Writing - Insights from Research

Writing is a complex process of three components, all relying on our limited working memory, according to the Not So Simple View of Writing, (Berninger et al, 2002 - see alongside).  

It is important to bear in mind that the essential building blocks of pre-writing physical development are critical and do not feature in this model.  The need to develop the core physical strength and gross and fine motor skills must not be underestimated.   The essential building blocks of pre-writing physical development are exemplified well by the research of Olivia Davies at St Francis.  There are 10 steps of pre-writing that have been used well in schools.  

We know that learners achieving fluency and legibility is important, but we do not have any evidence that cursive writing is the only way for all learners to achieve this. 

The Islwyn cluster conducted an NPEP in 2022 considering this Enquiry Question:

How can we effectively plan for progression in English writing skills throughout primary school and into secondary education?

They also considered these sub-questions:

• Can a shared, consistent use of language, across schools, support progression?

• What formative assessment approaches can support progression in writing?

The playlist with their approach and next steps is here: Developing Writing across the Islwyn cluster 2022