I visited a primary school in Gloucester a few years ago, just after the National Literacy Strategy was launched. I ran a straightforward writing session - shared writing of a “magic box” poem, in which I was pushing the children to use some poetic techniques: vocabulary that surprises and yet is truthful, alliteration to create sound effects, imagery to build pictures. The children wrote in a 15-minute burst, and nine-year-old Molly read her poem aloud. The first two stanzas were: I’ll ride away on a journey to a dream

And catch an eagle’s cry,

A raven’s cloak of midnight feathers

And ride the Western sunset sky.

I’ll sail away on a journey to a dream

And ride a dolphin’s leap,

Catch a whale’s song in a silver net -

The dream will last as long as I sleep.

Half way through the poem I could feel a lump in my throat, tears prickling my eyes - yet again that common stroke of genius had popped its head in. When anyone says that “the literacy hour is boring” or “the literacy hour is not creative”, my mind goes straight into all those classrooms where I have seen children write with such passion and intelligence.

This past year I have spent many hours as a “writing teacher” working in classrooms. It is clear that a number of factors help children make progress and here are six of my desert island tips.

Bring on the dancing camels

Children need to be motivated. This means providing intriguing first-hand experiences, capitalising on pupils’ interests, using ideas, drama, art, music and memory as starting points. Children are also motivated if there is a routine of publishing writing, in class scrapbooks, anthologies, etc. In some classrooms the starting point for writing is always the reading model.

Of course children need to see good models - but they also need to be fired up. So bring on the dancing camels!

Up the Monty!

In some classes, shared writing only occurs once a week. If you want to improve writing then this is clearly not nearly enough. Over a two-week period aim for about five days as a minimum devoted to writing. With the youngest children a little shared writing could be a daily activity.

Capitalise on opportunities where children have to write in the rest of the curriculum. Indeed, many schools have an unwritten rule - “in our school we do not let children write unless this has been preceded by some teaching of writing”. Remember: if you are not using shared writing then you have not yet begun to teach writing.

Do it together

Directly link reading and writing, selecting texts that can be analysed to see how writers create effects. Some schools build up a bank of examples for each year group.

I use two approaches to shared writing. Sometimes I demonstrate how to write something, showing pupils what to do and giving a running commentary as I write. On other occasions the children compose and I act as the scribe, focusing and challenging their suggestions.

I aim to have done sufficient teaching before the pupils begin writing to ensure that their writing will be better “first time round”.

I try to pitch the demonstration or shared composition just above where most children are - modelling the “next steps” - if they are at level 3, I model aspects of level 4.

Take the fuse out of the photocopier

It might seem drastic, but one way to improve writing might be to take the fuse out of the photocopier. Looking at children’s books can be a depressing event - endless worksheets and exercises that are often a waste of time. This may give the illusion of having “done the objectives”.

But has this teaching actually helped them improve as writers? For instance, I remember one lad who knew that “an adjective is a word that describes a noun”. He could spot a powerful verb at 2,000 yards. But when I looked at his writing, he seemed completely unaware of how to use adjectives and verbs himself. (“The big shark opened its big mouth and I saw its big teeth.”) The ability to use words and vary sentences lies at the heart of grammar teaching. So teach grammar as “writing style”, and avoid isolated exercises.

Tackle boys

It’s no good ignoring this one - some children have been turned off writing. Plan a campaign to rejuvenate the parts that need to be perked up! Try: * broadening the reading diet (with material that appeals)

* working on developing positive attitudes (“writing is cool”)

* setting tasks that capitalise on their interests, for example writing ghost stories, or guides for playing Warhammer

* adopting an analytical approach to get under the car bonnet of writing to see how it works

* provide clear tasks - within time limits - where there is an edge of challenge.

Secure the nuts

Finally, most children who struggle with composition have poor handwriting and find spelling difficult. Having to stop and worry at a spelling means that the brain stops composing, so the writing loses its flow. Help to secure the nuts and bolts as this frees the children to create and imagine. Ensure that:

* you have a decent, multi-sensory phonic programme with a strong emphasis on the skills of segmentation and blending * handwriting is taught (not just practised) and a reasonably neat style expected * spelling (especially spelling strategies, so that children have ways to spell when stuck in the course of writing) is taught (not just tested). “Little and often” may be more successful than a once a week test.

Teaching writing is exciting. It ignites the imagination so that language can be lit up by life and life lit up by language.

Pie Corbett is a poet and writer, teacher, former English inspector and freelance educationist