Talk for Writing: How to build writing confidence in young learners

We would not expect a student to learn how to play basketball without first learning the rules - the same applies to writing.

Talk for Writing is an approach to language development that focuses on spoken and practical skills. It is powerful because it enables children to imitate the language they need for a particular topic orally before reading and analysing it and then writing their own version. In using and creating actions to match the language used children can begin to develop their understanding of the word meanings.

Talk for Writing helps build confidence and creativity.

It allows children to explore and play with language before introducing them to formal written texts. It develops a toolkit that supports and guides children, allowing them the confidence to explore a wider variety of language than more traditional methods.

In using Talk for Writing we are able to analyse, organise, and take command of the English language. By building on actions developed through Talk for Writing, children are able to access a variety of keywords, punctuation, and grammar. The consistency of the approach across different genres allows children to build and develop their writing with confidence alongside their spoken English.

Reading is very important in the development of language in the mother tongue and additional languages

Children should be read to and read as much as possible themselves. Research has shown repeatedly that the more children read the greater their vocabulary. This is particularly crucial in the Early Years. Reading in your home tongue is just as important as in English - we must understand a word and its meaning in our own language before we use it in a second language.