Welcome to our Writing Curriculum Evening. Something to think about while you’re waiting. Estimate how many times you have written something today. Now try to sort these into 3 categories: writing to inform, persuade or entertain. September 2015

Let’s share a few together!

The purpose of this workshop: At Keston, we aim for our children to be proficient, creative, excited and enthusiastic writers. The purpose of this workshop: To gain an understanding of how children’s writing develops. To understand how we teach writing at Keston. To give you some practical ideas about how you can support your children at home with their writing.

Transcription = Spelling and handwriting. Composition = Planning, drafting, evaluating, sharing, revising and editing, sentence combining, summarising, writing for a purpose and an audience, grammar and punctuation.

Composition We provide opportunities for the children to experience a variety of genres which have their own style and language features. E.g. diaries, letters, arguments, reports, narrative settings/ characterisation. Broadly speaking writing to: inform, persuade and entertain.

In school, the children are exposed to all types of Early writing In school, the children are exposed to all types of handwriting and text. As they become more confident they will try to form the sounds that they have learnt. Talk forms the foundation for much of this work.

Activity

What can you do to help? Model your writing with your child so that they can see its purpose; shopping lists, to do lists etc. Verbalise your thoughts as you write. Encourage and praise all mark making. Ask questions like: Which sound do you think it begins with? Support your children in writing in lower case not CAPITAL LETTERS as this will help them identify the sounds. Encourage your child to write in cursive script.

Becoming Writers Before children can become ‘writers’ they need to develop their understanding of the English language. As previously mentioned, talk is a vital step in all writing from nursery to year 6.

Generating interesting adjectives and similes

Hear it. Like it. Write it. Read it. Improve it. Think it. Say it. Hear it. Like it. Write it. Read it. Improve it.

We develop these skills further by considering different ways of constructing sentences. We support the children with developing their vocabulary choices and how to adapt their sentences to suit the purpose. The aim? To make writing more interesting.

We help the children develop their sentences by using V.C.O.P. – Ban Boring Sentences We help the children develop their sentences by using V.C.O.P. – Vocabulary, Connectives, Openers, Punctuation.

Bring on the V.C.O.P. Superheroes! Violet Vocab The Incredible Opener Captain Connective Dr Punctuation

The cat went along the wall. Violet vocab adds interesting adjectives and powerful verbs to describe and change dull words for interesting alternatives! The fluffy cat prowled along the red brick wall.

along the red brick wall. The fluffy cat prowled along the red brick wall. Captain Connective adds more detail or action to the sentence. The fluffy cat prowled along the red brick wall because he was spying on a juicy bird.

The fluffy cat prowled along the red brick wall because he was spying on a juicy bird. The Incredible Opener changes the beginning of the sentence to grab the reader’s attention! Whilst licking his lips, the fluffy cat prowled along the red brick wall because he was spying on a juicy bird.

Dr Punctuation makes an impact using different punctuation. Whilst licking his lips, the fluffy cat prowled along the red brick wall because he was spying on a juicy bird. Dr Punctuation makes an impact using different punctuation. Whilst licking his lips, the fluffy cat (who had sharp teeth) prowled along the red brick wall because he was spying on a juicy bird. Obviously, if all sentences were this long we would lose the will to live so we encourage the children to keep the readers interest by using VCOP whilst incorporating different sentence lengths. A short sentence e.g. He froze, can be particularly dramatic when placed in between longer ones.

GPS Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Grammar. We have already touched upon grammar within V.C.O.P However, we also teach stand alone grammar lessons where necessary and use games as an essential part of the children’s learning.

Our approach: We promote a workshop approach, using a variety of stimuli, where teachers and children work together modelling good practice through shared writing. All classes have regular writing opportunities during English sessions and cross curricular activities. Children also have an extended writing session at least once a week where they are expected to write independently. Classrooms have quality displays and ‘working walls’ which support pupils’ writing.

What can you do at home? Encourage your child to find meaningful, real life reasons to write e.g. shopping lists, emails. Have discussions. Ask for their opinions on important, real-life issues. This will develop their skills of explanation and argument. Let your child write about what interests them and in genres that they enjoy even if this is One Direction or Moshi Monsters! 1. Generally, we write to communicate with others. We write to connect. Introduce new words and explain what the words mean. Speak to your child in complete sentences when appropriate.

Reflection time… Writing is about who we are. It is personal and individual. We only write when we have a purpose. Without talk, there would be no writing. We need to stimulate an interest in words and sentences because they lie at the heart of all writing. If you want to be a writer then read, read, read!