Blog Children's Writing Crisis
By Jenni Harrison | Literacy
The National Literacy Trust's latest survey has revealed that writing enjoyment at home is at an all-time low in children aged 8-18. Only 11.1% of children surveyed write in their free time, which has nearly halved from 2023 (19.3%). Conversely, writing enjoyment in school has increased, so how do we bridge that gap between school and home?
I have a son in year 6 and this reflects my experience. In school he produces fantastic and imaginative stories in their freewriting sessions, but at home he will not pick up a pen. The pull of screens and devices is strong, but even in those times when screens are away, instead of creativity, all we get is “I’m bored. There’s nothing to do.” When I suggest writing a story, it’s a flat no.
How do we encourage children to see writing as something fun and fulfilling outside of the classroom?
We'd love to know your thoughts and experiences too, whether you’re a teacher or a parent, or especially if you’re aged 8-18 yourself!
Teachers
• Do you have any pupils who show you writing they've done outside of school?
• How do you encourage your pupils to write creatively?
• What have you to be found most effective to inspire pupils?
• Do you feel you need more support or resources to help inspire your pupils to be creative and enjoy writing?
Parents
• Is your child part of the 11%, or is it a struggle to get them to write outside of school?
• What do you think are the barriers to writing at home?
• If your child does write, do they show it to you or their teacher?
• Have you found any effective ways to encourage your child to write?
• Do you feel you need more support or resources to help inspire your child to be creative?
8-18 year-olds
• Do you write at home for fun? If not, why not?
• What do you enjoy writing about?
• Do you show your writing to anyone?
• Do you get any encouragement or feedback from your family or teachers?
• What would make you write more at home?
Comment with your experiences of writing at home below - we’d love to hear from you. Let’s share ideas to help our children fall in love with literacy!
The National Literacy Trust's full report can be found here.