This free handbook addresses some of the major aspects of teaching writing. The aim is to create an invaluable reference guide for all teachers. We hope to update this handbook every year to take account of the latest research and thinking. We would like this handbook to support teachers in developing sound subject knowledge and exceptional classroom practice. We have tried to make the research as accessible as possible. The handbook includes:
- Over 1000 research entries covering the major aspects of developing students as writers.
- Short abstracts and keyword tags to help teachers find the research they are looking for.
- An analysis of the analysis and what it is the best performing writing teachers do that makes the difference.
- A chapter dedicated to each of the 14 principles of world-class writing teaching.
- Research on the early teaching of writing including compositional development, phonics, encoding, spelling, letter formation and handwriting.
- Extended entries on major topics such as speaking and listening, reading/writing connection, multilingualism, special educational needs and disabilities, and social and emotional disorders.
- Focused chapters on the affective needs of student writers, including: self-efficacy (confidence), self-regulation (competence and independence), agency, motivation and writer-identity.
- Essential literature and suggested reading offered at the end of each chapter.
This handbook is a useful resource for anyone interested in developing world-class writing teaching. Teachers should find what is shared within these pages utterly interesting, informed and helpful.
We have done our best with this fifth edition to cover many aspects of writing teaching in the best way we can. We have provided a variety of research, from different disciplines, and from a variety of perspectives. We’ve tried to provide a balance between the very latest emerging research and classic studies which contain profound insights and have stood the test of time. If you think some important research entries are missing, then please contact us. You can contact us through our website at: http://www.writing4pleasure.com/contact
New to this fifth edition:
- Our handbook now comes in two volumes.
- Volume one covers affective factors in children’s writing development. It also summarises findings from meta-analyses, case studies, and organisational reports on world-class writing teaching.
- Volume two presents the 14 principles of world-class writing teaching.
- This edition also includes the following updates.
- Additional reading on theories of writing development.
- Recommended reading on initial teacher education.
- Significant additions to the motivation and writer identity chapters.
- Expanded commentary on writing interventions, supporting children with special educational needs, and developing multilingual writers.
- A new section on parental/home support for writing
- A new section on writing and AI, including the use of large language models.
- Major additions on the importance of a consistent approach to teaching writing in the early years.
- Further additions on supporting secondary students.
- Expanded reading on early word writing, letter formation, handwriting, encoding, and spelling.
- Significant new reading in the personal writing projects chapter.
- Major additions to the reading and writing connection chapter.