Ross Young
LightNews LightNews
banner
writingrocks.bsky.social
Ross Young
@writingrocks.bsky.social
800 followers 190 following 670 posts
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
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
writingrocks.bsky.social
Ross Young @writingrocks.bsky.social · Jan 8
Free writing CPD materials - covering all aspects of writing teaching

writing4pleasure.com/free-writing...
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
writingrocks.bsky.social
Supporting children’s early word writing

writing4pleasure.com/2026/01/19/s...
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…
writing4pleasure.com
January 19, 2026 at 7:05 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Planning a class writing project with the greater-depth standard as the standard

writing4pleasure.com/2023/10/30/p...
Planning a class writing project with the greater-depth standard as the standard
download this article A class writing project is an opportunity for the whole class to learn more about a type of writing. It’s also where teachers can explicitly teach children about the writer’s …
writing4pleasure.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:12 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Using focus groups to teach writing

writing4pleasure.com/2023/09/20/u...
Using focus groups to teach writing
“Hi Ross, can you point me in the direction of any research on the effectiveness of focus groups when teaching writing?” *** Research, particularly case studies observing the best performing writin…
writing4pleasure.com
January 17, 2026 at 8:57 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
The components of an effective writing unit

writing4pleasure.com/2023/03/22/t...
The components of an effective writing unit
download article A class writing project (or writing unit) is an opportunity for a whole class to come together and learn more about a type of writing. It’s also where teachers can explicitly teach…
writing4pleasure.com
January 16, 2026 at 7:40 AM
Reposted by Ross Young
writingrocks.bsky.social
Delighted to say we had our new paper published today:

“Children’s perspectives on writing competency: academic, personal and social influences”

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

@profsarahmcg.bsky.social @drmrb.bsky.social @literacy-trust.bsky.social @nferclassroom.bsky.social
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...
www.tandfonline.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:38 PM
writingrocks.bsky.social
How To Teach Writing In Key Stage One

writing4pleasure.com/how-to-teach...
How To Teach Writing In Key Stage One
The Writing For Pleasure Centre operates as both a think tank and an action research community, focused on sharing effective practices, case studies, and research findings. Our central mission is t…
writing4pleasure.com
January 13, 2026 at 7:48 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Does writing improve through practice alone, or through building knowledge first?

This article challenges common assumptions about writing instruction.
What do you agree with? What do you reject? What would you change?

writing4pleasure.com/2021/10/05/w...
What does a knowledge-based writing curriculum involve?
DOWNLOAD THIS ARTICLE Writerly knowledge is all the things writers know about writing and being a writer. But what is it they know, and why might it be important for our students to know this stuff…
writing4pleasure.com
January 11, 2026 at 7:54 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Which writing model would best guide us to raise writing standards in our school?

writing4pleasure.com/2023/10/20/w...
Which writing model would best guide us to raise writing standards in our school?
DOWNLOAD THIS ARTICLE Teacher question: We want to find a writing model to guide our efforts to improve writing achievement across our school. Which model would you recommend (e.g. The Cognitive Pr…
writing4pleasure.com
January 10, 2026 at 7:10 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Dylan Thomas 'plagiarised other poets' repeatedly as schoolboy

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Dylan Thomas 'plagiarised other poets' repeatedly as schoolboy
He became a literary legend but as a schoolboy the young Dylan Thomas has been found to have copied poems.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 9, 2026 at 10:08 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
How we can support children as they are writing

writing4pleasure.com/2024/07/24/h...
How we can support children as they are writing
In a previous article, we described what young writers are doing as they make writing [LINK]. When a child settles down to write, they will: conceptualise – generate ideas – translate &…
writing4pleasure.com
January 9, 2026 at 7:58 AM
Reposted by Ross Young
writingrocks.bsky.social
This is always such a labour of love! 😍📝

The Writing For Pleasure Centre's FREE 2026 Handbook Of Writing Research.

There have been some fantastic additions this year! 🤩

Please share widely and download now 👇

writing4pleasure.com/the-writing-...
The Writing For Pleasure Centre’s Handbook Of Research On Teaching Young Writers
This free handbook addresses some of the major aspects of teaching writing. The aim is to create an invaluable reference guide for all teachers. This is our third edition. We hope to update this ha…
writing4pleasure.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:54 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Delighted to say we had our new paper published today:

“Children’s perspectives on writing competency: academic, personal and social influences”

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

@profsarahmcg.bsky.social @drmrb.bsky.social @literacy-trust.bsky.social @nferclassroom.bsky.social
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...
www.tandfonline.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:38 PM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Asking writers: What subject knowledge do teachers need to teach writing?

writing4pleasure.com/asking-write...
Asking writers: What subject knowledge do teachers need to teach writing?
Original paper: LINK By Debra Myhill, Teresa Cremin and Lucy Oliver Introduction This research paper explores teachers’ subject knowledge for writing. It presents findings from the Teachers a…
writing4pleasure.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:20 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
What writing ambitions do schools have for economically underserved pupils?

writing4pleasure.com/2025/02/06/w...
What writing ambitions do schools have for economically underserved pupils?
Original article: LINK By Clarence Ng & Steve Graham   Effective writing skills are essential for success in school, work, and everyday life. However, research has shown that stu…
writing4pleasure.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:21 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
This is always such a labour of love! 😍📝

The Writing For Pleasure Centre's FREE 2026 Handbook Of Writing Research.

There have been some fantastic additions this year! 🤩

Please share widely and download now 👇

writing4pleasure.com/the-writing-...
The Writing For Pleasure Centre’s Handbook Of Research On Teaching Young Writers
This free handbook addresses some of the major aspects of teaching writing. The aim is to create an invaluable reference guide for all teachers. This is our third edition. We hope to update this ha…
writing4pleasure.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:54 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
The importance of a whole-school vision for writing

writing4pleasure.com/2022/03/31/t...
The importance of a whole-school vision for writing
If children are to receive the world-class writing instruction they need and deserve, it is essential that teachers and senior leaders come together and develop a coherent and well-constructed visi…
writing4pleasure.com
January 6, 2026 at 6:12 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
What is a Writing For Pleasure pedagogy?

writing4pleasure.com/2022/09/15/w...
What is a Writing For Pleasure pedagogy?
Some years ago, we were teaching at our local primary school and we came to the conclusion that we were probably the worst teachers of writing in the whole entire world. We hated doing it, we hated…
writing4pleasure.com
January 5, 2026 at 6:49 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Writing: Articles and resources to help you with your school’s action plan

writing4pleasure.com/2023/04/17/w...
Writing: Articles and resources to help you with your school’s action plan
download this article In this blogpost, we are going to share articles and resources which we think can help you with your school’s action plan. The first article is about the importance of develop…
writing4pleasure.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:55 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Articles & resources to help you develop a cohesive approach and progression for writing in your school

writing4pleasure.com/2023/04/19/a...
Articles & resources to help you develop a cohesive approach and progression for writing in your school
download this article In this blogpost, we are going to share free articles and resources which we think can help you develop a cohesive approach and progression for writing in your school. The fir…
writing4pleasure.com
January 3, 2026 at 8:18 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
The Writing Map & Evidence-Informed Writing Teaching

writing4pleasure.com/2025/03/10/t...
The Writing Map & Evidence-Informed Writing Teaching
Because of formatting, we can recommend downloading the PDF version of this article: download this article In our professional development work, we have found that a clear and structured understand…
writing4pleasure.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:06 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Visualising the science of writing: The writing map explained

writing4pleasure.com/2025/02/27/v...
Visualising The Science Of Writing: The Writing Map Explained
Because of formatting, we can recommend downloading the PDF version of this article: download this article This is a writing map we have started using in our professional development. We tried to c…
writing4pleasure.com
January 1, 2026 at 7:57 AM
Reposted by Ross Young
writingrocks.bsky.social
Evidence-based recommendations for teaching writing

writing4pleasure.com/2024/07/08/e...
Evidence-based recommendations for teaching writing
Original article: LINK By Steve Graham, Alyson A. Collins & Stephen Ciullo In this paper, Steve Graham and his colleagues identify 11 effective methods for teaching writing based on nearly a 1,…
writing4pleasure.com
December 31, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by Ross Young
writingrocks.bsky.social
14 ways to improve the writing teaching in your school

writing4pleasure.com/2023/04/11/1...
14 Ways To Improve The Writing Teaching In Your School
download this article In this blogpost, we are going to cover three things:  Firstly, we are going to share with you what cognitive science has to say about children’s writing development. Spo…
writing4pleasure.com
December 30, 2025 at 9:35 PM
writingrocks.bsky.social
Evidence-based recommendations for teaching writing

writing4pleasure.com/2024/07/08/e...
Evidence-based recommendations for teaching writing
Original article: LINK By Steve Graham, Alyson A. Collins & Stephen Ciullo In this paper, Steve Graham and his colleagues identify 11 effective methods for teaching writing based on nearly a 1,…
writing4pleasure.com
December 31, 2025 at 8:44 AM
writingrocks.bsky.social
14 ways to improve the writing teaching in your school

writing4pleasure.com/2023/04/11/1...
14 Ways To Improve The Writing Teaching In Your School
download this article In this blogpost, we are going to cover three things:  Firstly, we are going to share with you what cognitive science has to say about children’s writing development. Spo…
writing4pleasure.com
December 30, 2025 at 9:35 PM