Kohia Centre 5: Developing an Effective Writing Programme with Louise Dempsey

 Content:
  • review features of an effective writing programme
  • unpack some skills writers need to develop
  • review a balanced writing lesson
  • share strategies for establishing editing skills and celebrating writing
Teaching approaches in a balanced writing programme


Teacher approaches - As seen above (summarised snippet of a writing programme)

Planning - Have an end goal for writing: What do I want children to do well. (I found this to be very helpful, because I realised, I was too hellbent on students learning structure and not having a specific goal for students to work towards.)

Engaging Students (Activities)
  • Develop 'think, pair, share' culture
  • Clapping phonemes (Sounds)
  • Identify syllables (different symbols to phonemes)
  • working on whiteboards
  • Pointing to a letter/ wrods
  • Making shapes of letters
  • Drama - acting out ideas for writing, books, songs, poems
Suggested sequence for teaching writing
  1. Lesson introduction - 15 minutes
  2. Independent writing (guided) - 20 minutes
  3. Lesson wraps up - 10 minutes

Lesson Introduction - 15 minutes
  • motivate the students for the writing lesson
  • agree and unpack the criteria for the lesson
  • Use modelled and shared writing to demonstrate the criteria
  • Use 'think-pair-share' to check students understanding
Generating ideas for writing
Curriculum
  • Topic/inquiry and other subjects
  • Book from reading, Art activity, PE game, Music Activity
Activating memories/ experiences -
  • A favourite place
  • a special person
  • favourite time of the day
  • a time you were bored
  • own topic
Shared Experiences
  • image
  • video
  • book
  • Drama
  • Object
  • Activity inside or outside the classroom
Create experiences for children
-Drama - sailing on a boat (pretend play)
-Listen to something: stories and poem (moment in time-setting description-character description-advice for a character-retell-innovation-introduction/ conclusion)
-Call a friend: oral language-activate a memory
-talking strips

Model/ Shared writing
  • Move between modelled and shared
  • Engage all students using 'think-pair-share'
  • model how to use writers supports (alphabet cards, word lists, etc)
  • Observe students during independent writing.
  • what do they need you to model next?
  • Keep it short and focused (don't try and do everything)

Independent Writing 20 minutes


After writing - Editing
 

*Have checklists glued in writing books, so it is available for them to self-check when writing is done.
*Wow words (highlight/ underline; upgrade - I can make that word better)
*Normalise sharing writing with someone

*Normalise feedback: "I like...... because...
(Children progress quicker when they notice their own mistakes. Encourage children to edit their work)

Lesson wrap-up
*Children will write more if they know there's sharing time.
Model and teach the self-check (proofread)
OR
Model and teach the partner-check
OR
Review one criteria from the lesson
AND
Celebrate writing (super writer cape/ super writer wall display)

Suggested wrap-up sequence (encourage autonomy)
  1. Project a student's writing (exemplar)
  2. The students read their writing. Teacher/ students give feedback
  3. teacher chooses one thing from the checklist to review in the students writing (star and a wish)
  4. students review the same thing in their writing and make improvements (stars and a wish)






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