: Introducing the 7‑Step Model for Teaching Writing Research School Director, Stella Jones, explores how the Seven-step Model can be applied to the writing process..
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Introducing the 7‑Step Model for Teaching Writing
Research School Director, Stella Jones, explores how the Seven-step Model can be applied to the writing process..
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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 School Network Content Lead for Primary Literacy.
Modelling is most effective when it’s part of a deliberate, structured sequence. That’s where the 7‑Step Model comes in.
The 7‑Step Model is a flexible, evidence-informed framework designed to support pupils through each phase of learning a writing strategy — from first encounter to confident, independent use. It helps teachers plan purposeful instruction that gradually builds understanding, supports rehearsal and encourages reflective thinking.
Each step plays a distinct role in scaffolding writing success:
1. Activate Prior Knowledge Connect new learning to what pupils already know. Revisit previous examples, vocabulary or genre features to set the stage for what comes next.
2. Explicit Strategy Instruction Clearly explain the strategy pupils are about to learn, why it’s useful and how it supports the writing task or purpose.
3. Model the Strategy Demonstrate the writing process through ‘think-alouds’, making your choices visible and deliberate. Show pupils how writers think.
4. Memorise the Strategy Help pupils internalise key steps or techniques using questioning, oral rehearsal and retrieval. Clarify and consolidate understanding.
5. Guided Practice Support pupils to apply the strategy together. Co-construct sentences or paragraphs, discuss choices and refine ideas collaboratively.
6. Independent Practice Pupils apply the strategy in their own writing. The teacher provides prompts, feedback and encouragement, gradually stepping back.
7. Structured Reflection Encourage pupils to evaluate the strategy’s impact. What worked well? What could they try next time? This deepens understanding and builds metacognition.
Why use the 7‑Step Model?
Research consistently shows that explicit instruction, modelling, and structured practice improve writing outcomes. The EEF’s literacy guidance reports recommend teachers demonstrate composition processes and provide scaffolded opportunities for practice and reflection. The 7‑Step Model does exactly that — providing a practical way to translate research into classroom action.
You’ll see this model in action across all four clips in our Modelled Writing video series. Each blog in this series shows how different steps come to life in real classrooms — with teachers narrating, guiding and refining writing in real time.
Links to Clips from the Classroom videos and accompanying blogs from our Modelled Writing series can be found here:
Introductory blog: Introducing the 7‑Step Model for Teaching Writing
