Writing Through

About us

Writing Through is a not-for-profit organisation registered as a US charity dedicated to promoting the education of some of the world's most at-risk children and adults.

Using the creative writing of poetry and stories, in English, Writing Through works with at-risk and marginalized populations to accomplish its three aims:
• to develop conceptual and critical thinking skills;
• to increase fluency in English, both spoken and written; and
• to enhance individual self-esteem and the belief that one’s thoughts and feelings have value and are worth expressing

We believe that arts education allows both children and adults to view their difficult world more hopefully. In this way, they can imagine and then work towards their own better futures.
Writing Through teaches thinking skills, language fluency, and self-esteem through the creative writing of poetry and stories, in English, to some of the world’s most at-risk populations. It is a program which was started, tested and proven to work in SE Asia, notably Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore. Writing Through grew out of a series of workshops started in 2010 by the novelist and poet, Sue Guiney, in one educational shelter in Siem Reap, Cambodia, called Anjali House. From there, it grew into an organization now helping students and adults in schools and NGOs throughout Cambodia and Singapore, as well as in Vietnam.

Our work
• Writing through uses a unique pedagogy focusing on creative writing of poetry and stories in English.
• We break down barriers between student and teacher while establishing mutual respect, thus creating a safe space for learning which encourages students to think in new ways, investigating and sharing their dreams and experiences.
• Our process includes a specially designed format of themes, prompts, brainstorming, presentation skills and other bespoke techniques.
• Workshops are run by fluent English speaking facilitators trained by Writing Through, with the in-class assistance of a local teacher with advanced knowledge of English who is generally a staff member of the participating school or NGO. This supports our goal of long-term sustainability through local teacher training. Our program can be adapted to students with a wide range of English facility.

Projects:
• Projects in Cambodia, Singapore and Vietnam.
• Literacy in Language and Thinking (LILT): It is our most innovative project to date. This program combines a bespoke, comprehensive English as a Second Language curriculum with an expanded series of Writing Through arts oriented workshops. The coursework and workshops build on each other to create a unique methodology for teaching language and thinking skills. LILT is conceived to be implemented in an on-going fashion within a partnering institution.
• Teacher training: Writing Through also provides workshops where teachers are shown new techniques and encouraged to create a new classroom atmosphere — less formal, though still respectful. In Writing Through Teacher Training workshops, teachers become students again, experiencing the same workshops their students participate in. Our Facilitators teach by modeling our methods and local teachers learn by experiencing them first hand.

Sue Guiney is the Founder and CEO of Writing Through.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.