Expanding A Child's View of Writing

Writing research data shows children provided with opportunities to write every day begin to compose even when they are not actually writing. In other words, they begin to think about their writing beyond the confines of the classroom. Writing moves away from just being a 'school thing.' 

There is immense satisfaction gained from hearing students, who upon entering the classroom first thing in the morning announce, ‘I know what I’m going to write about today’ They indicate clearly that they understand the power of writing. They are demonstrating they think as writers do.

Unless students have this daily opportunity to write they will not develop the ability to think through their writing. They will not fully understand the process of writing. Donald Greaves suggested that young writers require a minimum of four days per week to write for their own purposes. This, he believed assisted the ‘learning to think’ process to develop.

It is therefore important to approach the teaching of writing from the position that students will be provided with daily opportunities to write independently. 

This needs to be supported by consistently exposing writers to models of good quality writing and literature. The links between reading and writing need to be clearly appreciated and constantly reinforced. By drawing such links, a richer source of ideas is supplied for all young writers to tap into, as the need arises. We must constantly foster attitudes we hope to see demonstrated by student writers.

Teacher attitude is critically important to the success of the writing program. If students are to be ‘risk takers’ teachers must be prepared to take the lead in this respect. A teacher must be willing to write for and with student writers (I will never tire of saying this). 

When teachers write alongside students, it adds ‘credibility’ to the messages they receive about writing. By such actions teachers demonstrate they value writing as a craft.

Gallery walks expand a young writer's view of what is possible.

For a teacher of writing, primary responsibility rests with showing young writers how to write and how to develop the skills necessary to make writing improvements. This  important work takes time.  Patience, guidance and support in abundance are required. This all needs to occur within a predictable classroom environment.

The longer term goal is to gradually move the emerging writer towards independence by teaching them how to assume increasing responsibility for such aspects as topic selection, writing form, revising, editing, proofreading, publishing etc.

In classrooms it is critical to incorporate the teaching of reading and writing into a daily literacy block. These interdependent aspects of language need to be taught in a manner highlighting the contribution one makes to the other. Their interdependence needs to be made visible.

Experience tells me when children are given the opportunity to write on a daily basis, they exhibit little trouble generating their own topics and ideas. Such thinking becomes part of the process of choosing the next ‘hot’ topic for their writing. They begin to initiate their own writing projects because such thinking has been mindfully encouraged. The young writer has risen to meet that expectation.

And it follows that if children are expected to choose their own independent writing topics, more can be expected of their writing. After all, they have ownership of the writing. With ownership comes responsibility. With ownership comes engagement and greater persistence.

If, on the other hand teachers are constantly choosing  writing topics for students, or otherwise exerting control over writing, then students will write to fulfill that particular curriculum requirement, but their writing will probably lack an essential honesty. Is it not better for your developing writers to come to know that writing is a medium through which their strongest feelings and emotions can be expressed?

I retain strong memories of my Grade five teacher imposing a weekly writing topic on the grade. I recall with little joy writing about ‘My Life As A Pen and “Autobiography Of An Ant’. Our teacher prowled the room as we wrote on a topic we didn't own. The writing was collected at the conclusion of the allotted time, taken away and corrected. When returned the following week, our uninspired words were covered in red ink. There was no other feedback, apart from a mark out of ten. We only found out what was wrong with our writing. There was never any attempt to build on what any of us knew about writing. All that vigourous effort on correction was largely a waste of time.


Through more than fifty years of teaching young writers, I have advocated for growing a supportive climate around the inexperienced writer.  Through the creation of a safe, predictable, and supportive environment, the inexperience writer is free to experiment,  and the most educationally fulfilling things begin to emerge. In time and with support impressionable young learners grow to see themselves as a community of writers. Under such conditions young writers begin to expand their view of writing. They stop trying to be teacher pleasers. Their writing becomes a little edgier and possessed of more honesty. 

It is important for students to come to the realization that there is a real purpose to the writing we all do. Through writing they can gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world in which they live.  Through writing they can communicate with a specific audience across time and space. Through writing they can find a voice for their thoughts and ideas and that their writing efforts are valued.

To realize such understandings young writers need adequate time and space to develop. It's a long game we play...