Despite an intense focus on improving Australian students’ writing performance in recent years, and comprehensive instructional advice to English teachers, researchers have noted a lack of gains in standardised writing tests and negative effects on student engagement and learning. In this paper we claim that these outcomes are partly attributable to current orthodoxies around how writing is conceptualised, taught and tested. In reviewing relevant literature and drawing on a case study with low SES students, we propose the need for more diversity in the ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ of students’ writing experiences. In putting this case, we are not arguing that the current intense focus on technical and rhetorical competence (the ‘how’ of writing) should be abandoned, but rather that students can benefit from more focus on and say in the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of this activity.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	writing, pedagogy, low-stakes, high-stakes, learning
Research Division:	Education
Research Group:	Curriculum and pedagogy
Research Field:	English and literacy curriculum and pedagogy (excl. LOTE, ESL and TESOL)
Objective Division:	Education and Training
Objective Group:	Teaching and curriculum
Objective Field:	Pedagogy
UTAS Author:	Thomas, D (Dr Damon Thomas)
ID Code:	146405
Year Published:	2020
Funding Support:	Australian Research Council (LP150100558)
Deposited By:	Education
Deposited On:	2021-09-04
Last Modified:	2021-10-13
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