How to Become a Better Writing Teacher

For anyone who cares about supporting young people as writers, this is a must-read! I love how it aligns beliefs to practical actions in the classroom, and is grounded in relationships, learner agency, engagement and writing as a process. What I also liked about this book is how it is relevant to all of us, regardless of how many years of teaching experience we have or our exact role in education, this book is designed to support all of us to grow in how we better support young writers. Whether a new teacher of writing, a competent teacher of writing, or an administrator, this booking guides your thinking, helps you reflect on your current practice, and tells you what to look out for in best practice. There are also lots of video clips of Matt and Carl in action, working alongside writers in the classroom, which help to show how each part of the planning, teaching and assessment process is done. It’s such a privilege to watch these two experts in action!

This book has all the bells and whistles that you would hope for in sharing theory and practice with examples, reminders and inspiration. What I like most is that you can navigate the book based on where you are in the journey of teaching writing. The authors direct you to the most relevant sections and suggest a tailored pathway. So whether you are an expert or a novice there is a place to start and examples to grow through. Eleven principles of teaching writing are expanded through eight chapters, each one is accompanied by video links, online resources and examples of writing and dialogue. This book offers a balance of understanding theory and research, with practical advice and examples. A great addition to the work of inspiring writers and teachers of writing.