3 things a good writer needs
- Experiences
- Imagination
- To use their senses - tap into
observations . Gail Loane -Don't just look, look with seeing eyes
Writing
Writing is a
communication of content with a purpose for an audience - Steve Peha
The Key to writing is
Oral Language-If you are going to write well you have to be able to tell it.
Telling stories - needs
to be encouraged. Telling to and encouraging students to be story-tellers.
Jill states the
Essential skills of Writing are
- a good written sight vocab
- a mastery of how to form letters
- good oral lang development
- able to put thoughts on paper before getting worried about genre or text types.
What is important in
teaching Writing?
- to use different approaches to teaching writing when appropriate
- to create a love of writing
- to show students, when developmentally
appropriate, how to: craft texts for audience and purpose, form ideas
on a trade of topics structure texts, use language features, to examine
the craft of writers, to develop and extend vocabulary, to know what good
writing is.
In teaching writing we are never teaching just one thing at a time.
It is multi layered.
Writing approaches
Shared Writing-Whole
class
KEY WORDS used -
Metalanguage of Writing
- topic
- audience
- purpose
Shared writing can not
be a long piece of writing. Using KEY WORDS make it short and precise and
it shows - doesn’t tell
our readers what happened.
Modelled Writing -
Groups
Tools - target sheets.
Alphabet charts
Step 1: Whole class.
Teacher Recounts a Personal Experience. Or Oral language - Hat in the
wind -short and precise
Modelling Group: Keep
one group and send the other two away.
Every time you write for
chn you show/tell them
- topic
- audience
- purpose
Level 1 Writers
Level 1i “my hat into onto the road”. No I think I
will recraft that sentence. “My hat floated onto the road”
Next group Level
1ii - I will put my plan in sequence. ‘waz’ , made a purposeful
error. Teacher not asking for ideas. This is own writing following
plan. Voicing process. Showing examples of steps or progress - i.e. compound
sentence example. Writing completed. “I will need to edit my writing, underline
my spelling errors"
Level 1iii - Plan done with arrows to show sequence.
My coat was flapping
like a sail - show not tell . simile
"I think I want to
write how I felt and why. This will be a longer sentence" - example of
complex sentence with because .
“I
have to read my writing now to see if it makes sense”.
I think I could craft my
writing so that my readers can see more clearly how my hat came down.
Redrafting-Adding or changing. Editing - full stops and capitals,
spelling.
Text types- modelling
the metalanguage but not going into the structures and features
Recount personal
experience - “I am going to tell you how I was feeling” My eyes were shut and
my legs were shaking. Show not tell.
Moment in time - put
your magnifying glass over the most important part.
5 Senses
See Handout -
metalanguage of writing at each level.
Level 2 and 3 writers.
1.Teaching Through
guided reading
- Reading like a reader
- Reading like a writer. Identify with author and
learn about writing. What the writer is doing to get the message across.
Handout P# Evidence of
good writing. Revisit guided reading passage. Example of narrative text
-setting. Problem and solution. What techniques has the writer used e.g. simile
2 .Teaching through
Modelling Writing
- authentic Purpose -
- purpose of genre or text types is to INCREASE THEIR
CHOICES
- Plan - appropriate to writing form.
3. Can have a prewritten
sample ready.
“I used this structure
when I wrote this personal Narrative WHO where went when - (can identify use)
simple, compass ,
complex sentences, simile, strong verbs etc
Example given by Jill
"Have I painted the
best picture I can in my readers minds?
How can I re-craft it
and improve my writing? " Important
to show this vital part.
Go through piece of
writing and show how to re-craft. add/change
"This is boring
writing, I have told you, not shown you. I need to Re-craft to use show not
tell."
Finally proof reading,
spelling and punctuation.
I want to share my
opinion with you so I am going to use the features of Persuasive writing to
show you what to do.
Independent Writing
Process
Writing book. Alphabet
card. Writing steps card.
Teacher prompts
- “Tell me about your plan"
- “Tell me what your writing says” - 1i
- “Read your writing to me”1ii+
TEacher Comment in books
- must use the language that the message says. “You are lucky to have a new
car"
Highlight her strengths
Write underneath what
her message was. Clear writing, exactly the message 1i-
1i+ Editing the message
above
Mark the Goals chart
Level 2/3 Independent
Provide examples of good
writing.
What makes good writing
- Handout pg 3. example Handout pg 7
- Evidence of a Main idea - the one most important thing
the writer wants the reader to know.
- ideas /details that are interesting and
important- helps the reader paint a picture in their heads
- Evidence of good words used to say just the right thing
- Evidence of voice-how the writer feels. Personality of
the writer is evident.
- Ideas that have order and flow from one idea to the
next.
- Good writing has conventions in place that make the
writing consistent and easy to read.
- and … sentences that are fun to read with expression.
Organisation
Beginning - grouping in
ability.
Sharing 5 mins.whole
class Teacher talk
sharing with a group or
partner
into groups -
Teacher/student conference group.
Publishing group -
illustrating - then word/letter activities
Modelling group - move
to writing independently - then word/letter activities
Sharing time at the end
of session - whole class. Beginners - teacher shares writing with expression
and enthusiasm . “I am going to share her writing” (not story) "Who is going to give Anna
some feedback about her message?” Teach point - response is about
the message
Guided Writing - once in a while - should not replace modelling group sessions
Level 2/3 Writers
Whole class-
- read a rich piece of writing. Share just for pleasure
- Send some away to write independently
- Keep one group. group for focus. Either observing
teacher modelling or examining a pice of writing.
- Teacher/student conference chart
Sharing - students need
to see the effects of their writing on the faces of peers.
Publishing - 1 piece of writing
approximately every 3 weeks or one in eight.
Visual
planning
- helps student focus on topic and main ideas
- makes writing richer and for detailed
- Labelling can become a detail in the writing
- Visual Planning stages a) main idea is the focus
b) then sequencing c) then text forms
- Title - it should invite you to come on in. Like a
house’s front porch
Publishing
Provides a purpose for
the writing. Provides a response from an audience.
Beginners - once a week.
Teacher publishes writing and student illustrates. Put in individual scrapbooks
Middle - Into class
scrapbook and add a comment sheet below for students to respond to message.
Make into short book.
Back page with grid for students/family to respond to the message.
3
things a good writer needs
- Experiences
- Imagination
- To use their senses -
tap into observations . Gail Loane -Don't just look, look with seeing eyes
Read
to children everyday to give them imagination
Encourage
students to ...
- collect ideas.
- A notebook is a seed box.
- Develop an Idea Box - put objects in. OR seed cards -
photo prompts. News -with questions. Geographic magazine pictures.
Internet images.
Purpose Of Writing
Why do we write in the
first place?
Only when students write
for real reasons do they learn to write in the first place
- Audience is the key
- Voice is the writer revealed for the inside out
Use techniques - keep the writing small.
Level 2 on -
Begin a book that has
examples of writing collected and found
examples of - strong verbs,
show don’t tell, sentences that make you tingle, adjectives
Add more detail - how
why when and where
Think about the reader,
write as if they are standing there talking to you.
Read what they wrote
aloud and listen to the rhythm of the language
specific nouns in a
sentence has more impact than a list of adjectives. ‘oak tree’ ‘long, wavy
brown tree'
Remember
- Discussion and Oral
- Read
- Make poetry a daily focus
- Print rich environment
- models of good writing
- give feedback-respond to the message
- publish regularly
- enjoy the writing process
So What? What Next?
Visual planning
- Develop consistency across the team in writing planning.
Insist on the practice
of re-crafting and editing pieces of work across the team.
Jill repeatedly shared
models of short pieces of writing. This reminded me of how difficult it is to
stop the 'and then' independent writing stories some children love to write. I
need to keep the focus on the quality of writing. Sharing models of examples.
Provide more opportunities for 'quick write' sessions with strong motivations.
Collect samples of good
writing - short, 'that paint a picture in your head'
Read to children
everyday to give them imagination
Need resources that show
- Narrative, Reports, explanations, description, persuasive examples.
Key links books
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