Ross Young
@writingrocks.bsky.social
The #WritingForPleasure Centre | Literacy Lab - University of Edinburgh | Real-World Writers | Science Of Teaching Primary Writing | How To Teach Writing | #WritingRocks
Website: writing4pleasure.com
PhD Profile: blogs.ed.ac.uk/literacylab/the-writing
Website: writing4pleasure.com
PhD Profile: blogs.ed.ac.uk/literacylab/the-writing
Pinned
Ross Young
@writingrocks.bsky.social
· Jan 8
Free writing CPD materials – covering all aspects of writing teaching
Hello and welcome to our free professional development page! Please treat this webpage like you would a professional development book. Consider each heading as a book and within each book there a n…
writing4pleasure.com
Free writing CPD materials - covering all aspects of writing teaching
writing4pleasure.com/free-writing...
writing4pleasure.com/free-writing...
How should teachers use books to inspire and guide EYFS pupils in creating their own non-fiction texts?
writing4pleasure.com/2024/11/13/h...
writing4pleasure.com/2024/11/13/h...
How should teachers use books to inspire and guide EYFS pupils in creating their own non-fiction texts?
Hi Ross. We really want to use books during our writing lessons in the EYFS. Do you have any advice on how this could be done? Absolutely! Teachers should use mentor texts to inspire and guide the …
writing4pleasure.com
February 7, 2026 at 9:59 AM
How should teachers use books to inspire and guide EYFS pupils in creating their own non-fiction texts?
writing4pleasure.com/2024/11/13/h...
writing4pleasure.com/2024/11/13/h...
Reposted by Ross Young
If you use ChatGPT to brainstorm, does it improve the persuasiveness of your writing? Almumen and Jouhar say yes! Students improved the rhetorical components of their writing and maintained them over time, with lesser improvements in other aspects. Find out how and why.
www.jowr.org/jowr/article...
www.jowr.org/jowr/article...
View of The Impact of ChatGPT as a Brainstorming Tool on Gifted Students' Persuasive Writing
www.jowr.org
February 6, 2026 at 6:14 PM
If you use ChatGPT to brainstorm, does it improve the persuasiveness of your writing? Almumen and Jouhar say yes! Students improved the rhetorical components of their writing and maintained them over time, with lesser improvements in other aspects. Find out how and why.
www.jowr.org/jowr/article...
www.jowr.org/jowr/article...
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...
www.hfleducation.org/events/natio...
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.
www.hfleducation.org
February 1, 2026 at 9:28 AM
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...
www.hfleducation.org/events/natio...
Reposted by Ross Young
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
In recent years, a growing concern has emerged among teachers, parents, and researchers in England: The increasing use of what could be called ‘elaborate dictation’ in classrooms. At first gl…
writing4pleasure.com
January 30, 2026 at 10:14 AM
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
Reposted by Ross Young
I completely agree with this blog- this is unethical and very poor teaching. It is also encouraged by the Writing Framework (DFE, 2025) and schemes that schools buy into.
It is just storing up trouble for children as they move through school.
bsky.app/profile/writ...
It is just storing up trouble for children as they move through school.
bsky.app/profile/writ...
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
In recent years, a growing concern has emerged among teachers, parents, and researchers in England: The increasing use of what could be called ‘elaborate dictation’ in classrooms. At first gl…
writing4pleasure.com
January 30, 2026 at 10:58 AM
I completely agree with this blog- this is unethical and very poor teaching. It is also encouraged by the Writing Framework (DFE, 2025) and schemes that schools buy into.
It is just storing up trouble for children as they move through school.
bsky.app/profile/writ...
It is just storing up trouble for children as they move through school.
bsky.app/profile/writ...
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
In recent years, a growing concern has emerged among teachers, parents, and researchers in England: The increasing use of what could be called ‘elaborate dictation’ in classrooms. At first gl…
writing4pleasure.com
January 30, 2026 at 10:14 AM
The rise of ‘elaborate dictation’ and ‘writing-related simulations’ in English schools: Unethical writing teaching
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
writing4pleasure.com/2025/07/16/t...
Delighted to say we have a new article published! It’s open access too! ❤️✏️
‘The more connections I can make with it, the more I enjoy it’: children’s relationship with writing at school
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
@profsarahmcg.bsky.social @literacy-trust.bsky.social @drmrb.bsky.social
‘The more connections I can make with it, the more I enjoy it’: children’s relationship with writing at school
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
@profsarahmcg.bsky.social @literacy-trust.bsky.social @drmrb.bsky.social
‘The more connections I can make with it, the more I enjoy it’: children’s relationship with writing at school
Given low levels of writing motivation among primary school-aged pupils (Bonafede, F., C. Clark, A. Cole, and I. Picton. 2025. Children and Young People's Writing in School in 2025. National Litera...
www.tandfonline.com
January 28, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Delighted to say we have a new article published! It’s open access too! ❤️✏️
‘The more connections I can make with it, the more I enjoy it’: children’s relationship with writing at school
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
@profsarahmcg.bsky.social @literacy-trust.bsky.social @drmrb.bsky.social
‘The more connections I can make with it, the more I enjoy it’: children’s relationship with writing at school
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
@profsarahmcg.bsky.social @literacy-trust.bsky.social @drmrb.bsky.social
Reposted by Ross Young
Put simply, teaching writing is about three things:
1. Modelling, as a writer-teacher, the things you want your children to do for themselves.
2. Providing loads of meaningful writing experiences.
3. Giving feedback as a sympathetic reader, writer and teacher.
1. Modelling, as a writer-teacher, the things you want your children to do for themselves.
2. Providing loads of meaningful writing experiences.
3. Giving feedback as a sympathetic reader, writer and teacher.
January 26, 2026 at 9:51 AM
Put simply, teaching writing is about three things:
1. Modelling, as a writer-teacher, the things you want your children to do for themselves.
2. Providing loads of meaningful writing experiences.
3. Giving feedback as a sympathetic reader, writer and teacher.
1. Modelling, as a writer-teacher, the things you want your children to do for themselves.
2. Providing loads of meaningful writing experiences.
3. Giving feedback as a sympathetic reader, writer and teacher.
Put simply, teaching writing is about three things:
1. Modelling, as a writer-teacher, the things you want your children to do for themselves.
2. Providing loads of meaningful writing experiences.
3. Giving feedback as a sympathetic reader, writer and teacher.
1. Modelling, as a writer-teacher, the things you want your children to do for themselves.
2. Providing loads of meaningful writing experiences.
3. Giving feedback as a sympathetic reader, writer and teacher.
January 26, 2026 at 9:51 AM
Put simply, teaching writing is about three things:
1. Modelling, as a writer-teacher, the things you want your children to do for themselves.
2. Providing loads of meaningful writing experiences.
3. Giving feedback as a sympathetic reader, writer and teacher.
1. Modelling, as a writer-teacher, the things you want your children to do for themselves.
2. Providing loads of meaningful writing experiences.
3. Giving feedback as a sympathetic reader, writer and teacher.
How can you teach children to write before they know their letters?
writing4pleasure.com/how-can-you-...
writing4pleasure.com/how-can-you-...
How can you teach children to write before they know their letters?
“Hi Ross & Phil, we’ve been debating. How can you possibly teach children to write before they have first learnt to form their letters and learnt their sounds?” We find oursel…
writing4pleasure.com
January 26, 2026 at 7:27 AM
How can you teach children to write before they know their letters?
writing4pleasure.com/how-can-you-...
writing4pleasure.com/how-can-you-...
When I hear colleagues say, “My pupils don’t know what to write about. They’ve got no experiences,” what I’m really hearing is, “I haven’t been given the time to get to know my students.”
January 24, 2026 at 11:35 AM
When I hear colleagues say, “My pupils don’t know what to write about. They’ve got no experiences,” what I’m really hearing is, “I haven’t been given the time to get to know my students.”
A whole generation of children have been put on ‘writers’ welfare’
writing4pleasure.com/2022/07/19/a...
writing4pleasure.com/2022/07/19/a...
A whole generation of children have been put on ‘writers’ welfare’
download article The Standards & Testing Agency, rightly, wants schools to develop independent writers (STA 2018a, 2018b). However, it’s clear that many writing pedagogies aren’t fit for this p…
writing4pleasure.com
January 24, 2026 at 7:48 AM
A whole generation of children have been put on ‘writers’ welfare’
writing4pleasure.com/2022/07/19/a...
writing4pleasure.com/2022/07/19/a...
Reposted by Ross Young
Our subject knowledge series: What writer-teachers need to know. #3 ‘S*** first drafts’ – Anne Lamott
writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/23/o...
writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/23/o...
Our subject knowledge series: What writer-teachers need to know. #3 ‘S*** first drafts’ – Anne Lamott
Welcome to our new blog series where BIG WRITING IDEAS ARE SIMPLY EXPLAINED! This series is dedicated to sharing key subject knowledge that can make you a better teacher of writing. Each month, we …
writing4pleasure.com
January 23, 2026 at 7:01 AM
Our subject knowledge series: What writer-teachers need to know. #3 ‘S*** first drafts’ – Anne Lamott
writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/23/o...
writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/23/o...
Reposted by Ross Young
Part 4 b. Teaching Handwriting in a Nutshell.
This is an overview of how handwriting can be developed quickly within a school that I wrote to support the Specialist Leaders in English team in the Wirral a couple of years ago. Handwriting development is about being IPC - insistent, persistent and…
This is an overview of how handwriting can be developed quickly within a school that I wrote to support the Specialist Leaders in English team in the Wirral a couple of years ago. Handwriting development is about being IPC - insistent, persistent and…
Part 4 b. Teaching Handwriting in a Nutshell.
This is an overview of how handwriting can be developed quickly within a school that I wrote to support the Specialist Leaders in English team in the Wirral a couple of years ago. Handwriting development is about being IPC - insistent, persistent and consistent. Subject leadership in literacy often needs the same approach! Handwriting Handbook- Wirral 2024/25 Contents Introduction. 1…
meganjanedixon.co.uk
January 23, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Part 4 b. Teaching Handwriting in a Nutshell.
This is an overview of how handwriting can be developed quickly within a school that I wrote to support the Specialist Leaders in English team in the Wirral a couple of years ago. Handwriting development is about being IPC - insistent, persistent and…
This is an overview of how handwriting can be developed quickly within a school that I wrote to support the Specialist Leaders in English team in the Wirral a couple of years ago. Handwriting development is about being IPC - insistent, persistent and…
Our subject knowledge series: What writer-teachers need to know. #3 ‘S*** first drafts’ – Anne Lamott
writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/23/o...
writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/23/o...
Our subject knowledge series: What writer-teachers need to know. #3 ‘S*** first drafts’ – Anne Lamott
Welcome to our new blog series where BIG WRITING IDEAS ARE SIMPLY EXPLAINED! This series is dedicated to sharing key subject knowledge that can make you a better teacher of writing. Each month, we …
writing4pleasure.com
January 23, 2026 at 7:01 AM
Our subject knowledge series: What writer-teachers need to know. #3 ‘S*** first drafts’ – Anne Lamott
writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/23/o...
writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/23/o...
Reposted by Ross Young
This is excellent 👌
What the KS2 STA teacher assessment writing statements really mean and how to achieve them
writing4pleasure.com/2023/04/13/w...
writing4pleasure.com/2023/04/13/w...
What the KS2 STA teacher assessment writing statements really mean and how to achieve them
download article Working at the expected standard: Write effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, selecting language that shows good awareness of the reader To achieve this standard, we’d…
writing4pleasure.com
January 22, 2026 at 7:24 AM
This is excellent 👌
What the KS2 STA teacher assessment writing statements really mean and how to achieve them
writing4pleasure.com/2023/04/13/w...
writing4pleasure.com/2023/04/13/w...
What the KS2 STA teacher assessment writing statements really mean and how to achieve them
download article Working at the expected standard: Write effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, selecting language that shows good awareness of the reader To achieve this standard, we’d…
writing4pleasure.com
January 22, 2026 at 6:46 AM
What the KS2 STA teacher assessment writing statements really mean and how to achieve them
writing4pleasure.com/2023/04/13/w...
writing4pleasure.com/2023/04/13/w...
Reposted by Ross Young
