Writing from the front line Sarah Duke

The teaching sequence 4 phases to every writing unit (fiction/non fiction/poetry)

THE TEACHING SEQUENCE Phase 1 – (word level) Reading of the text/WAGOLL – all LCs taken from the reading curriculum. Phase 2 – (sentence level) Grammar – all LCs taken from the grammar, vocab and punctuation curriculum. Phase 3 – (text level) Composition and effect – all LCs taken from the composition curriculum. Phase 4 – (independent writing)

LCs and differentiation All Learning challenges/objectives etc are skills based and from the curriculum (sometimes rephrased to be child friendly) In a lesson, all children are working towards the same LC but at varying stages of ‘mastery’. Bronze, Silver, Gold and challenge: Bronze is using resources or adult support to achieve the LC Silver is becoming fluent at the LC – looking at the common mistakes and different representations. Gold is a reasoning or problem solving task, where the children need to justify or explain choices made.

PHASE 2 The grammar skills taught are the skills children will need to use in their assessed piece of writing and will be seen in your WAGOLL. Your grammar objectives must be taken from your year group’s curriculum and Appendix 2 where appropriate. If children are working at greater depth, broaden the context of the grammar skills rather than teaching from the year above. As in maths, you can also set reasoning and problem solving tasks. When teaching this phase, your activities must be linked to the text/WAGOLL

LABEL THE PARTS   The upper side of a shark is dark because it keeps them camouflaged against the depths of the sea. When another predator enters its habitat sharks feel threatened In many films, sharks are shown as vicious man eaters although they hardly ever attack humans.

Correct Complex or not? When you ask, “What is a complex sentence?” What is the common answer? What mistakes do they make when writing them?   Sharks travel hundreds of miles when they hunted for prey. Sharks immediately when an old one falls out. Sharks have to keep swimming when they have serrated teeth. If sharks smell their prey, they immediately attack! Sharks are used for soup when.

Family fortunes Some sharks eat algae. Some sharks eat algae because it is readily available. Some sharks eat algae when their supply of meat runs out. Some sharks eat algae if they have specialised gills to filter it.

Secret sentences Similar set up to consequences but the first simple sentence/picture from the text is written at the bottom of the A4 sheet. Children take it in turns to write a specific sentence type, fold their paper and pass it on. At the end, open up the sheet, choose the best sentence and explain why.

Building sentences using co-ordinating and subordinating conjunctions Next 2 slides 5 mins

Building sentences using co-ordinating and subordinating conjunctions Co-ordinating conjunctions Subordinating conjunctions Useful for adding information and so for Useful for contrasting ideas: but yet or nor These go in the middle of a sentence. Useful for explaining things because if since Useful for contrasting things although despite while whereas Useful for adding extra information about someone or something which who that These can go at the start of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence. 1.20

Zoos? Prison or Paradise? Silent debate… 15 mins – 1.35 Large images on table on big pieces of paper

Zoos? Prison or Paradise? “You can see lots of rare animals in zoo.” “Yes, but they are not living in their natural environment.” 5 mins – 1.40 Divide the class in two and play simple ‘yes..but’ game

Beginning to build an argument Now use some of the ideas from the silent debate in your writing Zoos are fun places to go and… Zoos exist to provide entertainment but… Zoos exist to provide entertainment so… Zoos can be entertaining yet… Next 4 slides 15 mins Lined paper Students use the ideas from the silent debate to write sentences using coordinating conjunctions- for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.

Beginning to build an argument Now try these… Animals can go crazy being locked up because… Animals in cages are like people in prison because… Zoos can be educational if… Zoos can be fun although… Lined paper Then introduce subordinating conjunctions using because and if

Beginning to build an argument using coordinating conjunctions Zoos are fun places to go and children about animals too. Zoos exist to provide entertainment but the animals are not always well looked after. Co-ordinating conjunctions connect two main clauses

Beginning to build an argument- using subordinating conjunctions Animals in cages are like people in prison because they have had their freedom taken away. Zoos can be educational if children can learn all about how the animals live. Subordinating conjunctions connect a subordinate clause to a main clause. 1.55

DEPTH IN WRITING (GRAMMAR)

Showing depth Diamond nine

PHASE 3 By the end of phase 3, the children should know how to plan, compose, structure, draft, evaluate and edit a text LC: organise paragraphs around a theme LC: create a setting LC: assess the effectiveness of your partner’s writing and suggest improvements LC: propose changes to grammar and vocabulary.

EDITING AND REDRAFTING What is difference between them? Edit - prepare (written material) for publication by correcting, condensing, or otherwise modifying it. Redrafting - draft (a document, text, or map) again in a different way. At CVPS, editing is linked to phase 2/sentence level work and takes the form of grammar corrections Redrafting is linked to phase 3/4/composition and effect /whole text level work. This may start of as simply adding in/developing a character description. Ensure with both there is a clear focus so children know how to succeed at them.

EDITING LESSONS - correcting Children must have a solid understanding of the grammar terminology before they can edit. For the first half term, I expose the children to editing a sentence during guided starters and build this up to a couple of sentences at a time. I start with detailed instructions such as ‘Edit the adjectives in these sentences so they are more specific’ and progress onto just ‘Edit this sentence’ once they are fluent with different strategies for correcting.

EDITING LESSON IDEAS Punctuation/grammar cricket. Create a score card for certain genres used in a piece of writing, e.g. Basic adjective – 2 points Specific adjective – 4 points Basic fronted adverbial with commas – 3 points Specific fronted adverbial with commas – 6 points Ensure the marking criteria fits the piece of writing. Start with a couple of items on the score card and throughout the year increase them. Give them a maximum score. If they go over this score -10 Allow them a chance to use their ‘editing pens’ to improve their score.

REDRAFTING – adding in and/or taking away Is completed as part of phase 3. The children practise writing their final piece, paragraph at a time. (1 paragraph = 1 lesson) When you mark their paragraph, you notice that their setting descriptions are not as detailed as they should be. The next lesson you teach them to redraft their first paragraph adding in extra information to address this. What do you want them to add in? Have they only described appearance and not movement? Have they only described their appearance in a couple of sentences and you’d like them to describe the rest of their body? Ensure there is a purpose for redrafting. If the majority wrote a successful first paragraph then don’t redraft it!

EDIT OR REDRAFT? What does a shark look like? Sharks come in many different shapes and sizes. Sharks belong to a family of fish that have skeletons made of cartilage. On the side of their necks, sharks have five to seven gill slits. The upper side of a shark is dark and under their belly, their skin is white. Generally, sharks are cylindrical in shape with tapered edges.

EDIT OR REDRAFT? What does a shark eat? Sharks eat a range of different prey. A shark's deit depends on were it lives, althought they all eat fish. All sharks are carnivorus, even though some of them eat plants and algee to. The range of prey eaten by sharks is extremly broad, from snails to sea urchins, crabs, fish, rays, other sharks, seals, and birds.

EDITING AS PART OF MARKING This can be completed at any stage of the writing journey. When you mark, look for common mistakes linked to the LC. Instead of repeatedly writing the whole comment, just write a code e.g. NS1/NS2/NSCh/NSQu/NSSilver These will relate to the LC e.g. NS1: Change the subordinating conjunction in the 2 starred sentences so that the sentence makes sense. For children who didn’t make the common mistake NSQu: Which subordinating conjunction would you use to extend this main clause and why?

Time saving PERSONAL REDRAFTING/EDITING Using Seesaw to give individual personalised feedback

Spelling strategies

Spellings – appendix 1 Year group word lists Spelling lessons Spelling tests

Year group word lists Must ensure you expose the whole class to the year group word lists – any big gaps need to be addressed in interventions. At CVPS, these are our spelling homework as need to be learned ‘off by heart’ Use a range of activities/games to practise Spelling scribble/blockbusters/family fortunes/noughts and crosses/spinners/handwriting/word pyramids/word shapes/word drawings/boggle/pointless Have readily available for early finishers

SPELLING LESSONS

SPELLING INVESTIGATIONS

EXPLORE AND FIND PATTERNS In pairs, sort these words into groups. How many groups? What are they called? Label yourself A and B As visit a different B to your partner. Bs will explain to the new As how you sorted your words. Return to your original partner and discuss

HYPOTHESISE Is there a rule for which words have ible and which words have able? Do the able words have anything in common? All words that end in 'able' have a root word before them. Test the theory – are there any exceptions? Accessible Permissible Amicable Collapsible Audible

TRIED AND TESTED INVESTIGATIONS All words that end in 'able' have a root word before them. True/false/prove it. Using the following letter cards, how many words with the long a sound (spelt ei/eigh/ey) can you create? Which is the odd one out? Why? hopped jumped skipped Jasper says if you use an apostrophe for plural possession, it always goes after the s. Is he right? Which spelling of the long a sound is used the most? ei eigh ey

COLLABORATIVE SPELLING TESTS Which table are the best spellers? In pairs, spell these words. Swap the pencil each time. Whisper to discuss. Collaborate with your table (quietly, you don’t want another table to steal your ideas) Nominate one person to be the envoy. They can only stay for 2 minutes max. Once they leave the table they cannot return and no writing anything down!