Writing Workshop 2015

Supporting your child in learning to write

Writing at SFS

Read, Write, Inc. – all children from Reception to Year 4. RWI Get Writing sessions (for younger children) and RWI Literacy and Language and Spelling (for older children)Igniting WritingCross Curricular writing – History, Geography, Science, RE etc.

Read, Write Inc.

Oxford University Press publish the resources

Read Write Inc. Literacy and Language

Literacy and Language is a creative writing, comprehension and spoken language programme for Years 2 to 6 that meets the requirements of the new curriculum and statutory assessments.

It will:•Develop children’s writing, so they become thoughtful and confident writers.•Further develop comprehension skills asking more difficult and probing questions about the characters, settings, plots or facts in the texts – inferring and deducing.•Engage children with drama and discussion. •Build vocabulary and develop spoken language.•Teach grammar in context.•Prepare every child for the key stage 1 and key stage 2 grammar, punctuation and spelling tests.

http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/resources/literacy-and-language-teaching-writing/

Read Write Inc. Literacy and Language

Now we will watch a video clip of a teacher

teaching RWI Literacy and Language and you will be able to see how the reading of a text then

leads on to the children’s independent writing.

Igniting Writing

Igniting Writing philosophy

Igniting Writing is the development of the ‘writing voice’ through fast, fun, lively and often (particularly with younger children) oral activities. It develops a writer who is confident to write different types of texts using the tools and methods they have been taught as the ‘writing voice’.

What are the key elements of Igniting Writing?

The Four Generic TargetsObjectives SummaryPunctuation

Powerful sentenceOpeners

Special words and phrases

Conjunctions

The range of punctuation a pupil can use & the accuracy with which they use it.

The strategies pupils have for opening sentences

The range of ambitious vocabulary a pupil knows eg: adjectives and adverbs

The range of ways pupils have of joining ideas, phrases & sentences

Level1 .

Level2 . ?

Level3 . ? , !

Level 4 . ? , ! … ’ “”

Level 5 . ? , … - ! ’ “” : ; (

)The Punctuation Pyramid

Igniting Writing – The MethodReception – • begins with mainly oral work – ‘Big talk’. • leads to written work.

Three 15 minute sessions a week in September. This builds up through the year.

• Key Stage 1 – one hour a week in one block

• Key Stage 2 – one and a half hours a week in one block.

Igniting Writing method cont….• The focus & text type varies for each Key Stage. • A variety of different text types are studied:-

Instructions, Reports, Diaries, Playscripts, Recipes, Fiction etc.

First 15 minutes

Fast fun activities linked to lesson expectations

Next 10 minutes

Planning time

WILF explanation

45 minutes

Writing time

Evaluation and self assessment

Teacher marking (using pink and green)

Example Igniting Writing session

COW time.‘Correct our work’ time

Time for a break

and a chance to look at some of the children’s extended writing.

WILF

Children at Stamfordham will be given a WILF list whenever they are given a piece of writing to complete. This will ensure that the objectives for the activity are very clear and that the children understand how they can be successful.

The children’s work is ‘quality marked’ using the SFS system of pink and green.

Now – an activity to complete – don’t worry it’s not too hard!!

In pairs, discuss why I like this sentence:

The light slowly dimmed. Next I glanced at the huge beast, whilst I still had time.

ACTIVITY

Uplevel this sentence.

The boy ran down the street.

Motivation and rewards

All our children are hugely motivated in Igniting Writing. They all work very hard to improve their writing skills. Assessment results show that writing levels have improved considerably since the introduction of Igniting Writing and Read, Write, Inc.When a child/children work particularly hard during Igniting Writing we reward them with special writing stickers and also special pencils for exceptional work.

Handwriting – Nelson handwritingTeachers create conditions for neat handwriting - this includes:• seating and posture • pencil and pen grip• how to organise books/paper on the table

What is taught:• All of the lower-case and capital letters are taught via interactive

resources and children’s own workbooks, with clear and consistent instructions about where to start and finish letters.

• Flicks at the end of letters to be joined, are used from when the children begin letter formation practise in Reception.

• Break letters that are best left unjoined – such as b, p, g, j, q and y.• Spacing letters and words consistently. • Keeping ascenders and descenders in proportion and on the

correct position on the line

Educational research shows that parental support in a child’s learning in school can lead to improvement

in progress of up to 30%

How can parents help?• When writing at home encourage the ‘best handwriting seating position’ and

accurate pencil grip. Try to ensure your child always starts letters in the correct position.

• Learn weekly spelling lists – practise every night (Mon – Fri) for a short time.• Read a minimum of four times a week with your child and ask challenging open

ended questions.• In Class 2 and 3 encourage the use of the home/school writing book. • In Key Stage 2 (Class 3) - work through your child’s Literacy homework with

them, ensuring they understand the task and complete it to the best of their ability.

How SFS supports this• Weekly differentiated spelling lists linked to Read, Write, Inc. texts being

read/studied.• Reading books sent home regularly.• Home/school writing books – Class 2 and 3.• Differentiated Literacy homework in Key Stage 2.• Weekly reading and homework clubs (10/15 mins) run by a Teaching Assistant,

to help those children who need a little more support.

Any questions?

Handouts

• Igniting Writing pyramids• WILF examples

• Nelson formation sheet• Handwriting posture bookmarks

• Powerpoint slides