Writing for fun benefits children

Children who enjoy writing outside of school are significantly more likely to do better at the subject in the classroom, but many youngsters are still not keen on putting pen to paper, research suggests.

Youngsters who like writing for fun are seven times more likely to write above the expected level for their age, compared with youngsters who do not enjoy the activity, according to a study by the National Literacy Trust.

It found that overall, almost a quarter, 23.2%, of those who say they enjoy writing were above their expected level, compared to 3.2% of those who said they did not like the activity.

The study, based on a survey of over 39,000 schoolchildren, reveals around half, 49.3%, do not enjoy writing out of school.

The proportion who do enjoy writing has risen, from 44.8% in 2015 to 50.7% in 2016 – the highest level since the survey began in 2010.

Trust director Jonathan Douglas said: “Our research consistently finds that children who enjoy writing do much better at school, but it also shows that far too many pupils still don’t enjoy writing and this could be holding them back from reaching their full potential.

“For the past 20 years, we’ve seen a real focus on reading for enjoyment initiatives across the UK, which have reaped fantastic benefits for children. It’s now time to give writing for enjoyment the focus it deserves.”