ABSTRACT
Being able to capture and represent our thoughts in the form of written text and have them available for further scrutiny is an important ingredient in thinking and learning. Text can convey ideas, and the recording of text allows ideas to be re-read and reflected upon. Used in this way writing may be viewed as a means of unburdening the memory so that the mind is free to attend to further lines of thought. The act of writing can thus allow us to reflect, revise and build upon our thoughts. However, in addition to making an initial draft of ideas, this act of writing can, just as importantly, include working with that draft and making changes, or redrafting, as our thoughts progress. If we wish children to take advantage of this then it is important to encourage them to view writing as a mutable entity: something to be experimented with in the process of their learning.
