How do we help pupils become motivated, resilient writers?

In the concluding episode of our eight-part series exploring the Department for Education's 2025 Writing Framework, Sam Denno and Nicola Romaine turn their attention to perhaps the most human aspect of writing: motivation.

Together they discuss why writing can feel uniquely exposing for pupils, how writing identity develops over time, and why confidence often grows from carefully engineered success rather than natural ability alone.

Along the way they explore practical classroom approaches including oral rehearsal, shared writing, purposeful writing contexts, gallery walks and strategies for balancing transcription with composition, all with the aim of helping more pupils experience themselves as successful writers.

As the final instalment in the series, this episode also reflects on many of the key ideas explored throughout the previous seven conversations, drawing the Writing Framework sequence to a thoughtful close.

Whether you're teaching in Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 4, we hope you'll find practical ideas, professional reflection and plenty of encouragement to take back into your classroom.

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: RYJOR8WMSINGNIXA

Artist: Benjamin Tissot

#twinklbeyondenglish

Cognitive load theory and working memory are the subjects of Sam Denno and Nicola Romaine's discussion in this episode of The English Teacher Feature, in our miniseries that unpacks the 2025 writing framework.

Twinkl's Sam and Nicola have been exploring some of the key principles of teaching English via their podcast, and their insights into writing for pupils in primary schools and secondary schools offer valuable opportunities for professional development for teachers and leaders.

Contents

00:00 Welcome and introduction

00:52 Why cognitive load theory matters for writing

02:26 When cognitive load theory became part of classroom practice

05:08 How does multitasking relate to cognitive load?

06:28 What happens in an expert writer's working memory?

09:33 Building automaticity through practice

13:31 How transcription drilling could affect young learners

17:20 Practical ways to reduce cognitive load

For more tools and resources that embed some of those core principles of English teaching, you can visit the Twinkl website and bag yourself a trial, here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/r/wmh17

Here are some recommended Beyond English writing intervention resources:

Writing intervention booklet: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/r/1bfv9

Handwriting exercises: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/r/av27p

Literacy intervention pack: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/r/1497q1

SPaG starters: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/r/gmgjq

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

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Sam Denno and Nicola Romaine are National Education Leads at Twinkl; Nicola taking responsibility for primary school English decision making and Sam heading up the secondary English product and sub-products.

#twinklbeyondenglish

The English Teacher Feature explores the struggle of writing. This is our sixth episode looking at the writing framework and here we consider the case study of Sophie, a pupil whose chattiness and comfort at reading potentially mask her writing frailities. Sam Denno and Nicola Romaine consider why Sophie's writing never took off in her early years, why this may not have been picked up in her primary schooling and how a secondary school might identify the issues and support her. It's a fascinating conversation that unearths plenty of gems, with cognitive load theory and the simple view of writing discussed alongside establishing transcription early and strategies for scaffolding writing where learners lack confidence.

You can find some amazing Year 7 writing intervention materials on the Twinkl website, you can sign up for a trial here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/r/1nc8jl

Twinkl's Beyond English range features classics like these:

Writing intervention booklet: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/r/xhx4t

Handwriting exercises: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/r/1832no

Literacy intervention pack: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/r/1mbuwx

SPaG starters: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/r/vravr

Contents:

00:00 Intro

02:01 Why is writing more cognitively challenging than reading?

03:54 Getting to grips with cognitive science

04:43 Why might fine motor skills not develop?

10:17 Why are children that struggle with writing sometimes missed?

12:35 Does being a competent reader mask writing difficulties?

16:51 Mitigating writing issues in the primary phases

17:41 Strategies for using with struggling writers

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: RYJOR8WMSINGNIXA

Artist: Benjamin Tissot

#twinklbeyondenglish