Effective communication through writing is vital in almost every aspect of life. These skills are developed from childhood, nurtured throughout school years, and scrutinised not just by SATs tests or grading schemes, but by future employers and colleagues throughout adult life.

Why then, at a time when students have unlimited imaginations, a time when they are discovering new voices and genres, a time when they are supposed to develop their writing style and hone their skills, are they developing a fear or hatred of writing altogether?

We’ve worked with thousands of students across the country, and encountered aspiring authors and reluctant readers alike. Whether writing was their passion or ‘not really their thing’, they always had one thing in common – they wanted more time to be creative.

The pressure on students to use correct grammar, punctuation and spelling far exceeds the expectations placed upon school children ten years ago. Strict Government guidelines teach them that it is ‘right’ to cram their work with unnecessary alliteration or an abundance of relative clauses, simply because it results in easy-to-measure test results and external validation. We’re not convinced.

One teacher’s lengthy description of her new Year 7 class said this… ‘This year, I had a cohort of Year 7 students arrive at my school having not written a proper story for over a year. They knew what a fronted adverbial was, and how to spot an internal clause, and even what a preposition was – but when I set them a task to write a story, they broke down and cried. They cried. I asked them to write a story – something that should be incredibly enjoyable and an adventure, regardless of your level of ability or need – and they couldn’t do it. They knew the nuts and bolts, sure – but had no idea how to put them together in any meaningful way. They had ideas, but no confidence… What should be happening is this: teachers should be given the freedom to develop their students’ motivation, creativity, critical thinking, enthusiasm and, most of all, their passion. Students with passion always, always succeed.’- written by Rebecca Bradley, 20.04.2017.

We’ve spoken to hundreds of teachers and parents who feel the same way, and we’ve seen first-hand the impact one hour of creative writing a week can have. That’s why we’re starting a ‘Literacy Revolution’.

We want to help create a balance between learning new writing methods, and discovering just how rewarding writing can be. As educators, parents, guardians or simply responsible adults, it’s our job to ensure students leave school as competent, confident communicators. This doesn’t just lie in knowing what a subordinate conjunction is, or being able to tick off six similes in a story – students need to learn how to write for different audiences and successfully communicate their thoughts, opinions, ideas and intentions in a coherent manner. Above all, they need to discover the joy of writing, and take this passion through to adulthood.

This is what you get from Authorfy… Fun, engaging, interactive creative writing lessons where skills are improving tenfold because students’ attitude toward literacy is changing.

We know that teachers are pressed for time, budgets are tight, and the pressure of test results is increasing, so we want to provide a solution. Our resources are easy-to-access, quick to read, and fully adaptable for any KS2 age range, ability, or class focus. With access to 15 author videos a year, who better to teach students and pass on their love for literacy than the people behind some of the country’s bestselling children’s books? Our author videos can be watched in any order and at any point throughout the school’s subscription. We even provide downloadable display material, copies of all resources in black and white for more economical printing, a whole page of Authorfy Approach downloads, and Teacher Tips, Sentence Starters and Writing Challenges in addition to the worksheets and activities.
In short, our author videos and resource packs provide everything teachers need to run enjoyable, interactive and successful creative writing lessons that support students’ learning, boost confidence, increase literacy rates, improve reading and writing skills, and add some much-needed creativity to the curriculum.

To get a better of idea of what we can offer, visit our ‘Preview’ page, or to get instant access for all KS2 classes, click here.

It’s time to spark students’ imagination. It’s time to let the passion and expertise of the children’s publishing industry inspire the next generation of readers and writers. It’s time to start a #LiteracyRevolution with Authorfy.

Let us know what you think on Facebook or Twitter (@authorfy) or email us at info@authorfy-dev.topclick.com/authorfy to get involved. We’d love to hear from you.