Writing is more than putting words on paper. It requires organising thoughts, managing emotions, and monitoring progress. Students with weak executive functioning often have great ideas but feel stuck and unable to express them.

Writing avoidance is rarely about laziness or lack of ability. For many children, writing is an emotionally loaded, executively demanding, and linguistically complex task. This article unpacks the 'why' behind writing avoidance and how to support students with compassion and structure.

Writing demands more than language skills, it calls on a child’s ability to regulate emotions, organise thoughts, plan ahead, and stay motivated. To truly support writers, we must offer predictable structure and flexible tools that bridge the gap between ideas and expression.

Instead of treating AI as a shortcut, students use it as a thinking partner that strengthens curiosity, reflection, and independence. Tools like Attuned2Write can model this process, helping students practise inquiry in a structured, accessible way.