Here at Bringing Words to Life, a red pen is one of the most important things in our toolbox. Obviously, it could be a green pen or a highlighter, but we have found that red seems to stand out most for our teams of young writers when it comes to peer-editing. As writers, we are always editing our work and that of others to improve the reading experience for the relevant audience and this is something we encourage from a young age. 

Our sessions with KS2 students involve a great deal of self-editing and peer editing and it is amazing how many suggestions are made when the red pens come out. Now, it could be due to the fact that they suddenly take on a ‘teacher’ role and they enjoy marking, but what is more important to us as we deliver these sessions is that these young writers when wearing their Editor hats can correct mistakes and suggest countless alternatives to improve the content they create. A win-win situation for all concerned. So never underestimate the power of allowing your young writers the opportunity to self-edit while armed with a red pen.