Ross Young

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Beware creating a transcriptional bottleneck in your writing classroom Teachers are often warned that transcription is a cognitive bottleneck in writing. The argument goes like this: because young writers must devote so much attention to letter formation and spelling,…

Beware creating a transcriptional bottleneck in your writing classroom

writing4pleasure.com/2026/03/09/b...

What might a high-stakes national ‘writing fluency’ assessment look like and why is it a bad idea? Because of formatting, we can recommend downloading the PDF version of this article: download this article The DfE’s interim curriculum and assessment review report suggests a potential shift away …

“With stopwatches at the ready, writing will become a heartless and thankless task – one that neither teachers nor students will find meaningful….”

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I always find this myth funny because what about poor Niamh who doesn't ever get to write her name if phonics?

Debunking edu-myths: Children should only write words they can spell download this article Hi Ross and Phil. I recently went to some training and it was recommended that we should only be modelling and asking children to write sentences that are at their current pho…

Don’t let transcription become a cognitive bottleneck for the children in your class. Teach them how to use “kid writing.”

writing4pleasure.com/2026/02/26/d...

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Debunking edu-myths: Children should only write words they can spell download this article Hi Ross and Phil. I recently went to some training and it was recommended that we should only be modelling and asking children to write sentences that are at their current pho…

Don’t let transcription become a cognitive bottleneck for the children in your class. Teach them how to use “kid writing.”

writing4pleasure.com/2026/02/26/d...

How To Teach Poetry In KS1 PREVIEW How To Teach Poetry Writing In KS1, authored by Felicity Ferguson and Ross Young, is a comprehensive guide designed to transform the way poetry is taught in your classroom. This eBook provi…

How To Teach Poetry In KS1

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Our viewpoint: The use of AI in the teaching of writing download this article At its core, our position is simple: AI cannot write¹. This is because AI cannot think, feel or draw on personal experiences. To write involves thinking, feeling and sharing m…

Beware of people with a financial stake in AI who claim it will improve how we assess children’s writing.

writing4pleasure.com/2025/10/15/o...

‘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...

‘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....

Six discourses, four philosophies, one framework: A critical reading of the DfE’s writing guidance download this article The Department for Education’s Writing Framework arrived in July with an ambitious promise: to set out a clear, ‘evidence-based’ progression for developing children’s writing …

Six discourses, four philosophies, one framework: A critical reading of the DfE’s writing guidance

writing4pleasure.com/six-discours...

Six discourses, four philosophies, one framework: A critical reading of the DfE’s writing guidance download this article The Department for Education’s Writing Framework arrived in July with an ambitious promise: to set out a clear, ‘evidence-based’ progression for developing children’s writing …

Six discourses, four philosophies, one framework: A critical reading of the DfE’s writing guidance

writing4pleasure.com/six-discours...

Debunking edu-myths: Children should only write words they can spell download this article Hi Ross and Phil. I recently went to some training and it was recommended that we should only be modelling and asking children to write sentences that are at their current pho…

Debunking edu-myths: Children should only write words they can spell

writing4pleasure.com/2026/02/26/d...

This class would have to wait quite a while before they earned the right to attempt their own names: Siobhan, Saoirse, Caoimhe, Tadhg, Niamh, Aoife, Eoghan, Xochitl, Itzel, Citlali, Grzegorz, Roisin, Cillian, Ghislaine, Joaquin, Beau, Rhys, Yvaine, Yael, Arkady, Aisling, Llewelyn, Myfanwy…

Small groups. Dictation via the teacher.

Debunking edu-myths: Children should only write words they can spell download this article Hi Ross and Phil. I recently went to some training and it was recommended that we should only be modelling and asking children to write sentences that are at their current pho…

Debunking edu-myths: Children should only write words they can spell

writing4pleasure.com/2026/02/26/d...

Supporting children’s early word writing download this article This article outlines how to support children with their early word writing. Specific literacy skills for supporting early word writing Successful word writing is a complex ta…

Supporting children’s early word writing

writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/19/s...

Thanks so much Barbara!

Supporting children’s early word writing download this article This article outlines how to support children with their early word writing. Specific literacy skills for supporting early word writing Successful word writing is a complex ta…

Supporting children’s early word writing

writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/19/s...

The DfE’s Writing Framework: Our Review And Implications For Practice On the 8h of July 2025, the Department for Education published its non-statutory guidance document entitled The Writing Framework. It purports to draw from the best available evidence about teachin…

The DfE’s Writing Framework: Our Review And Implications For Practice

writing4pleasure.com/2025/08/30/t...

The DfE’s Writing Framework: Our Review And Implications For Practice On the 8h of July 2025, the Department for Education published its non-statutory guidance document entitled The Writing Framework. It purports to draw from the best available evidence about teachin…

The DfE’s Writing Framework: Our Review And Implications For Practice

writing4pleasure.com/2025/08/30/t...

Children’s perspectives on writing competency: academic, personal and social influences Research demonstrates increasingly low levels of writing motivation among primary school children. This is concerning given the central role of writing in children’s learning and educational outcom...

What do children think writing competency is? 🤷‍♂️✏️

What does good writing at school look like in their eyes? ✏️🤷‍♂️

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www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Children’s perspectives on writing competency: academic, personal and social influences Research demonstrates increasingly low levels of writing motivation among primary school children. This is concerning given the central role of writing in children’s learning and educational outcom...

What do children think writing competency is? 🤷‍♂️✏️

What does good writing at school look like in their eyes? ✏️🤷‍♂️

👇

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

‘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...

‘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....

The components of an effective writing lesson DOWNLOAD ARTICLE Experimental and random control trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and case studies together with research into what the most effective schools do (Young & Ferguson 2021…

How to teach a brilliant writing lesson

1️⃣ The components of an effective writing lesson

writing4pleasure.com/2022/07/22/t...

2️⃣ Getting your writing instruction right

writing4pleasure.com/2022/04/29/g...

The components of an effective writing lesson DOWNLOAD ARTICLE Experimental and random control trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and case studies together with research into what the most effective schools do (Young & Ferguson 2021…

How to teach a brilliant writing lesson

1️⃣ The components of an effective writing lesson

writing4pleasure.com/2022/07/22/t...

2️⃣ Getting your writing instruction right

writing4pleasure.com/2022/04/29/g...

Our subject knowledge series: What writer-teachers need to know. #4 ‘Writer’s block is part of writing’ – Donald Murray 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 …

The latest installment in our subject knowledge series is out now:

What writer-teachers need to know.

#4 'WRITER'S BLOCK IS PART OF WRITING' - Donald Murray

writing4pleasure.com/2026/02/14/o...

The different perspectives you can take on teaching early writing download this article The aim of this article is to share the common perspectives that are held by teachers when teaching the youngest of writers, and to help you think about what your perspective …

The different perspectives you can take on teaching early writing

writing4pleasure.com/2024/03/15/t...

I love the caption on this display,

'But remember ALL words can be wow words so play with them all.'

Saw some really beautiful writing teaching at University of Cambridge Primary School this week.

Children were excited to share their compositions with me. Wonderful writer-teachers sharing their own craft. A real pleasure.

Thank you @aimeedurningmbe.bsky.social @robdrane.bsky.social +colleagues.