Talk For Writing is an innovative and powerful approach to teaching writing developed by author and literacy expert Pie Corbett. This approach encourages children to understand key aspects of a text before they write their own version. It is based on the notions that young children learn best by talking, they learn best when they are actively involved in tasks, and they learn best when they use their imaginations. The goal of Talk For Writing is to build children’s confidence in writing, as well as improve their language and literacy skills.

The Talk For Writing approach involves three stages: imitation, innovation and invention. In the imitation stage, teachers guide children to learn about the key features and structure of a text through activities to get them talking, reading and listening to the text in different ways. Through the innovation stage, students are able to take pieces from the discussion surrounding the imitation text and develop their own version of the text. Finally, in the invention stage, students apply the techniques learned from imitation and innovation to create a completely new text, resulting in an individual piece of writing.

In addition to helping students to improve their literacy abilities, Talk For Writing also helps to develop fundamental skills for effective communication. It encourages creativity, encourages collaboration in groups, and fosters critical thinking and improved problem-solving skills. With this approach, students are able to develop a strong foundation in literacy, while also engaging and interacting with text in a meaningful and enjoyable way.