: Thinking like a writer – why modelling matters Great writers aren’t born – they’re shown how. Discover how modelled writing unlocks the craft and confidence of young writers.
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Thinking like a writer – why modelling matters
Great writers aren’t born – they’re shown how. Discover how modelled writing unlocks the craft and confidence of young 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 School Network Content Lead for Primary Literacy.
Writers aren’t born — they’re shown how to write.
In classrooms where pupils flourish as writers, one thing is clear: they’ve been shown how to write, not just told what to write. That’s where modelled writing comes in. It’s a powerful method that demystifies the writing process by making the teacher’s decisions, strategies and thought processes visible.
Why does modelling matter?
Writing is cognitively demanding. Pupils must juggle ideas, vocabulary, grammar, structure, and audience awareness — often all at once. Without guidance, this complexity can be overwhelming.
Modelled writing helps. By explicitly demonstrating the process of composition, teachers offer pupils a way in. Think-alouds let pupils hear the decision-making: choosing a powerful verb, reshaping a sentence for clarity, or pausing to consider tone. These small insights help build a picture of writing as a craft — not a mystery.
What does this look like in practice?
In the second clip of our Modelled Writing video series, the teacher makes their thinking visible by writing live and narrating their decisions. Pupils are shown that writing is not about getting it perfect the first time, but about making meaningful choices with intention.
This approach aligns with the early stages of the 7‑Step Model:
1. Activate Prior Knowledge – Revisiting features of the genre or task.
2. Explicit Strategy Instruction – Explaining techniques like sentence variety or rhetorical devices.
3. Model the Strategy – Writing in front of pupils, using a visualiser and verbalising the rationale behind each choice.
Moving forward
Modelled writing doesn’t need to be a full lesson. Small, frequent bursts have a lasting impact — especially when tied to specific learning intentions. Like reading aloud builds comprehension, writing aloud builds writers.
