Battling Brook Primary School VCOP Session

VCOP

• What is it?

• How does it improve writing?

• How can you help at home?

What is VCOP?

• Vocabulary • Connectives • Openers • Punctuation • Taught discretely everyday • Every year group

Vocabulary

- Children must be able to identify and use descriptive and interesting words

Ambitious Vocabulary

Exposing the children to language not usually used by children of their age or stage of development. WOW words!

Ways to do this….

• Reading your child a bedtime story • Encouraging your child to read both fiction and non-fiction books • Encourage them to use a thesaurus • Discuss language at home- children love it when they find a word and we don’t know what it means! • Taking them to places such as museums, farms and art galleries.

Vocabulary Pyramid

Connectives are words, or groups of words that join texts together.

Connectives join clauses together in a sentence.

Connectives join sentences together in a long piece of writing.

Battling Brook Primary School VCOP Session

Connectives to join sentences

Christmas is coming and all the children are getting very excited. However they still have five weeks to wait! before then. Furthermore After all of that , they have lots more work to do and fun to have , they can all have a well deserved break.

Different connectives do different jobs

Adding Information

• and • also • as well as • in addition • furthermore

pyjamas to school and it was really comfy. Furthermore , we had hot chocolate and a bedtime story!

Time Connectives

Time connectives are usually used at the start of a sentence and tells the reader the order that events happen.

First

• • • first next then • • • • after when finally meanwhile

Next

, remove the chocolate from the heat.

Leave the chocolate to cool for a few seconds,

meanwhile

weigh out the rice crispies.

This morning was a disaster! went off, I turned it off and went back to sleep.

After

how late it was and panicked!

When

my alarm another half an hour I realised

Connectives can show different points of view

•

on the other hand

• • • • •

however whereas nevertheless despite contrary to Some people believe that brussel sprouts are the worst vegetable however I love them!

Connectives to show cause and effect

• • • •

because so this means consequently Tomorrow it might be cold therefore I must remember my coat.

Openers

• An opener is a word that we use to start a sentence or a paragraph. • E.g. Suddenly the wolf leapt out from behind the bushes!

Varies sentences

• Starting sentences in the same way is boring!

I raced to the park. I rushed over to the slide and flew down it! I went over to the swings, but someone else was on it. I heard an ear-piercing scream….

So I raced to the park. When I arrived it. , I rushed over to the slide and flew down it. Next At that moment I went over to the swings, but someone else was on , I heard an ear piercing scream…

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3/4 Year 5/6

Helps to order

• E.g. writing instructions/recount • First, Next, Then, Soon, During, Later that day…

• 1 • 2 • 4 • 5 • 6

- Use a connective

• While Tom waited, the bus arrived.

- Use a verb - an 'ing' clause

• Waiting for the others, Megan stared • up at the sky. • 3- Use an adverb - an 'ed' or a • 'ly' clause • Surprised by the bang, Sam halted. • Cautiously, she removed the • bandage.

- Use a simile or a metaphor

• Like a fish, she dived in.

- Use a noun or adjective

• Cobwebs spanned the corridor.

- Use a feeling

• Lonely, he walked home.

P -

Punctuation

At Home

Highlighting punctuation in your child’s reading book.

• Good Morning!

At School

• Rewrite these sentences and punctuate them correctly.

1. what a lovely present Sam exclaimed 2. what is the weather like today mr hills asked 3. Im coming to call for ben edward said 4. in the shed there was a lawnmower a spade a fork and

At Home

Highlighting punctuation in your child’s reading book.

Dear Cows and Hens: There will be no electric blankets even though you’d like them.

You are cows and hens.

I demand milk and eggs!

Sincerely, Farmer Brown

Ways to help

• Talk and more talk… • Reading… • Homework

Improving Writing

• VCOP altogether • Only a part of writing