Leesschrijfkoppen

Leesschrijfkoppen is a Dutch concept used in journalism and language education to describe the craft of writing headlines that support reading comprehension and writing skills. The term combines notions of leesbaarheid (readability) and schrijfkunst (writing) with koppen (headlines), and it is employed in training and classroom contexts to show how headlines shape how a text is understood and anticipated.

The concept is used in media literacy and language pedagogy to teach both content understanding and writing technique. Practitioners look at how a headline signals the article’s focus, how it steers reader expectations, and how it can be matched with an appropriate lede and body text. It also encompasses guidance on audience awareness and ethical considerations in headline creation.

Core principles of leesschrijfkoppen include clarity, conciseness, accuracy, and relevance. Effective headlines use simple, common vocabulary; prefer active voice; aim for brevity (often just a few words); and reflect the article’s main point without exaggeration. They should be easily scannable and guide the reader toward the content rather than misleading them.

Applications include classroom exercises in which students compare headlines with ledes and full texts, newsroom training on headline guidelines, and digital media practices that balance readability with searchability and user engagement. Assessment methods may involve alignment checks between headline and article, readability evaluation, and audience analysis.

Examples of neutral headlines might be: "Nieuwe maatregelen tegen inflatie" or "Scholen testen digitale rekenvaardigheid." See also related terms such as lede, subkop, and koppenstijl, which address different levels of headlines and introductory text.