Transcript Document

Writing in Key Stage One
How is writing taught in Key Stage One
• In Key Stage One writing is fully integrated
into our topics.
• There begins to be a bigger focus on genre.
• Skills are developed over one or more weeks
leading to a longer piece of writing.
• Children write formally on a regular basis but
are also encouraged to do so as part of play.
Building Enthusiasm for Writing
We use WOW moments, drama and visits
to immerse children in our topics…
Purpose
• We continue to look for real
purpose in what we write:
e.g. letters, invitations,
posters, postcards, leaflets
maps
• But how do you find a real
reason to write for a topic on
Jack and the Beanstalk?
– If we can’t find a real purpose
we use drama to create one
Here are some examples…
Making potions
Labels, lists and captions
Medieval day
non fiction text
The Coronation
newspaper report
Great fire of london day
diary of the fire
A sense of purpose can be created by
providing an audience
• Writing stories which will be made into books
to share with parents.
• Writing non fiction texts for the reception
children’s topic on Under the Sea
• Drama and roleplay can provide an audience
– Writing wanted posters for the giant
– Writing instructions for the three little pigs
Writing for Winnie the Witch
• The Year children have been receiving letters from
Winnie the Witch.
• She has provided them with spell books and asked
them to write a story ending and make potion books.
Knowing What to Write
• For many children, unless they have had a
chance to engage with and explore their ideas
they genuinely find it difficult to write.
• Children’s preferred learning styles are often
active or visual. Many children need to
actually experience something in order to
write about it.
• We never ask children to just write with no
preparation
• We spend time exploring and developing
ideas, language, composition and
transcription skills.
Immersing the children
Talk for Writing
• We base our literacy work on a text. Children
explore this by:
Use drama: acting the story
out, hot seating, tableau
Storymapping
Talk for Writing
Exploring language
Oral retelling
Creating our own stories
Recording Devices
A non-threatening way to explore ideas.
Alongside this…
• We teach the technical skills of writing:
– Spelling
– Handwriting
– Grammar
– Punctuation
• We aim to use a creative, topic based approach
throughout.
• However there are some things that need to be
taught more formally
Spelling – Year One
– Children learn alternative ways to spell the different
sounds they hear in words.
– They begin to learn spelling patters to help them
know which is the ‘best bet’ when spelling an
unknown word.
– They learn some common prefixes and suffixes such as
‘ing’ and ‘ed.’
– They learn to spell an increasing number of high
frequency words from memory.
As a result they begin to make more plausible
attempts at spelling words they don’t know, with
the correct number of syllables. They also spell
more key words correctly in their extended writing.
Spelling Year Two
– Children are increasingly able to make the correct
choice when spelling unknown words
– They are taught to make analogies with other words
they know and recognise families of words:
all, ball, small, tall
– They learn the spelling patterns related to prefixes
and suffixes such as doubling the consonant when
adding ‘ing’ and ‘ed.’
– They increase the number of high frequency words
they can spell from memory.
– They are taught to edit their spelling. To think whether
a word ‘looks right.’
– They begin to use dictionaries
Grammar – Year One
• Children are taught to say a sentence out loud,
write it and then read it back.
• They learn what a sentence is using ‘Rainbow
Grammar.’
• They learn common word types such as nouns,
pronouns, adjectives and verbs.
• They use the connectives and, so and but to make
compound sentences.
• They use adjectives to create noun phrases. Eg
fluffy cloud.
• They learn simple sentence openers such as first,
next, after that, one day.
Grammar - Year Two
• Children learn to read back and edit their work.
• They increase their understanding of different
types of words; making precise word choices for
effect.
• They vary their sentence structure.
• They learn and use an increasing number of
openers and connectives.
• They learn to organise their work into paragraphs.
• They learn how to use adverbs and adverbial
phrases.
• They begin to look at complex sentences as part of
rainbow grammar.
Punctuation
Handwriting
• Children are taught to form their lower case and
capital letters correctly in year one.
• Teachers use ‘patter’ to help them remember the
correct formation
• They learn to join from Easter of Year One:
• Initially phonics digraphs
• Then common joins
• We do not join from y, g, j, q, x, b, p
• Children don’t start joining in their own writing
straight away. This takes time.
Wriggly Writers
• Active writing activities
• Making labels for the plants following a gardening activity
• Writing directions to get the buried treasure whilst sat inside
the roleplay area.
• Writing sentences on post-its for a big story map on the wall
• Provide resources on the walls that children can
get down and take to their table. Often just being
able to get up occasionally really helps.
• Resources that help children improve fine and
gross motor skills
• Write dance/Elaine Cowley
• Resources to improve pencil grip
• Being flexible – Does it matter if, once in a while,
Ben chooses to write stood up without a chair?
Writing Targets
• The children in Key Stage One are given individual
writing targets.
• These are presented to the children are symbols
to help them understand.
• The children understand that the symbols are
what we can use to make out writing really good.
• They are encouraged to use them to self assess
their own work.
A.
What can you do at home…
• Encourage them to write for genuine real reasons
such as cards, postcards, letters, lists etc.
• But don’t force the issue.
• Praise their efforts. If you can’t read it let them
read it to you.
• Try to avoid the temptation to correct it.
• Practise spellings regularly.
• Lots of reading and talking about stories.
• Let them see you write
• Talk, talk, talk