PETAA: Teaching writing with purpose: supporting equity, agency and impact in Australian classrooms

Writing well is a foundational skill that surpasses academic achievement, and transcends to a tool for self-expression, communication, and participation in society. It helps students organise their thinking, make sense of the world, and find their voice.

In 2025, that foundation is under renewed scrutiny. Amid shifting curriculum expectations, student disengagement, and pressure on teacher workloads, there is a clear need to bring clarity and cohesion to how we teach writing in Australian primary schools.

At the Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA), writing has become a central focus. Building on decades of research, resource development, and professional learning, PETAA’s current work centres on supporting teachers to build writing instruction that is deliberate, inclusive, and sustainable. The aim is to help schools foster writing as a skill and a craft that all students can access and enjoy.

While significant energy has gone into improving reading instruction in recent years, particularly through the adoption of structured and evidence-based approaches1, writing has often been left trailing behind.

For many teachers, writing remains one of the hardest subjects to teach well. There are multiple moving parts: grammar, vocabulary, structure, creativity, audience awareness, and assessment. Without clear support and coordinated professional learning, it can quickly become overwhelming.

The consequence is inconsistent teaching practices across classrooms and schools, and a growing number of students who disengage from writing altogether². That’s a trend PETAA is determined to help shift.

Teachers today are balancing more than ever. Administrative workloads, complex student needs, and ongoing policy change all shape what’s possible in the classroom. PETAA’s own research alongside national studies such as the Australian Teacher Workforce Data initiative, highlight how much time is being taken away from direct teaching³.

Writing needs space. It requires modelling, feedback, discussion, reflection, and revision. Without structured time and a clear framework, students often fall back on formula or disengage altogether. Teachers, meanwhile, may not feel equipped to offer the individualised support that writing often demands.

That’s why PETAA continues to advocate for structured planning support, professional collaboration, and a shift in how schools invest in professional learning, emphasising long-term scaffolding over short-term workshops4.

Equity is central to PETAA’s mission. Australian classrooms are increasingly diverse, and writing instruction must reflect that reality. Whether supporting First Nations students, EAL/D learners, students with disabilities, or those in low-SES or regional contexts, writing programs must be inclusive, responsive, and strengths-based5.

PETAA’s resources are informed by leading research in literacy education and designed to support culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy6. Recent publications and professional learning offerings include work aligned with texts by First Nations authors, curriculum units on a diverse and inclusive range of texts, and webinars designed to support teachers using First Nations texts in the classroom, and a suite of digital resources that support grammar instruction, explicit teaching and student voice.

A guiding principle in this work is that students need both mirrors and windows in their learning. Students need texts that reflect their own experiences and those that offer insight into others⁷. PETAA’s goal is to support teachers to embed those texts with care, confidence, and clarity.

In 2025, PETAA released its National Teaching of Reading Survey Report, which gathered the voices of over 500 primary educators. The findings reaffirmed strong uptake of evidence- based reading practices, high levels of teacher confidence, and growing awareness of the science of reading⁴. However the report also highlighted barriers: inconsistent whole-school approaches, lack of time for planning, and limited opportunities for peer collaboration.

In response, PETAA developed new tools to help schools reflect on their current practices and align them with sector best-practice.

In 2025, this work will extend into writing. A new national survey focused on writing instruction will launch in October this year. The aim is to map current practices, identify emerging needs, and support schools and policymakers to better align on what effective writing instruction looks like in practice.

PETAA’s resource library continues to grow, with a particular emphasis on connecting theory to practice. Member teachers and schools can access curriculum-aligned teaching units, articles, explainer videos, and assessment templates grounded in the current Australian Curriculum and relevant state syllabi8.

These resources are developed with classroom application in mind. Each includes examples of how instructional strategies can be delivered and adapted in context.

PETAA also offers free membership to full-time initial teacher education students, enabling beginning-career teachers to access a full suite of teaching materials, readings, and learning tools. This model is designed to reduce barriers and help teachers start their careers with confidence and clarity.

The annual Leading with Literacy conference will take place on 23–24 October 2025, both in-person on the Gold Coast and online. The conference offers a unique moment for reflection and forward planning. This year’s theme, “Teaching Writing: Purpose, Meaning, Pleasure,” centres the value of writing as a creative and cognitive act.

Keynote sessions will explore the reading– writing relationship, culturally responsive writing instruction, and strategies for improving classroom and school-wide writing outcomes.

A distinct stream for school leaders will provide practical classroom tools for alignment and planning, while teachers will explore new approaches to grammar, vocabulary, and student voice focusing on a whole school approach.

The event supports 11 hours of learning and is designed to equip educators with insights they can carry into 2026.

Writing is a way of thinking, connecting, and contributing. Supporting teachers to teach writing well is one of the most important things we can do for Australian students. It requires ongoing investment from school leaders and teachers to support reading and writing literacy.

At PETAA, that investment is long-term. It’s grounded in research, led by teacher voices, and always directed at practical classroom impact.

In 2025, it’s time to go beyond asking how writing is taught. Let’s ask: how do we make writing instruction purposeful, equitable, and joyful for everyone involved?

References
1. Buckingham, J. (2023). The Science of Reading: What it Means for Australian Schools. Centre for Independent Studies.
2. Goss, P., & Sonnemann, J. (2020). COVID-19 and the Classroom: Lessons for Australian Education. Grattan Institute.
3. AITSL. (2024). Australian Teacher Workforce Data Report. Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.
4.PETAA. (2024). National Teaching of Reading Survey Report. Primary English Teaching Association Australia.
5.Lingard, B., Thompson, G., & Sellar, S. (2022). Reforming for Equity: Policy and Practice in Australian Schools. Springer. 6.Adoniou, M. (2020). Spelling It Out: How Words Work and How to Teach Them. Cambridge University Press.
7. Bishop, R. S. (1990). Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors. Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom, 6(3).
8.ACARA. (2022). Australian Curriculum: English. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority.

02 8020 3900
[email protected]
petaa.edu.au