Representations of guided writing in system-developed curriculum materials: a study from New South Wales and Victoria

Concerns about declining student writing outcomes in Australia have led to some state governments investing in system-developed English curriculum materials. While these materials aim to promote consistency and alignment with ‘evidence-informed’ practice across classrooms, less is known about how writing pedagogies, such as guided writing, are being represented within them. Using a qualitative research design, two Stage 3 persuasive writing units developed by the New South Wales and Victorian Departments of Education are explored. A 5W Framework for Guided Writing is used as a purpose-built analytical tool to explore where guided writing is positioned, why it is implemented, when it occurs, who directs the practice, and what forms of writing are produced. Findings indicate that guided writing is inconsistently embedded across lesson sequences and frequently represented as a fragmented, skill-focused activity rather than a collaborative support for extended text construction. In recognising the participatory relationship that exists between curriculum materials and teacher knowledge and practice, concerns are raised how such materials may implicitly re-define the purpose and significance of guided writing and shape teachers’ understandings of effective writing instruction. The limitations evident in such materials highlights the importance of both in-service and preservice teachers engaging in critical curriculum literacy that ensures responsive and impactful forms of writing instruction in their classrooms.