ABSTRACT
Yet we have all met children who find it hard to believe in their ability as a writer because they think that to be able to do their own writing, they have to be good at reading the writing of others. If a child is a reluctant reader, it seems to follow that they must be a reluctant writer. But this does not have to be the case. We have found that you can challenge a breadth of ability if you are brave and creative enough to experiment with images, sound and movement. There can be real value in initiating a writing activity other than by using text as a stimulus; indeed, the new Literacy Framework emphasises the need to engage all the senses, immersing children in a more holistic writing experience. Interestingly, the children who often find this most challenging are the more able, as children who often struggle suddenly feel more liberated and discover an articulate voice they never realised they had. So why should this be?
