How Children Learn to Write (PDF)

`The chapter on the Taxonomy of Writing Purposes will be useful for planning and those on extending and enhancing writing will definitely be helpful in many day-to-day situations' - Nicholas Bielby, Times Educational Supplement

This book outlines the processes which are involved when children learn to write.

The author shows how certain strategies can improve children's progress in writing. Dealing with the age range three to 13, the book addresses issues to do with:

- the gender gap

- children with English as an additional language

- left-handedness

Dorothy Latham includes ideas for sound and easy ongoing assessment of writing. The book is written in line with the requirements of the English National Curriculum and The National Literacy Strategy Framework for England, but is not limited to them.

Topics also covered include:

- brain development and structures

- the acquisition of speech

- language and thinking

- working memory

- secretarial skills

- stages in compositional development

- writing purposes and cross-curricular applications

- strategies for improving self-generated writing

- using reading to improve writing

- using speech and drama to improve writing and

- ten ways to improve children's writing.

This book is for serving teachers in schools wishing to study the subject in further depth, and as a source book for students. Useful for school-based staff INSET, it provides simple activities for teachers to do and discuss.