We have coined the term ‘professional learning pair’ (PLP) as a result of a series of discussions which deepened our understanding of teaching, by talking candidly and by using academic sources to validate our thoughts (Harel & Spicer, 2022). The topic of writing allowed many hours of conversation, looking at the myriad of experiences that influence the teaching of writing with both of us agreeing that a framework for teaching, as well as a focus on communication, prove valuable tools in allowing the successful development of teaching this literary skill in the high school classroom.
Jana’s story
When I think about teaching writing, I constantly refer back to my elementary school training course, in which the emphasis was on the need for structure without assuming that students can write freely on any given topic. I have found that this idea has come to my aid in junior high school as well as in high school, as students find it extremely difficult to write, and vigorously complain about having to write an essay in class. It is clear to me now that guided outlines for writing, including sentence starters, are vital as a platform in giving students of all levels the confidence to express themselves in a foreign language. Accordingly, teaching writing in a structured, slow, broken-down way could possibly give students more confidence to succeed.
Bambi’s story
I was taught to write well in university. At first it was difficult for me to share my errors and to recognise that my writing was not up to scratch. Luckily, a very patient communicative university professor invested effort which changed my trajectory in this field. This experience gave me the patience to learn through constant corrective feedback, leading to the confidence I have today in teaching writing to high school EFL students. So, through my personal experience, I enter the classroom with an inner compass guiding me to encourage, improve, motivate and sort out each student’s writing competence.
The tools
Experience
- Definition: something that happens to you that affects how you feel (Cambridge English Dictionary, 2025)
A decade ago, research had shown that personal experiences do not influence approaches to the teaching of writing in a foreign language classroom (Khanalizadeh & Allami, 2012). Later, Erbeli et al. (2017) documented that past learning experiences will also have an effect on the students and should be recognised by both student and teacher. Likewise, Graham and Alves (2021) claimed that knowledge about how to teach writing can be obtained from many different sources, including one’s experience. Information on experiences brought into the classroom validates the idea that we as teachers need to become familiar with our personal writing process and allow our students to recognise their own learning story (Harel & Spicer, 2022).
Framework
- Definition: a supporting structure around which something can be built
(Cambridge English Dictionary, 2025)
While facilitating writing can be challenging for teachers, it can also be a difficult process for all types of learners. The difficulties can be caused by gaps in language skills that are not obvious to the teacher or the student, who may (as a consequence) display frustration, poor behaviour and low self-confidence. For example, sometimes students’ reading abilities (or lack of) can influence teachers who consequently may see no point in teaching writing. This is a shame because learning to write provides an opportunity for language output with an impact on writing instruction as mentioned by Shanahan (1980). Logically, instructions may reduce various gaps met when learning to write, by helping students clearly visualise what they have to do (Harris, 2021). Providing structure can be an anchor for both simple and complex writing, helping students overcome, sometimes hidden, difficulties.
Communication
- Definition: the process of sharing information, especially when this increases understanding between people or groups (Cambridge English Dictionary, 2025)
Encouraging students to talk about their writing acts as a stepping stone to independent writing skills, applying collaboration as well as metacognition. Haines (1998) discusses the theory that working in pairs provides skills to brainstorm independently while Harel and Spicer (2024) show the value of metacognition in the teaching and learning of the writing process. Thus, talking about writing through self-talk or collaborative work allows different levels of metacognitive thinking to develop. Furthermore, Sun and Zhang (2022) support the idea that metacognition enhances EFL writing performance in the classroom. In addition, there is an imperative place for teacher feedback when students are working together or alone. As research found, comments on students’ work consequently have the power to improve the process and the production of their writing (Crivelli et al, 2021).
Conclusion
Writing involves a lot more than simply putting pen to paper. For this reason, it is important to take interest in the learning stories, create a consistent structure and give ongoing feedback. Above all, we believe that it is pivotal to work with apprehensions regarding students’ writing performance and optimistically give writing a chance 😀.
