TeachingEnglish: How to teach writing

Improve your learners' writing skills by exploring the subskills that make good writers, and ways of developing them in the classroom. This course will open on 3 October – enrol now.

Child and adult happily writing
TeachingEnglish
Engagement
9–12 hours
Start: 03/10/25
End: 31/03/26
Certificate
Workbook
Online community

How will the course help you?

By the end of How to teach writing, you'll be able to:

  • describe what's involved in the skill of writing
  • produce a process-writing framework
  • analyse what makes writing activities effective.

What does the course include?

  • Self-study modules that you can access at any time before the course closes
  • A certificate of achievement on successful completion of the self-study modules
  • A free workbook with extra learning content and resources connected to the course contents
  • A dedicated Facebook community of course participants with up-to-date insight, resources and innovative teaching ideas for you to try out (Facebook account required)
  • Learning content related to our courses on Facebook and YouTube
  • Live events and recordings with course tutors and language teaching experts on Facebook and YouTube

What are the self-study modules?

Module 1 – Understanding writing

The aim of this module is to provide an understanding of the skill of writing and what's involved in the process. During this module you'll learn through doing; you'll need to write so that you can analyse and understand the process. Be prepared with a notepad and pen, or an online document to write on.

Module 2 – Engaging with writing – process writing

The aim of this module is to provide a process writing framework for use with learners in the classroom. The module identifies pre-writing techniques and provides practical knowledge of drafting, editing and publishing of written work. You'll have the opportunity to produce a piece of writing using a process writing framework.

Module 3 – Engaging with writing – activities

The aim of this module is to analyse what makes writing activities effective and to give practice in preparing them. The module identifies sub-skills that lead to good writing. You'll evaluate whether activities focus on accuracy of language or communication of meaning, and also consider how to select appropriate methodology and resources for introducing and practising specific areas of writing.


Course reviews

What have other teachers said about how How to teach writing helped them?

"Before this course, I don't spend much time for idea generation in my writing classes. After the course, I have learned that generating ideas before the students start their writing can help them to motivate and have fun in their writing process. So I planned many activities for generating ideas and my classes become more engaging."

Course participant, Myanmar

"I used to teach writing by using only an example of diary, letter or story. Now I know many other ways of how to teach writing and will use it on my lessons."

Course participant, Kazakhstan

"I have better understood the difference between product and process writing and I have included the "generating ideas" activities in my lesson plan as a strategy for team work"

Course participant, Colombia


Do you have more questions?

Please see our FAQs or access further support through our Help button.


Downloads
File attachments

Comments

Hi Sir/Madame,
today I can't find my lessons.
Yesterday I was about to finish Module 2. Today I wanna continue my lessons.
But I can't find it.
Please help me.
Thank you,

Submitted by Cath McLellan on Thu, 09/26/2024 - 08:52

In reply to by PsandarAung-@phyo

Hi PsandarAung-@phyo,

Thanks for your message and sorry that you are having problems accessing your course. We have had a technical issue that we are working to resolve. In the meantime, I’ve restored your course access so you should be able to work on your course in the usual way now. Please let us know if you are still having problems.

Thanks

Cath
TeachingEnglish team

I have enrolled in how to teach writing, but I can't find my lesson wall. Please help me as I have already learned module 2

Hi AprilNyein

Thanks for your message and sorry that you are having problems accessing your course. We have had a technical issue that we are working to resolve. In the meantime, I’ve restored your course access so you should be able to work on your course in the usual way now. Please let us know if you are still having problems.

Thanks

Cath
TeachingEnglish team

Submitted by Mary-Wang on Wed, 09/25/2024 - 02:08

writing is very important

Submitted by NadeelaAshiq on Tue, 09/24/2024 - 11:05

Hi i got enrolled in teaching writing course but i have to attend a physical course so i cant join...now I have lost my access ...what to do now kindly help

Submitted by Cath McLellan on Wed, 09/25/2024 - 08:05

In reply to by NadeelaAshiq

Hi Nadeela

Thanks for your message and sorry you have had problems accessing your Portfolio. I've restored your access, so when you log in you should be able to see the 'My Portfolio' tab and access your course now. Please let me know if you are still having problems.

Thanks,

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Submitted by Naima_Thahsin on Tue, 09/17/2024 - 08:56

Hi! I have completed unit 1 of introduction of this course, then I logged out. After logging in again, I couldn't find the continuation. Do I have to start the course from the beginning again? What is process of course continuation after logging out?

HI Naima_Thahsin

Thanks for your message and sorry you have been having problems accessing your course. You should be able to log out of your account, log back in and continue the course where you left off. It looks like in this case, for some reason you lost access to our learning platform. I've restored your access now. When you log in, click on the 'My Portfolio' - 'My courses' tab and you should be able to continue with your course.

Apologies for this, and please let us know if you have any further problems.

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Submitted by Cath McLellan on Wed, 09/25/2024 - 08:14

In reply to by imfernandagz

Hi imfernandagz

Thanks for your message and sorry you have had problems. I've restored your access now, so you should be able to see the 'My Portfolio' tab when you log in and access your courses from where you left them. Please let me know if you are still having problems.

Thanks,

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Submitted by Nway Nandar Htun on Sun, 09/15/2024 - 03:27

I am Nova. I joined this course because I want to improve my teaching skills.

Submitted by Cath McLellan on Mon, 09/16/2024 - 11:10

In reply to by Nway Nandar Htun

Hi Nova

We're very happy you have joined the course! 

Remember you can interact with other course members and get news about the course by joining the TeachingEnglish Facebook community - here: https://www.facebook.com/TeachingEnglish.BritishCouncil/

We hope you enjoy the course!

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Submitted by Shweyeewin on Sun, 09/08/2024 - 11:36

Hello

Submitted by Wasana_67 on Wed, 09/04/2024 - 14:20

Hi, I got enrolled in the How to Teach Writing Study Programme. However, I cannot find the course once I log out and come back. Please help me to continue with this programme.

Thank you

Hi Wasana_67

Sorry to hear that you are having problems with accessing your course. I've restored your access now, so you should be able to see the 'My portfolio' tab now when you log in. Can you try again, and please let me know if you are still having problems?

Thanks,

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Submitted by YinMengge on Wed, 08/28/2024 - 08:00

Hope I'll do well.

Submitted by LenkaHanakova on Tue, 08/27/2024 - 18:13

Hello, I am sorry but I canť find this course on my page under my courses option. It says that I don´t have any active courses available. Please can you help me? I have already checked and cleared the cache of google in my computer. I have just logged out and then in my accoutn again. Yesterday I could see the course immediately after I enrolled into it. Thank you for your help.
Best wishes.
Lenka

Hi LenkaHanakova

Thanks for letting us know and sorry to hear you've had problems accessing your course. Our technical team is working to resolve this issue. In the meantime, I have reset your permissions. When you log in, you should be able to see 'My Portfolio' and access your course from there. Please let us know if you have any further difficulties.

Best wishes

Jo

LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Mariam khaled khan on Fri, 08/23/2024 - 18:47

Hi ,I can't seem to be able to find my courses .In fact ,I can't even find where my portfolio is located .I already checked the three bars on the right side of the screen.

Submitted by Jo Gore on Mon, 08/26/2024 - 12:51

In reply to by Mariam khaled khan

Hi Mariam, thanks for writing and I'm so sorry that you lost access access to your course. Our technical team is working to resolve his issue.

In the meantime, I have checked your account and corrected the access permissions. Please can you try again and let us know if you can see 'My portfolio' now? If you have any further problems, do let us know.

Many thanks,

Jo
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by jiangyan on Wed, 08/14/2024 - 02:19

great

Submitted by Halakhader on Mon, 08/12/2024 - 20:29

I’m good at English but I would love to be the best of the best and perfect so I wanna join this course.

Submitted by Ahmed Hefnawy on Sat, 08/10/2024 - 11:53

Thank you for giving us such a great chance for us to boost our teaching skills through these impressive courses.

Submitted by Cath McLellan on Mon, 08/12/2024 - 13:51

In reply to by Ahmed Hefnawy

Hi Ahmed

Thanks for your comment! We're glad you are finding our courses useful.

All the best,

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Submitted by Cathy871015 on Thu, 08/01/2024 - 01:25

Good!

Submitted by Ruan van Niekerk on Mon, 06/17/2024 - 09:15

Hi!

1. Are there a limited number of spots available in this course?

2. It states that the training course is divided into "three hour modules". Does that mean three hours per module (a total of 9 hours), or will all three modules take 3 hours in total to complete?

I look forward to your response.

Submitted by Cath McLellan on Tue, 06/18/2024 - 07:54

In reply to by Ruan van Niekerk

Hi Ruan

Thanks for your comment. There is no limit to spaces available on the course, and you are right that it takes approximately 9 hours to complete the course.

Hope that helps and that you enjoy the course!

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Submitted by brynnal on Thu, 08/01/2024 - 20:52

In reply to by Cath McLellan

Hi Cath,
Could you also confirm whether or not the number of course hours will be listed on the certificates? This would be important for my teacher recertification?
Thanks!
Bryn

Submitted by Cath McLellan on Mon, 08/05/2024 - 12:48

In reply to by brynnal

Hi Bryn

Thanks for your message. Our course certificates state that you have successfully completed 12 hours of training.

Hope that helps and that you enjoy the course!

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Hi Danigonzalezb

Thanks for your message - this course will open in August and be available until the end of September. 

Hope you enjoy it!

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Submitted by Moon Peach on Wed, 03/27/2024 - 17:30

I wanna join this programme,and could you please tell me the way to join it?

Hi little peach

This course is programmed for August-September 2024 so registration is not open yet. Please check back in July for more information. In the meantime, you might like to sign up for the TeachingEnglish newsletter to receive updates about upcoming events and courses.

Best wishes

Jo

TeachingEnglish Team

Submitted by elashmony on Sun, 03/31/2024 - 09:07

In reply to by Moon Peach

I wanna join this programme,and could you please tell me the way to join it?

Submitted by Cath McLellan on Tue, 04/02/2024 - 08:16

In reply to by elashmony

Hi elashmony

Thanks for your comment. This course is programmed for August-September this year, so you can check back later to sign up. You can also subscribe to our TeachingEnglish newsletter here: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/subscribe-our-newsletter, to keep up to date on all our latest courses, events and resources.

Thanks,

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Hi,

Thanks for your comment. This course is programmed for August-September this year, so you can check back later to sign up.

You can also subscribe to our TeachingEnglish newsletter here: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/subscribe-our-newsletter, to keep up to date on all our latest courses, events and resources.

Thanks,
 

Cath
TeachingEnglish team

Hi billaswad1975

This course will open soon, and you will be able to enrol on this page. Please keep checking back, or you can also sign up for our newsletter to find out about when our courses are going to open and get updates on all our events and resources. You can sign up here: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/subscribe-our-newsletter

Thanks,

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Hi billasad1975

Registration for this course will open soon. Please check back on this page, or make sure you are signed up for our free newsletter, which will keep you updated on our latest course dates, events and resources. You can sign up here: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/subscribe-our-newsletter

Thanks,

Cath

TeachingEnglish team

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

See our publications, research and insight