The evidence-based framework has been developed following an AERO research program that included analysis of a decade’s worth of NAPLAN results, which revealed the average scores for persuasive writing skills had declined since 2011.

This trend was found to be more severe in Years 7 and 9.

AERO flags that persuasive writing is used in many subjects, and that being able to write persuasively is a critical life skill.

AERO CEO Dr Jenny Donovan said lifting students' writing skills was “a national challenge”, but that “the good news is we know what works to address this”.

The research indicates that the best approach to writing instruction is to treat it as a shared responsibility across all subject areas, Donovan added.

“Teaching writing isn’t just the task of English teachers; it is an important skill in all subject areas and requires explicit and systematic instruction by both primary and secondary teachers.

“By supporting all teachers – whether they are teaching English, science, or humanities – to feel confident teaching their students how to write well, we can build the foundations for clearer thinking, deeper learning, and lifelong success.”

Donovan emphasised the importance of schools having a ‘shared language’ for discussing the granular details of sentence structure, grammar and punctuation.

“[This] supports a cohesive and consistent approach to teaching writing and assessment.”

AERO reports the new School Writing Instruction Framework (SWIF) offers professional learning for all educators to build their confidence in teaching and assessing writing within their own subjects – a remit they might not have previously considered to be part of their role.

Writing was not necessarily a skill that all students picked up naturally, and it could be challenging to teach, Donovan added.

“However, by [all teachers taking this on], they will be setting up their students for success.”

Developed in partnership with several schools, the framework has seen dozens of teachers put through training in how to effectively instruct the writing techniques unique to their subject.

AERO says the new resource builds on teachers’ existing knowledge and practice to offer practical support, while materials for school leaders explain how to implement online professional learning within a school, with guidance on how to support teachers to engage with it.

Online professional development canvasses topics on how to develop students’ writing skills using the building blocks of language – such as sentence structure and grammar – and assessing writing more effectively.

In 2023, Sydney school Queenwood established a working research partnership with AERO to pilot a Secondary Writing Instruction Framework to be implemented across the school.

Head of English, Dylan Chalwell, told EducationHQ this year that while the English classroom is an obvious place for students to improve as writers, it definitely should not be the only context.

“We really believe, (and) the research suggests, that writing across subjects is very helpful for students' literacy skills, but also it strengthens their engagement with content within each subject.

“So, it’s kind of a win-win there,” Chalwell said.

The project had been highly successful in lifting the profile and importance of writing across the board, the educator reported, with ‘pleasing improvement’ showing up in students’ punctuation, cohesion and sentence structure.

“It’s not always linear, but at the moment we have seen improvement in those areas.

“Then there’s the non-quantifiable [data] on the ground, which is hearing students say things like, ‘oh, we’ve already done complex sentences in PDHPE’, which is fantastic to hear.

“That’s actually a good thing in our eyes, because I think for the framework to work, you have to get students to a point where they’re so familiar with terminology like complex sentences, simple sentences, compound sentences…” Chalwell said. 

The SWIF resources encompass:

  • a model that introduces an explicit and systematic approach to teaching writing;
  • a practice resource designed to help school leaders lead an approach to strengthening writing instruction in their context; and 
  • three professional learning courses designed to build knowledge about supporting explicit writing instruction and planning, designing and assessing writing in different subject areas.