1. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
HGIOS 4
Where does it link to How Good is Our School?
2.2 – Curriculum
2.3 – Learning, teaching and assessment
2.4 – Personalised support
The notes section in each presentation is primarily for the facilitator, indicating additional requirements or information.
Writing Feedback – Technical Skills vs. Content
The objective of this PPT is to explore differing opinions which practitioners have regarding providing effective feedback within writing.
This PPT will address the following Quality Indicators from HGIOS 4:
QI: 2.2 – Curriculum – Themes:
Rationale and design
Development of the curriculum
Skills for learning, life and work
QI: 2.3 – Learning, teaching and assessment – Themes:
Learning and engagement
Quality of teaching
Planning, tracking and monitoring
QI: 2.4 – Personalised support – Themes:
Universal support
Removal of potential barriers to learning

2. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
Agenda
Activity 1 – Introduction / Starter Activity (5 mins)
Activity 2 – How’s it going / feedback (10-20 mins)
Activity 3 – New Learning (25-40 mins)
Activity 4 – Personal Action Planning (10 mins)
Activity 5 – Summary of Learning (5 mins)
This agenda is fixed and is the same for every presentation in the toolkit.

3. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
Activity 1: Voice on the table
In a maximum of 45 seconds, share your response to the following:
Name a writer whose work you enjoy
What impact does the writer have on you when you read their work?
To start the session choose an activity which is non-judgemental and everyone can contribute.
“Think of something that happened in a lesson that made you smile. You have 30 seconds per teacher to tell the group what it is. No teacher can ‘pass”
The facilitator should model what is meant: e.g. Roald Dahl. When I read his work I feel like I am part of the story. He has a gift which allows me to relate to the characters within his work.
The role of the teachers when it is not their turn is active listening
You may use a stopwatch
Choose respondents-everyone must be involved in this activity
Max 5 Minutes for this activity

4. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
Writing across Learning in St Hilary’s Primary School
This clip looks at writing across learning in action. This includes:
widening technical vocabulary through active spelling strategies
chunking writing sessions to review and share as learners write
supporting all learners through the use of writing prompts, word banks, sentence starters and teacher/pupil, pupil/pupil intervention.
'Writing across Learning'
The following video is from the Education Scotland website and can be accessed on
The video details how St Hilary’s Primary School have used writing across learning as an approach to improve both pupil standards and confidence when writing. The group should be given the opportunity to discuss ‘How do we currently adopt a ‘Writing across learning’ approach within our classroom practice? This question is to be posed by the facilitator – pairs and trios should be given time to discuss.
5-10 minutes

5. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
Activity 2: How’s it going?
With a partner, using a piece of text created by a learner which you consider to be ‘good writing’, highlight where the learner has demonstrated technical accuracy.
Using a different colour, now highlight the striking moment in which where learner’s content demonstrates their flair for writing.
What makes a good piece of writing?
Staff, preferably working in year group/level stages, should have selected a piece of writing that they consider to be a ‘good’ piece of writing. The facilitator, in advance, should ask participants to bring a piece of a pupil’s work, or alternatively the facilitator can provide a piece of striking writing.
In pairs/small groups, staff should highlight where the learner has succeeded in terms of both their content/technical ability.
The facilitator should then pose the following question, and collect responses from the pairs:
What makes a good piece of writing?
Participants may have varying ideas as to what makes a ‘good’ piece of writing. During the feedback both technical accuracy and captivating content should be acknowledged, as this will be a preparatory discussion for the next task.
15 minutes

6. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
Effective Feedback
Given the responses to the last question, when providing feedback during writing, which is more important:
Feedback on content?
Feedback on technical accuracy?
The facilitator should place the participants in two groups. Each group should be given a side: content or technical accuracy. Given 5 minutes, the group should come up with supporting arguments which support their case.
The groups should then be given 2 minutes to present their case to the opposing group.
At the end of the discussion, as facilitator, at this point acknowledge the importance of both areas when providing feedback, if this did not crystallise during your discussion.
10-15 minutes

7. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
Activity 3: New Learning
“You know it when you see it. It isn’t that hard to tell whether a piece of writing is good or bad. You just have to read it. But things get more challenging if you have to explain why Good writing has:
• Ideas that are interesting and important.
• Organization that is logical and effective.
• Voice that is individual and appropriate.
• Word Choice that is specific and memorable.
• Sentence Fluency that is smooth and expressive.
• Conventions that are correct and communicative.”
Teaching That Makes Sense: What is Good Writing?
The facilitator should share the work of Steve Peha, Teaching That Makes Sense. Steve has developed literacy support materials in America, using the ‘6 Traits of Writing’ as his stimulus.
Do staff agree with this statement?
Staff can follow up the work of Steve Peha, if they wish, by following the hyperlink at the end of the PowerPoint
5 minutes

8. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
“Children and young people will demonstrate their progress in writing though the degree of independence they show, the organisation and quality of their ideas, their skills in spelling, punctuation and grammar, the match of their writing to audience and the effectiveness of their use of language Learners’ enthusiasm and motivation for using language will show in their growing use of different media and
texts, their preferences in reading, their confidence in sharing experiences through talk and writing and in the ways they apply their skills in their learning and communicating.”
CfE: literacy across learning – principles and practice
What similarities are there between the ideas voiced by Teaching That Makes Sense, and those above, within the CfE documentation?
The facilitator should share the quote from the CfE: literacy across learning – principles and practice paper
The following question should be asked, pairs should discuss and feedback responses:
What similarities are there between the ideas voiced by Teaching That Makes Sense (previous slide), and those above, within the CfE documentation?
5-10 minutes

9. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
To make progress pupils require effective feedback – How can we ensure that learners are given effective feedback, using a balanced approach, which develop both their technical accuracy and content within their writing?
The facilitator should share the following with the group:
Both Steve Peha (Teaching That Makes Sense) and the CfE literacy across learning – principles and practice paper suggest that you need a ‘balanced’ approach when delivering writing– ensuring that both content and technical ability are developed in unison with one another.
Facilitator should then pose the question to the group:
To make ‘progress’ pupils require effective feedback – How can we ensure that learners are given effective feedback, using a balanced approach’ which develop both their technical accuracy and content within their writing?
At this point the facilitator should point out the use of formative strategies, such as ‘Two stars and a wish’
The responses should be heard from each of the pairs/groups. The facilitator can at this point share the ideas below– encouraging staff to think about: How are we going to do this?
Model texts which demonstrate the qualities of ‘good’ writing as writer’s craft lessons
Use oral feedback during the writing process to identify next steps
Incorporate self and peer assessment into lessons, encouraging pupils to talk about the writing, justifying how their writing has the desired impact on their reader
Encourage pupils to experiment with ambitious vocabulary, punctuation and structure, and provide them with the ability to analyse and identify their next steps for improvement
Celebrate the success of learners – developing a culture in which they feel confident to talk about their writing
Use the assessment of learners’ work to plan further learning experiences which will enhance both content and technical accuracy
Teach learners spelling and grammar using a ‘mini-lesson’ approach both during the writing process, and as stand alone lessons, allowing them to transfer the skills into their writing
minutes

10. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
Activity 4: Personal Action Planning
Over the coming weeks, when planning, teaching and assessing writing, ensure that your understanding of ‘How do I provide effective feedback in writing?’ is your primary focus.
Choose one or two elements that you are going to explore and evaluate.
Bring back your findings to the next session
Using the Personal Action plan sheet each teacher chooses one or two elements s/he is going to explore and use during the next month. This may involve doing more of some things and less of others and teachers may need pushing on this.
Activity 4: Personal Action Planning
Have copies of My Personal Action Plan ready to distribute
Pair-share: two minutes sharing your
plan with your partner then swap.
Randomly choose two or three
teachers to share with the group
what their partner is planning
minutes

11. Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
Activity 5: Summary of Learning
Write your name on the card or post-it and something you have learned today, or reflected upon, which will have a positive impact on your practice.
Leave your card or post-it on your way out.
EXIT CARDS
Distribute exit cards( pieces of card or post its) and ask each member to write their name on the card and one thing that they learned in the workshop on the card.
Collect in the exit cards.
Read through the cards so that you can feedback to the group at the start of the next workshop.
5 minutes

12. 'What is Good Writing?' - Steve Peha
Writing Feedback – Technical Skill vs. Content
Literacy
Toolkit
Follow up links:
'Big Writing' - Ros Wilson
'What is Good Writing?' - Steve Peha
FOLLOW UP LINKS
The facilitator should refer participants to the follow up links which can be accessed independently for further information.
SSLN - Writing