Why We Use a Flip Chart, Not a Powerpoint, to Teach Writing

21st July 2025

Written by:

Lynn Sear
Co-CEO & Co-Founder

In classrooms shaped by the Literacy Tree approach, every choice we make, from the books we select to the way we model writing is deliberate and rooted in pedagogy. One choice that often surprises teachers new to our approach and during Inset is our use of flip charts and pen rather than prepared presentations during writing lessons.

So why do we favour such a traditional, low-tech approach in an age of interactive whiteboards?

Let’s break it down.

Writing Live Mirrors the Writing Process

When we write by hand on a flip chart in front of the class, we’re not just modelling what good writing looks like, we’re modelling how it’s created. Children see us:

Pausing to think
Revising and editing as we go
Striking through and improving words
Dotting underneath spellings we try out in front of children therefore modelling spelling strategies from Spelling Seeds
Talking through vocabulary choices aloud referring to Vocabulary Vines
Celebrating when something sounds just right
Using Working Walls to feed into writing

This real-time, imperfect, living version of writing makes the process visible and accessible. It shows children that writing doesn’t arrive fully formed, it’s built, rebuilt, and refined. A PowerPoint, even with animations, can’t replicate this sense of authenticity our children need to see themselves as writers.

Visibility and Engagement

With a flip chart, the physical act of writing is more visible. Children track our hand movements, read along as we write, and connect more directly with the content. There’s something quietly powerful about watching words grow on a page, line by line.

It also slows the pace. Prepared slides can move too quickly as children are presented with polished text, and often miss the steps it took to get there. With pen and paper, children have time to process, discuss, and contribute. They also see the physicality of writing happening in real-time and see how thinking aloud happening.

Cognitive Load: Less Tech, More Thinking

The Writing Framework published last week recognises how cognitively demanding writing is. PowerPoints can unintentionally increase cognitive load. Fonts, transitions, and formatted text and while visually appealing this can become a distraction, especially for younger learners or those who struggle with attention. A flip chart, by contrast, is uncluttered. It’s raw. It’s focused.

And in writing, focus is everything.

Collaboration and Flexibility

Using a flip chart allows us to be responsive. If a pupil suggests a brilliant idea, we can write it in. If the class wants to try a different sentence structure or vocabulary choice, we explore it together in real time. This co-construction of writing fosters ownership, encourages participation, and makes every child feel like a writer. With a powerpoint, that flexibility is limited. You’re tied to what’s already on the slides. The lesson becomes a performance, not a process.

Fits with Literacy Tree’s Pedagogy

The Literacy Tree approach is built around immersing children in high-quality texts, encouraging deep thinking, and building writing through shared experiences. Flip chart modelling fits this philosophy perfectly. It slows things down. It centres the teacher and the text. It invites exploration, revision, and risk-taking which are key elements in developing confident, independent writers. Although we provide examples of Shared Writing throughout our Writing Roots, we want this to be used by the teacher to inform the tone and pitch of writing, rather than be used to display as a finished article.

In Summary: Why the Flip Chart Wins

It shows writing as a process, not a product
It engages children physically and cognitively
It allows for spontaneity and collaborative authorship
It reduces distractions and builds focus
It aligns with Literacy Tree’s emphasis on authentic, thoughtful, and inclusive writing

So while technology certainly has its place in the classroom, when it comes to modelling writing, sometimes the best tool is the simplest one: a flip chart, a pen, and a room full of curious minds ready to write.