About the Intermediate (Years 5 to 8) Writers Award
The Intermediate Writers Award is a unique non-fiction essay competition open to NZ Students, Years 5 to 8.
The Award is designed to offer a competitive and authentic opportunity for students to engage in purposeful writing.
The IWA promotes the idea of a writer’s voice/platform – whereby writers are:
1. Engaged in a nationwide conversation surrounding the essay starter; and
2. Composing arguments with a genuine audience in mind.
SCHOOLS - Why Register your Classes for IWA 2022
STUDENTS - Why Enter IWA 2022
Find your Voice
The IWA promotes social and political discussion regarding issues and experiences facing youth in the modern world.
Unique New Zealand Writing Competition
In our information based society, written language is rapidly evolving in both form and function.
The IWA recognises the evolution of communication mediums, purposes and audiences. It is the only writing competition in New Zealand that opens up an authentic opportunity and audience for writing to be experienced as a social process.
It is uniquely nationwide and the first of its kind that requires the school to register instead of individual students. The deliberate connection of students and teachers on the one essay topic creates engagement and shared experience. It is this shared experience that creates the writer’s platform, and gives students a much needed avenue for their writing to find ‘voice.’
Our Process
- Register – Schools enrol their classes, there are 3 options available. Low-cost entry.
- Welcome Letter is sent out including a poster to promote the Award and your involvement in it.
- Essay Starter (includes the essay question, reading material that orientates students to the topic and guidelines for composition).
- Students are given class writing time to engage in the research and composition process.
- The top three entries from each class are submitted to the national competition.
- Entries may be submitted to the competition from September 1-30.
- Judging panel sits October.
- Winners notified in November-December.