) - a structured resource to support students in reporting real life events
  • Performing writing for a real audience such as an assembly, showcase evening for parents or at a local arts venue can be a great way to build confidence and students' ability to express themselves
  • Competitions can be a great way to introduce a real sense of purpose for writing - see our latest competition here
  • Writing expert Liz Chamberlain explains the importance of an authentic audience for writing

We will continue to update the page with real examples from schools around the UK. To share your examples of real writing, please email us.

Find out more about Everybody Writes.

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