The Writing Book: A Practical Guide for Teachers

The Writing Book is a teacher-friendly guide for teaching writing at emergent, early and fluent levels. It includes practical information that will support primary and middle school teachers to plan and deliver an effective writing programme.

This book aims to empower students with the skills and knowledge they need to become successful writers. This book uses the analogy of two tool kits: a knowledge toolkit (what good writers know), and a skills toolkit (what good writers do). These toolkits help students understand the generic features of different text types and the specific features they need to select and use to match their writing purpose. The seven skills help students to recognise the range of skills they need to develop and use in order to express their ideas logically and effectively.

• Chapter 1 includes an overview of the writing process, the teaching approaches in a balanced writing programme, and the traits of effective teachers of writing. This chapter also introduces the idea that effective writers draw on two toolkits: a Knowledge Toolkit (what good writers know) and Skills Toolkit (what good writers do).
• Chapter 2 offers information on establishing an effective classroom environment for writing. This includes developing a positive learning culture as well as a supportive and purposeful physical environment. The chapter introduces the support material available to both teachers and students, and provides suggestions on a variety of ways to set up students’ writing books.
• Chapter 3 focuses on planning. This chapter provides guidance on planning a writing programme and includes a step-by-step guide to translating curriculum guidelines into actual writing lessons. A suggested lesson structure is also included.
• Chapter 4 unpacks the skills in the Skills Toolkit. Once you are familiar with the content, use the mini-lessons to explicitly teach students these skills. This is a useful chapter to dip in and out of, depending on your writing focus and the needs of the students.
• Chapter 5 includes examples of lesson plans and ideas for writing topics. There are thirty ‘Quick Writes’ lessons (short writing activities), which could be used as starter activities or as one-off lessons. The rest of the chapter is divided into the most common text types. Each text type section includes: a detailed lesson plan; an annotated exemplar; a blank student planning sheet; a completed planning sheet; and a list of suggested ‘Quick Writes’ and writing topics appropriate to the text type. A longer generic list of writing topics is provided at the end of the chapter. Like Chapter 4, this chapter is also useful to dip in and out of, depending on your writing focus and the needs of the students.
• Chapter 6 offers guidance on how to teach reviewing and editing skills.

There is also detailed information on effective ways to respond to students’ writing, and ideas for celebrating and publishing student writing.

Photocopy masters include:

(All photocopy masters are available on the CD-Rom)

Eleven writing planning sheets for different writing purposes 

Four Quick Write graphic organisers

Five publishing templates 

Support material for students

Content of CD-Rom:

Instructions for making a PDF writable

Download File

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction - guiding principles and practices

Chapter 2: The writing classroom

Chapter 3: Planning a writing programme

Chapter 4: Teaching the Skills Toolkit

Chapter 5: Teaching writing

Chapter 6: Reviewing editing and celebrating writing

CD-Rom of Photocopy masters

Writing planning sheets for different writing purposes

Quick Write graphic organisers

Publishing templates

Support material for students