ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the issues of the ‘writing gap’. It describes how the act of writing mediates the school curriculum and how failure to write with skill can inhibit school success. Practical considerations of how pupils write about academic topics are characterised as a chess game of a dizzying array of complex moves. The ‘teacher writing gap’ is characterised as a lack of confidence and training in how to teach writing. The anecdote of a former pupil, Daniel, exemplifies the challenge of struggling writers, along with how teachers can feel unprepared to support such pupils. The chapter ends with a return to the imperative to improve writing: it offers pupils the means to succeed in school, as well as offering the tools to have choices outside of the school gates. Seven steps are posed as viable next steps for school teachers and leaders to begin to close the writing gap.
