Teach Writing like a Writer
Free digital lesson plans
Professional Development Courses
In person workshops
by a qualified teacher and published author
Writing is more an art than a science.
If you’re not a confident artist yourself, teaching writing can be one of the most challenging parts of your day.
Approximately 20% of students require some additional teaching and support to acquire fundamental language and literacy skills,
with over a quarter of Australian Year 9 students test at or below the minimum standards for literacy skills
But teachers are increasing being asked to teach outside of their field of specialisation.
I’m here to help, as both a published author of more than a dozen children’s books, and teacher with over a decade’s experience.
When studying maths, students work through real-world equations, and become equipped with the tools and thinking patterns to succeed when they encounter these problems in the real world.
When studying science, students experiment, predict, and analyse, just like they would when exploring the real world.
But when it comes to writing, too often students are told to “go off and write”: write about their holidays, write about why cats are better than dogs, or how to make vegemite on toast, or “anything, just be writing!”
Let me show you how to teach writing using authentic writing practices, the way real, professional, published authors write.
Teach persuasive writing the way journalists and lobbyists use it to advocate for change in the real world.
Teach information texts the way scientists write papers in the real world.
Teach narrative writing the way authors of fiction approach their craft in the real world.
Whatever you need, I want to help you create it.
Get Your Students Published!
An unforgettable, authentic writing experience guaranteed to engage young writers.
Led by experienced teacher and published author Bill Bendall, students will:
spend a day writing a complete work of fiction
receive professional feedback
have their work professionally edited, formatted, published and printed
receive copies of a real book of their work.
Beyond the books
Bill Bendall is…
Primary school teacher, 10+ years experience in Victorian schools
Currently VIT Registered
Learning Designer (Cool Australia, Deakin University, NSW Department of Education)
Published Author (Dani the Dingo, Invasion Bros.)
Young Australian Best Book Awards (YABBA) Presenter
Why teacher created makes all the difference:
I’m a teacher who has taught. These aren't purely theoretical designs cooked up by academics who haven’t seen a classroom in twenty years. They’re also not just an author coming in for a speech and a muck around. I’ve tested these books, workshops and activities with thousands of real students, refined them, and tested them again. You’ll see instantly that they are practical, applicable, and effective. Content created by a teacher, for teachers, just hits different.
I’m a writer who has written and sold books! My philosophy is that everything we do in the classroom has to be applicable to the real world. So no more writing because it’s what we’re studying today. We write because it’s purposeful, meaningful, and productive.
I understand teachers. And I want to help teachers with the constraints of planning time, reporting, budgets, and aligning to the curriculum, without compromising your own creativity. That’s why every program includes explicit curriculum alignments, learning intentions, and assessment opportunities, so that you can justify me to leadership. But all lesson plans, workshops and PD courses are about uplifting you as the ultimate expert on your students.
I understand readers. The literacy gap in Australia continues to grow. Generic strategies often don't cut it. Kids have more distractions than ever in a digital world, and boys especially increasingly look up to sports stars rather than artists as their heroes. I've spent years figuring out what specifically engages kids who think reading and writing are "boring"—and I can share those strategies with you and your students in ways that actually work.