The importance of good writing skills

Last month our Corporate Social Responsibility partner, the National Literacy Trust published its latest research, highlighting that more needs to be done to get children writing.

Based on responses from more than 32,000 eight to 18-year-olds, the survey found that while children's enjoyment of writing is slowly on the increase, they still enjoy writing less than reading (49.3% compared with 54.4%).

The research also picks up a worrying trend that children do not enjoy writing as much as they get older and do so less frequently. 57.4% of pupils in Key Stage 2 said they enjoy writing; this decreased to 47.1% at Key Stage 3 and fell to just 38.8% by Key Stage 4.

Furthermore, a large percentage of children and young people do not link good writing with employability, with only half (54.2%) agreeing that being good at writing would lead them to a better job and one in eight (12.1%) denied there is a connection at all.

The Kumon English Programme is dually focused on the improvement of students' reading and writing skills; in particular progression through level D onwards requires the student to have a mastery of written English.

At Kumon we cannot stress enough the importance of writing to help you:

Create an impressive CV and cover letter
These act as a gatekeepers when applying for job roles, and in this highly competitive job market even the smallest of errors will get you in the 'no' pile.

With exams and coursework
In these instances, where you are unable to express your knowledge verbally, it is essential you have the written skills to demonstrate your capability.

Effectively convey emotion and/or intention
With texting and emailing increasingly taking the place of phone calls, the inability to express your intentions successfully in writing may land you in muddy waters. For example, the use of sarcasm, if not written clearly, can be misconstrued as offensive.

Create a good impression
You come across as more credible, more capable, than those who frequently have typos and grammatical errors in their written work. It shows you take pride and care in your work, and reinforces a good reputation.

So don't be put off from writing; it is a crucial skill used in so many areas of our lives, and remember, just like everything else, practice makes perfect!