The National Primary English Conference 2026 An unmissable conference for primary educators, featuring leading experts in national policy and international research to deepen understanding of writing and enhance classroom practice.

Very excited for the forthcoming HFL English conference. Such a great programme! It's going to be hard to choose! 😍 ✏️ @hfleducation.bsky.social @ellencounter.bsky.social

www.hfleducation.org/events/natio...

Thanks Bob!

I often find that, rather than a misunderstanding of sentence construction being the issue, we need to teach how to proof-read and give children time to use these strategies. Sharing with a real, chosen reader at the end of the process often provides the motivation to want to do so ✍️

Something I'm hearing a lot from teachers atm is about learners being too passive in lessons. My sense is that this may well be linked to the idea of learning as 'content delivery' into children and young people's memories. If we see learning as an interaction instead that will help with engagement.

Another superb blog on writing! I so wish @writingrocks.bsky.social had been on the core panel and a key voice in the creation of the DfE Writing Framework.

Teaching the writing processes to children download this article The act of teaching writing to children has undergone significant evolution over the centuries. While writing itself is an ancient skill, explicit instruction in how to write,…

Teaching the writing processes to children

By Ross Young and @ellencounter.bsky.social

writing4pleasure.com/2025/10/08/t...

Means a lot coming from Barbara! Thank you @barbarableiman.bsky.social ☺️

Upon Seeing The Saint George's Flag Next To Anti-Refugee Graffiti Again This Week Sometimes I wonder what Saint George, a man who had a Palestinian mother and a Turkish father, a man who gave away his possessions to the poor and the sick, to those most in need of aid, a man who was taken as a prisoner of war and tortured, would think that a flag in his name is flown by a country that is sending arms to destroy his mother's homeland while using that same flag as a symbol to say that those who need asylum most are enemies who are not welcome here. - Nikita Gill

Three times in one week. These are dark times, my friends.

Writing is not an arcane art. It is translating thoughts from your head to another's and trying to get them to feel the way you feel. Most everyone has the power to do this. The *ART* of writing comes from the alchemy of everything that makes you YOU- your fears, failures, hopes, voice & background.

Asking writers: What subject knowledge do teachers need to teach writing? Original paper: LINK By Debra Myhill, Teresa Cremin and Lucy Oliver Introduction This research paper explores teachers’ subject knowledge for writing. It presents findings from the Teachers a…

9/ 🔗 Explore Further:

For a comprehensive understanding, read the full article here:

writing4pleasure.com/asking-write...

Understanding these insights can empower teachers to foster a more effective and engaging writing environment for their students.

Feeling chuffed to have an article published in Teach Primary, about ensuring we value children’s interests and experiences when it comes to writing ✍️

cdn.teachwire.net/e-mag/Teach-...

Transcription and oral language are key to children’s early writing development Original article: LINK By Cynthia Puranik, Molly Duncan & Ying Guo Our Writing Map shows how transcription and oral language skills contribute significantly to children’s early writing de…

Transcription and oral language are key to children’s early writing development

writing4pleasure.com/2025/03/31/t...

Promo Image for the Two Writing Teachers Podcast. This week's Digging Deeper Dialogue is Foundations of Written Expression.

Preview THE WRITING BRAIN, Melanie's upcoming book w/Maggie Beattie Roberts! Melanie shares research-based methods for developing foundational writing skills. Learn about cognitive load theory, neurological response to learning, & more.
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2027003/episodes/16576613. 
#TWTPod

Have just made a couple of tweaks to my list of picturebooks that could be used in assemblies. They all link to key dates and events, and promote diversity, inclusion and empathy. Please feel free to download and adapt. The link can be found here: padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r...

How a project with families is boosting children's writing right from the start - Nursery World How an early writing project has been working with researchers, schools and communities to encourage the literacy skills of children. By Caroline Vollans

Really happy to see this article about our wonderful Write from the Beginning project @flissj.bsky.social @doctorchungie.bsky.social @ioe.bsky.social @elresearchsch.bsky.social

www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...

Members! The Debrief, our new UKLA newsletter, has just landed in your inbox. Now the go-to place for all things UKLA, The Debrief will bring you news, events, and more each month. Not a member but want to find out more? Visit our website and sign up to the newsletter here: https://ukla.org

Cartoon showing Snoopy by Charles M Schulz writing and rewriting. Caption: "Good Writing Is Rewriting"

My top tips for #NationalStorytellingWeek:

1) Write the story YOU want to read.

2) No writer can write a perfect story in one draft. You need to write, read, edit, rewrite. Rewriting IS writing! (see art below, by Charles M Schulz)

3) Whatever happens - NEVER GIVE UP!

sfsaid.com/2017/01/thre...

UKLA Literacy Special Issue: The Writing Realities Framework and New Directions In Writing Research, Instruction And Learning is guest edited by Ross Young, Felicity Ferguson, and Doug Kaufman and now available online: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/17414369/2025/59/1

‘The notion of play is really important’ - emphasising the need for joyful creativity - what a privilege to listen to legend @davidjalmond.bsky.social talking about how to make the writing process less intimidating whilst sharing his own notebooks ✍️👏👏 #powerfulpedagogy @hfleducation.bsky.social

What a brilliant and inspiring conference it’s been so far… #powerfulpedagogy from @hfleducation.bsky.social 👏👏
Joyful poetry from Valerie Bloom, what the research says about writing from @writingrocks.bsky.social and rethinking reading teaching & assessment from Dr Wayne Tennent… WOW!! ✨🙌

So impressed by these first drafts of poems by some of my year five kiddos (the lesson focused on the use of onomatopoeia). One of the things I love about the @writingrocks.bsky.social pedagogy is how authentic & individual the writing is; I get to enjoy it as a reader, as well as a teacher 👏 ✍️ ❤️

thank you for applying...

Writing For Pleasure and the role children’s emotions play in exceptional writing classrooms Before we start, let me define what a Writing For Pleasure pedagogy is. Writing For Pleasure is actually nothing more than a synonym for world-class writing teaching (Young & Ferguson 2021, 202…

Writing For Pleasure and the role children’s emotions play in exceptional writing classrooms

writing4pleasure.com/2023/01/31/w...

Every school in the country needs to register for this free Children for Change ebook about climate action. Perfect for assemblies and sharing in class, and will motivate and inspire children. Created by over 80 amazing writers and illustrators. Please share! pop-up.org.uk/childrenforc...

Pages from 7 different drafts of Varjak Paw by SF Said, illustrated by Dave McKean, showing the development of the opening through the writing process

For anyone who's read VARJAK PAW and wants to know how it was written - or anyone interested in the #writing process - here's a free resource I made for the British Library, sharing pages from 7 different drafts. You can have a lot of fun showing this to a class!
www.sfsaid.com/2024/06/the-...

How comics clubs can develop reading - and writing - for pleasure Get top tips for starting a comics club in your school, with great ideas from PGCE lecturer Helen Jones - plus, find out how you could win a school subscription to The Phoenix.

Schools! We have a fantastic guide to running a comics club for you, with top tips from @eggyhelen.bsky.social and super illustrations by Emily Kimbell.

PLUS get a free comic from The Phoenix and the chance to win a year's subscription for your school! 💥👇

www.booktrust.org.uk/news-and-fea...

Thank you! My advice would be that the same principles apply:
- be a writer-teacher, write alongside the children
- make books about the things you all love/know lots about
- write for real purpose & audience
- check out @writingrocks.bsky.social for examples of projects in the EYFS & KS1

Thank you! My advice would be that the same principles apply:
- be a writer-teacher, write alongside the children
- make books about the things you all love/know lots about
- write for real purpose & audience
- check out @writingrocks.bsky.social for examples of projects in the EYFS & KS1

If you’re interested in writing for pleasure, or just writing teaching in general, hopefully this is of interest! Thursday (online) from 4-5:30pm 👇

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/why-childr...