Written byHannah Baker
Consultant
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This half term, a key theme to many conversations in both inset training and consultancy days has been the power of instant publishing.
Instant publishing is sometimes mistaken as something gimmicky or something that can be brushed over, but when used well it has considerable impact on writer engagement and motivation.
Instant publishing happens within the writing process when children are given an immediate context for writing and are reacting ‘in the moment’ to it with a clear audience and purpose. This could be replying to an urgent letter from a character in a book or a short journalistic piece about something that has just happened. The children are applying their knowledge and skills for this clear purpose. Giving children appropriate and exciting materials for writing to do this ‘in the moment’ greatly enhances engagement, motivation for writing and keeps the audience and purpose front and centre. For example, when writing a letter, give the children headed letter paper and a real envelope.
When responding to a postcard, why not provide children with a real postcard and a stamp to enable them to feel and experience the writing task as a real method of communication? If writing a journalistic piece about an event in history, could using quills or quill-style pens be a more authentic writing tool perhaps? If the children are interviewing characters in role as journalists, clip boards and note paper can really put children in the right frame of mind and elevate the importance of the written task.
We appreciate that, in a world of tighter budgets, purchasing additional materials for writing can feel like a luxury. However, even just planning in one instant publishing opportunity within each Writing Root will pay off. Perhaps consider discussing this idea as a whole staff team - what could you purchase collectively that could be utilised by multiple year groups over time?
If you employ instant publishing as part of your next Writing Root, why not send in some pictures to us or tag us on socials? We would love to see it (and hear about the ‘writer buzz’ of engagement and motivation created by it too)!
Here I am talking through Instant Publishing on our TikTok channel.
Posted in: Classroom | Literacy
