Good Readers make Good Writers

Gill Matthews Stephanie Austwick

Kevin JefferyThe Professional Literacy Company

Agenda

IntroductionThe context – Reading Detectives

New Orders for EnglishThe Units – KS1 fiction

KS2 fictionNon-fiction – the research processThe Units – KS2 non-fiction

KS1 non-fictionBuilding a Rich Learning Environment

Higher Order Reading Skills

LocationRe-organisationInferenceEvaluationAppreciation

Creating Real Experiences for Reading and Writing

What is Reading for Real?

Providing children with: an engaging and motivating ‘hook’ into the

texta purpose for their readinga context for their readingan authentic audience for their writing

based on their reading

By hook or by...a letteran emaila visitoran animation (e.g. Crazy Talk, Morfo Booth)a video clipa poster announcing a competitionartefacts with an accompanying requesta message in a bottlelocal request (a person or a venue)Head Teacher’s request

Reasons to read – and write! Film Director – wants to make a film of a bookAnimation Company – an animation of a book TV Company – wants ideas for a documentaryTheme park – new attraction/ride based on book or

themeMuseum – wants help planning an exhibitionLocal attraction – wants to create a visitors’ packAuthor – wants help with a sequel to a bookTourist Information Service – trail/leaflet/guide bookCompetition – series of challenges

Phase 1ReadingImmersionAnalysis

Reading as a writer

Phase 2 Speaking & Listening

Capturing ideasDrama

Oral rehearsal

Phase 3Writing

Writing as a readerPresenting

Read texts -enjoy, -discuss vocabulary-language features-effect on audience

Create an experience - to hook pupils in- give reason to write

Explore language- use it- explore content- empathise

Try out ideasExplore further texts, videos etc

Model the writing process

PlanAllow adequate time to complete writing task and present work

THE BIG PICTURE

It’s Good Readers That Make Good Writers

Initial Agreement with Head

3 linked courses to look at the teaching of writing:

- Writing for Real- Exciting Writing- Good Readers Make Good Writers

Changes to National Curriculum

Revised Programmes of Study for all subjects KS1-3

Consultation period Feb – April 2013Publication of final orders Autumn 2013Statutory from September 2014

Key Issues

English or Literacy?Literacy across the Curriculum?Oracy: significantly smaller roleReading: Word Reading; ComprehensionWriting: Transcription (incl spelling, handwriting);

Composition (incl. grammar, punct.)

Schools Response

Reviewing our practice in the light of the new orders:

What are we committed to keeping? How do the new orders support this?What do we need to change?

Support for Reading

All pupils must be encouraged to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live, to establish an appreciation and a love of reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum. Reading widely and often increases pupils’ vocabulary because they encounter words they would rarely hear or use in everyday speech. Reading also feeds pupils’ imagination and opens up a treasure-house of wonder and joy for curious young minds.

Support for Reading/Writing

Reading and listening to whole books, not simply extracts, helps pupils to increase their vocabulary and grammatical knowledge … These activities also help them to understand how different types of writing … are structured. All these can be drawn on for their writing.

Pupils should understand, through demonstration, the skills and processes essential to writing.

The Reading Jigsaw

The Code

Accuracy Fluency Expression

The Message

Readingthe Lines

Between the Lines

Beyond the Lines

The Medium

Reading to

Reading with

Reading by

The Purpose

Learning to Read

Reading to Learn

Reading for Life

What needs beefing up?

Wider range of reading strategiesImpact of purpose and audience on form

and language in writingWider definition of text for reading and

writingLiteracy across the curriculumTeaching of Effective Research Skills

Purpose of Today’s Course

To look at the teaching of reading and writing in the light of new NC Programmes of Study for English

To look at the wider picture for teaching reading, including non-fiction

To look at how reading (and S&L) can impact on writing

To provide some working models for teachers to take away and trial

THE UNITS

The units

Fiction – KS1, KS2Non-fiction – KS2, KS1

Key Stage 1 Fiction

The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate

by Margaret Mahy

Booktalk – Aidan Chambers

LikesDislikesPuzzlesPatterns

Key Stage 2 fiction

Krindlekrax by Philip Ridley

Cast list

Character name

Major or minor character

Who they are

What they look like

What they are like

Ruskin Splinter

Major Friend of CorkySon of Wendy and Winston

Small, thin, frizzy red hair, glasses with thick lenses

Aspiring actorInquisitiveStrong sense of right and wrong

Key Stage 1 non-fiction

Dinosaur Discovery

Key questions

What did they look like?Where did they live?How did they move?What did they eat?

Research process

Activate prior knowledgeIdentify research questionsSet a purpose for readingNavigate non-fiction textsInterrogate the textRecord and evaluate information

What we Know

What we Would like to know

What we have Learned

What did they look like?

Where did they live?

How did they move?

What did they eat?

What I know about:Before reading After reading

Question Answer Details Source

Skimming and scanning

Skimming – to quickly identify the main ideas in a text

Scanning – to find specific information

Skimming

Read the title, headings and sub-headingsLook at visualsRead first and last sentences of

paragraphs and sectionsKeep thinking about the meaning of the

text

Scanning

Know what questions you are trying to answerDon’t try to read every wordRead vertically rather than horizontally Visualise key wordsLook for clues e.g. capital letters, spelling

patterns, word shapes, numbersUse signposts e.g. sub titles, headings, headersUse textual organisational devices e.g.

alphabetical order

Interrogate the text

Unknown words – to work out word meaningsStop and think – to monitor understandingCheck the text – to interpret visualsText marking – to identify key informationRead, write, read – to read for meaningAsk the teacher – to formulate questions and

monitor understandingAnalyse the question – to answer different types

of questionFind the main idea – to identify key information

Interesting words chart

Word Page no Any clues used

Your explanation

Dictionary help if needed

unearthed 78 root word dug up No

Record and evaluate information

Key wordsNotemakingChange the formChildren’s quizNext steps

What we Know

What we Would like to know

What we have Learned

What did they look like?

Where did they live?

How did they move?

What did they eat?

Big, green, three-fingered

Argentina, warm swamps

FP non fiction Dinosaur Discovery Letter 1

Dear children

Professor Thomas Rex has told us that you are willing to help us to make a dinosaur park. He says that you are really good at doing research and very imaginative.

First, could you send some maps showing how we can lay out the dinosaur park?

Then, design a poster to persuade people to come to the dinosaur park.

Finally, we would like to have a quiz about dinosaurs for the children who visit the park. Could you come up with 10 questions for the quiz?

Thank you so much for your help M J ones Mr M Jones

DARTs

Directed Activities Related to Texts

Reconstruction DARTs

Text completion Sequencing Grouping Table completion Diagram completion Prediction activities

Analysis DARTs

Text marking Text segmenting and labelling Table construction Diagram construction Questioning Summarizing

Key Stage 2 non-fiction

A Smooth Guide to...

The learning environment

Discuss :

How does your school/ classroom environment support or celebrate reading?

Does it tell children and visitors that reading is important? interesting? exciting? cool?

Working Walls

How does your school/ classroom environment support the reading into writing process?

AND FINALLY …

Remember: Key elements of the experience

an engaging opening event or experience that ‘hooks’ the children into the unit

a lively and interesting context that can be sustained over a number of weeks

an unfolding narrativeauthentic audiences and purposes for readingopportunities for children to work in roleliteracy at the heart of the unit

Think Ahead

Note down three action points that you can do as soon as you are back in the classroom