RAFT
A writing framework where students choose or are given four dimensions: Role (who is the writer?), Audience (who is it for?), Format (what kind of text?), Topic (what is it about?). Any combination produces a distinct writing task — and teaches that these four choices shape every piece of writing.
The Framework
R — Role: Who is doing the writing? (a detective, a mother, the president)
A — Audience: Who is reading? (a jury, her son, the nation)
F — Format: What type of text? (letter, email, diary, speech, poster, podcast)
T — Topic: What is the subject?Procedure
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Build a RAFT grid together. Example for a topic like "climate change":
Role Audience Format Topic Climate scientist Government Formal report Urgency of action 15-year-old Future self Letter Why I joined the march Polar bear Humans Open letter Ice is melting Fossil fuel CEO Board members Internal memo Defending our business -
Students choose a row (or mix and match columns).
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Write the piece according to the four dimensions chosen.
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In pairs, students read each other's. Partners guess the R, A, F, T from the text alone.
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Whole class: notice how the same topic produces radically different writing.
Why It Works
- Makes rhetorical context visible: every writing task has an R/A/F/T; most coursebook prompts hide them.
- Voice and register practice: the role determines voice; the audience determines register.
- Genre flexibility: one topic, many formats. Students who can only write essays get forced into letters, diaries, speeches.
- Differentiation: different learners pick rows that suit their level — same content, accessible range.
Good RAFT Grids
For a history unit on WWII
| R | A | F | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soldier | Wife | Letter | Life at the front |
| Code-breaker | Supervisor | Memo | A new discovery |
| Civilian | Diary | Entry | Ration day |
| Reporter | Newspaper | Article | A victory |
For a novel unit
| R | A | F | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character A | Character B | Text message | What really happened |
| Author | Reader | Foreword | My inspiration |
| Critic | Newspaper | Review | One star or five |
| Modern teenager | 1920s protagonist | Letter | Advice across time |
Variations
- Student-authored RAFTs: students build their own rows; swap with partners.
- RAFT with constraint: must include 3 specific vocabulary words.
- RAFT as assessment: exam-style tasks require any R/A/F/T the student picks; evaluated on fit.
- Audio/video RAFT: the F can be podcast, TikTok, voicemail. Multimodal writing.
Tips
- First time, keep R and F familiar; let the audience and topic stretch.
- The audience dimension is the most-forgotten. Students often default to "general reader." Insist on a specific named audience.
- Display strong RAFT pieces on the wall as exemplars of different formats.
- Works from A2 (simple letter formats) up through advanced (legal briefs, political speeches).
Source
Santa, C.M. (1988) Content Reading Including Study Systems. Kendall/Hunt. Santa, C. & Havens, L. (1995) Project CRISS: Creating Independence through Student-Owned Strategies.