ABSTRACT
Writing composition is a complex combination of gathering and expressing ideas, communicating them to a reader and getting the structure and technicalities right. The individual writer has to find a unique voice but, paradoxically, perhaps, this is often found in the social aspects of composition: the personal within a community of writers. It is tricky for teachers to balance the competing demands of individual development and collaborative endeavour and spaces – both real and metaphorical –are important to support developing writers. Writers benefit from having models and examples of adults as writers, whether these are the adults in the classroom or visiting writers. While models and examples of writing are useful in developing bothnarrative and non-fictionwriting, it is important to be aware that not all narratives of non-fiction writing will or should follow generic formulae. Storymaps, frames and scaffolds can be helpful, but children’s written creativityneeds to be allowed space to breathe.
