: From passive to participatory – engaging pupils during modelling Modelling isn’t just showing-it’s involving. When pupils engage, they move beyond watching and start thinking like real writers.
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From passive to participatory – engaging pupils during modelling
Modelling isn’t just showing-it’s involving. When pupils engage, they move beyond watching and start thinking like real writers.
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by Town End Research School
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Stella Jones is the Director of Town End Research School and the current Research Schools Network Content Lead for Primary Literacy.
Modelling doesn’t mean monologue.
Effective modelled writing depends on more than teacher demonstration — it thrives on pupil interaction. When pupils are actively engaged during modelling, they begin to internalise the habits and strategies of expert writers.
Why does engagement matter?
Writing is a thinking process. When pupils are simply watching a teacher write, they may appear attentive but remain cognitively passive. Engagement means more than eye contact — it means pupils are mentally rehearsing, predicting, analysing, and reflecting as the model unfolds.
In Clip 2 of our Modelled Writing series, the teacher prompts pupils to think, respond and evaluate in real time. Questions like “How do you know what effect I want this word to have?” or “What would you have written instead?” turn observation into active participation.
What strategies can support this?
Structured questioning techniques help pupils break down the writing process. Tools such as Think-Pair-Share give everyone a voice. Questions that invite speculation, analysis and justification deepen thinking:
- What am I gradually revealing to the reader?
- Why have I used this tone here?
- What sentence structure would you choose next?
Example questions to ask during live modelling
How do I want the reader to feel? How do you know?
Why have I chosen this word or phrase? What effect?
What mood, atmosphere or tone have I created with this part? How did I do this?
What do I want the reader to feel? How do you know?
What do I want the reader to think? What clues have I planted? Why do you think I did this?
What am I gradually revealing to the reader?
What sentence structures have I used? Why do you think I have chosen these specifically?
This sits firmly within stages 4 and 5 of the 7‑Step Model:
4. Memorise the Strategy – Through oral rehearsal, retrieval, and discussion.
5. Guided Practice – Pupils contribute ideas to a shared draft while the teacher supports and steers.
The power of visibility
Using a visualiser allows pupils to see the process clearly and keeps the teacher present to check understanding. It’s a small change that has a big effect — making modelling a shared, collaborative act.
