Student Wellbeing

Writing Apprehension in Students

Writing apprehension in students is a common challenge that can affect our students. It can often present as anxiety, fear, or avoidance when a student is faced with writing tasks. This apprehension often stems from a fear of making mistakes, feeling overwhelmed by the task, or lacking confidence in their own writing abilities. Students may experience this in various forms, such as difficulty starting a writing piece, struggling to organise or plan out their thoughts, or feeling insecure about grammar and spelling. It is something we regularly work with our students around as this fear of writing can hinder their academic progress and diminish their enjoyment of learning. The power of a positive mindset and also the resilience to overcome mistakes are crucial to our students developing a love of writing.

At school, we recognise the importance of addressing writing apprehension to foster a positive learning environment. Our approach involves creating a supportive atmosphere where students feel comfortable expressing their ideas without judgement. We regularly conference with students, provide scaffolds to support them through the writing process and individualised feedback to help students build confidence in their writing skills. By encouraging a growth mindset, we emphasise that mistakes are a natural part of learning and offer strategies to overcome writing challenges.

Strategies for Parents to Support at Home 

Parents play a crucial role in supporting their child's journey to overcome writing apprehension. Here are some strategies that can be implemented at home which connect with what is happening in your child’s classroom:

Encourage Frequent Writing: Encourage your child to write regularly, whether it's journaling about their day, writing stories, or composing emails to family members. The more they practise, the more comfortable they will become with expressing themselves through writing.

Create a Relaxing Writing Environment: Designate a quiet, comfortable space for writing at home. Ensure there are minimal distractions and provide opportunities for creativity.

Celebrate Effort, Not Perfection: Focus on the effort your child puts into their writing rather than fixating on perfect grammar or spelling. Praise their creativity, ideas, and improvements, reinforcing that their voice matters.

Use Prompts and Activities: Offer writing prompts or fun activities that spark creativity. This could include writing a letter to a fictional character, creating a short story based on a picture, or even composing a family newsletter together.

Model Writing Behaviour: Children often learn by example, so let them see you writing. Whether it's writing a shopping list, a thank-you note, or a personal journal, demonstrating that writing is a valuable and everyday skill can inspire them.

By implementing these strategies at home, parents can create a nurturing environment where their child can build confidence and skills to overcome writing apprehension. Together with school-based support, this will hopefully develop a love of writing for all of our students.

janine.hough@education.vic.gov.au                  bradley.ryan@education.vic.gov.au

Janine and Brad.