Why Writerly Play?

Your writers range from highly motivated to those who struggle over every word. You’d love for every writing lesson to meet with enthusiasm, but the truth is, teaching writing can feel like a chore. It takes an enormous amount of energy to cajole, inspire, support, encourage and stretch an entire classroom of writers.

But … what if your writing lessons were met with cheers? What if you had a toolkit of practical strategies that allowed you to use games to tap into and develop your students’ natural gifts of communication? What if those same games and strategies provided simple ways to differentiate your instruction?

It sounds too good to be true, we know. But in hundreds of classrooms and with thousands of students, we’ve seen Writerly Play win over even the most reluctant of writers.

Does Writerly Play replace my current curriculum?

Nope! Think of Writerly Play as a boost of creative momentum to add to your Writers’ Workshop or other curriculum. Quick games and visualization activities will add variety and energy to your mini-lessons. Some educators use our online courses as plug-and-play learning experiences to differentiate instruction for writers who need an extra challenge. Others pick and choose videos to use as full-class activities. And in many cases, after experiencing the games, educators find themselves experimenting with Writerly Play and personalizing the tools to facilitate in their own way. We’re delighted by all we’ve learned from these innovators, and look forward to learning from your exploration, too!