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A Shift in Writer Identity: Teacher Reflections on How Their Sense of Self as Writers Informs Practice

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Title: A Shift in Writer Identity: Teacher Reflections on How Their Sense of Self as Writers Informs Practice
Language: English
Authors: Kerry Assemakis (ORCID 0000-0003-3503-2304), Finola Utton, Karen Fox (ORCID 0000-0002-5207-6301), Jo Head, Alison Willmott
Source: Literacy. 2026 60(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Elementary School Teachers, Writing Teachers, Faculty Development, Online Courses, Writing Workshops, Teacher Workshops, Ethnography, Writing Instruction, Teacher Empowerment, Professional Identity, Writing Attitudes, Empathy
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
DOI: 10.1111/lit.70025
ISSN: 1741-4350
1741-4369
Abstract: This paper explores the experiences and reflections of primary teachers who participated in a UK collaborative professional development that focussed on developing teacher-writer identity through online writing workshops. The notion that teachers who identify as writers better understand their pupils as writers is central to the study; however, accountability pressures and a lack of confidence in the teaching of writing can create environments that stifle professional growth and pedagogical change in the teaching of writing. The findings within this ethnographically positioned study highlight that sustained engagement with critically reflexive personal writing activities, within an empathetic, collaborative space, leads to shifts in teacher-writer identity and shifts in practice, which ultimately impact on pupils' experiences as writers. Indeed, teacher engagement with crafting personal writing experiences and the self-understanding they gained seemed to be a catalyst for teachers wanting their pupils to experience the same sense of writer agency and emotional connection to writing. Findings also reveal that shifts in practice were enacted in different ways and were determined by teaching experience and subject leadership position. Significantly, although tensions were experienced, all the teachers represented in this study expressed feeling empowered with the pedagogical and organisational changes they were able to make at their level.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506999
Database: ERIC
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  Data: A Shift in Writer Identity: Teacher Reflections on How Their Sense of Self as Writers Informs Practice
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kerry+Assemakis%22">Kerry Assemakis</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3503-2304">0000-0003-3503-2304</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Finola+Utton%22">Finola Utton</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Karen+Fox%22">Karen Fox</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5207-6301">0000-0002-5207-6301</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jo+Head%22">Jo Head</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alison+Willmott%22">Alison Willmott</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Literacy%22"><i>Literacy</i></searchLink>. 2026 60(2).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 16
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Teachers%22">Elementary School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Teachers%22">Writing Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Development%22">Faculty Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Online+Courses%22">Online Courses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Workshops%22">Writing Workshops</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Workshops%22">Teacher Workshops</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnography%22">Ethnography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Instruction%22">Writing Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Empowerment%22">Teacher Empowerment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Identity%22">Professional Identity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Attitudes%22">Writing Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empathy%22">Empathy</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom%22">United Kingdom</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/lit.70025
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  Data: 1741-4350<br />1741-4369
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  Data: This paper explores the experiences and reflections of primary teachers who participated in a UK collaborative professional development that focussed on developing teacher-writer identity through online writing workshops. The notion that teachers who identify as writers better understand their pupils as writers is central to the study; however, accountability pressures and a lack of confidence in the teaching of writing can create environments that stifle professional growth and pedagogical change in the teaching of writing. The findings within this ethnographically positioned study highlight that sustained engagement with critically reflexive personal writing activities, within an empathetic, collaborative space, leads to shifts in teacher-writer identity and shifts in practice, which ultimately impact on pupils' experiences as writers. Indeed, teacher engagement with crafting personal writing experiences and the self-understanding they gained seemed to be a catalyst for teachers wanting their pupils to experience the same sense of writer agency and emotional connection to writing. Findings also reveal that shifts in practice were enacted in different ways and were determined by teaching experience and subject leadership position. Significantly, although tensions were experienced, all the teachers represented in this study expressed feeling empowered with the pedagogical and organisational changes they were able to make at their level.
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        Value: 10.1111/lit.70025
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 16
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: Writing Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: Writing Workshops
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      – SubjectFull: Writing Instruction
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Empowerment
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      – SubjectFull: Professional Identity
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      – SubjectFull: Writing Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom
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