What is the research evidence on writing? - Department for Education

The <strong>evidence</strong> suggests that most pupils engaged in technology-based forms of
writing at least once a month. Girls were more likely than boys to write text
messages, emails, messages on social networking sites and instant messages. Girls
were also more likely to write notes, letters, diaries, fiction, lyrics and poems.
There were no stat<strong>is</strong>tically significant differences between boys and girls regarding
activities associated more with school life, such as essays and reviews.
Older pupils (at Key Stage 3 and 4) were more likely than Key Stage 2 pupils to
engage in technology-based forms of writing.
The same study didn’t find large differences between pupils eligible for FSM and
non-eligible for FSM in relation to technology-based writing. However, pupils eligible
for FSM pupils were more likely to write letters, poems, and lyrics.
The analys<strong>is</strong> revealed several differences in <strong>the</strong> writing activity of different ethnic
groups. For example, pupils from <strong>the</strong> White ethnic group were more likely to write
text messages and on a social networking site. Pupils from Asian and Black ethnic
groups were more likely to write in a diary at least once a month. Pupils from <strong>the</strong>
Black ethnic group were more likely to report writing poems, lyrics and essays.
Additional analys<strong>is</strong> looked at <strong>the</strong> relationship between types of writing and pupils’
attainment. Certain types of writing were associated with higher writing attainment
such as poems, fiction, reviews and diaries (Clark, 2012).
An international study found that teenagers who communicate frequently with
friends and own computers or mobile phones were not more likely to write more for
school or for <strong>the</strong>mselves in compar<strong>is</strong>on to teenagers who are less communicative
and less gadget-rich. Bloggers however were more likely to write online and offline
(Pew Internet, 2008).
7. <strong>What</strong> are <strong>the</strong> <strong>evidence</strong> gaps?
o There <strong>is</strong> no <strong>evidence</strong> on why pupils perform less well in writing in compar<strong>is</strong>on to
reading and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r core subjects.
o There <strong>is</strong> little <strong>evidence</strong> on specific interventions to help pupils with writing, and
very little <strong>evidence</strong> on interventions for secondary school pupils.
o There <strong>is</strong> limited <strong>evidence</strong> on <strong>the</strong> predictors of pupils’ achievement in writing.
o There <strong>is</strong> very little <strong>evidence</strong> on effective strategies for teaching spelling.
o There <strong>is</strong> little <strong>evidence</strong> on pupils’ performance in writing in studies of
international compar<strong>is</strong>ons.
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