Transcript Big Writing
BIG Writing A Ros Wilson Strategy The Big Writing Philosophy • Big Writing is the development of the ‘writing voice’ through fast, fun, lively and predominantly oral activities • Pupils talk the ‘writing voice’ in a dedicated ‘Big Writing’ session & at other points in a week • Based on the premise, IF A CHILD CAN SAY IT, A CHILD CAN WRITE IT Philosophy Continued …. • The talking voice is not the same as the ‘writing voice’ • BOYS LOVE TO TALK! • WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE BOYS IS GOOD FOR THE GIRLS The Four Generic Targets VCOP Summary Vocabulary The range of ambitious vocabulary a pupil knows; WOW words. Connectives The range of ways pupils have of joining ideas, phrases & sentences Openers The strategies pupils have for opening sentences; especially the 3 key openers: connectives, ‘ly’ words & ‘ing’ words Punctuation The range of punctuation a pupil can use & the accuracy with which they use it. Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 . . ? . ?, ! . ? , ! … ’ “” . ? , … - ! ’ “” : ; ( ) The Punctuation Pyramid BIG WRITING – The Method • One hour per week, plus daily stocking fillers • Time comes from one literacy hour, Time should be split into 2 x 30 min sessions across a morning BIG WRITING – Different text types • • • • • Poetry Story Non Fiction Recounts Letters BIG WRITING – Teacher’s Role • To maintain the silence • To provide 10min brain breaks • To prompt pupils to build in VCOP [These are known as time prompts] 10 mins 30 mins Check your targets! 20 mins Check your openers and connectives. Check your punctuation! 30 MINS 15 mins Check your WOW words! Time Prompts A clock should be visible to all pupils, ideally colour coded in 10min intervals. 1. ‘You have had 10 minutes. Count how many sorts of punctuation you have used?’ 2. ‘You have had 15 minutes. How many WOW words have you used?’ 3. ‘You have had 20 minutes. Look at your openers. Have you opened with connectives…’ly’ words, ’ing’ words? 4. ‘You have 5 minutes left.’ Stocking Fillers • Every day aim to finish one lesson 5 minutes early to do some quick VCOP activities. • Encourage the children to ‘steal’ good examples of VCOP from authors. Write on Target • The next day “Target Friday” the children will work in small groups or independently to focus on their target. • This target will be set by the class teacher in direct response to their Big Write work. For example Target “Please use more adjectives” Work could be • Write a list of interesting adjectives. • Write three sentences that include two adjectives. • This instant response means that children will make clear improvements in their writing before starting the next week’s work.