Margaret 28 August 2019 Beginner Teacher Writing Workshop

I found the writing workshop very useful.  Jan had some very practical strategies.  Most weren't new but things I remember from teacher training and had forgotten about or time constraints meant they weren't being used properly.  Also reinforced things we were already doing successfully which is always good to hear.
Top ideas from the course were:
- getting students to write for an authentic purpose and letting them write to their passions - plan at the start of the term what real writing they could be doing
- there is not enough "writing with" when we do our 'I do' 'we do' 'you do"
- Using the writing group planner when conferencing with children and focusing on 1 thing at a time (this is for marking too)
- When kids have done their best at getting a story ready to be published (proofreading/redrafting etc) then teacher fixes it before publishing so kids can see what it could look like. (I had not been doing this)
- A free writing book - which teacher can look at but not mark
- Working on story ending (this is definately a focus next) by finding great story endings as examples, breaking down and writing our own endings.  The Deeper Features by Di Stilton has examples to use which Jan will send to me.
- A word list related to our topic to send home and discuss with parents - to build prior knowledge

Many other wee gems also amongst my notes to use along with what we are already doing.  Jan is also sending the power point from her workshop to go with the notes.

Notes from Course and Resources

Effective Literacy Practice

Literacy Learning Progressions

Juniours

Select the best words and language features to say it – use strong verbs rather than too many adjectives

-        Best possible order

-        Personally significant

-        Thinking time

To do this writer – vocab, oral language, reading

Beginning of term thinking of real purposes for writing

-        Clear, authentic purpose

E – ASTTLE writing – planning.  Been marked down as they don’t have a written plan but if writing is sequential then there is planning (in their head)

Quality writing

-        Rich in ideas, information, thoughts or feelings

-        Precise in its meaning

-        Structured or well organised

-        Flows well, engaging beginning and a satisfying conclusion

Write to their passions – let them write about what they want

Endings – find stories/books that have great ending.  Deconstruct and write their own endings.  Collect good examples

Vocab list – talk about it, use it in their writing, not just a list on the board, new words at home (post on seesaw for at home discussions)

Writing Programme

Instructional and Independent

Independent writing – 20 mins a day at least.  Not teacher assessed, don’t need to mark everyhthing.  Sustained Silent Writing, Diary/Journal, 1 x speed writing, 1xfree writing.  Free write book

When marking – mark to the goal eg punctuation, spelling – focus on 1 thing

Speed writing/word blast – 10 minutes – word counts – graph progress – use a picture or event to generate ideas.  1 minute to plan – 5-10mins to write, 1 min checking then students count their words.

Tell your class stories about you.  Get them to do the same using a map, drawing, then write the story.

Marshfield Dreams – Ralph Fletcher (telling a story and mapping it – drawing it)

Optimal Learning Model across the Curriculum

I do/we do/we do/ you do – the we do is not done enough – teach deeply don’t touch lightly

Teaching Deeper Features – examples – Di Skilton

Quick Help – Marshell Digs – Boys writing

Marking

Conferencing

-Look at 3-5 students books each day and note learning needs

- Stamp I for independent

Publishing – teacher to take home and fix it before publishing once the student has done their best to proof read. Have them meet success criteria – they get to see what its supposed to look like.  Year 4 up should publish 3 pieces a term

Early finishers – don’t want more work, they want to go deeper into what they were doing.

Brainstorming buddies 1,2,3 buddies to build vocab

Capitals – fist pump, Commas – turn, Full stop – turn, numbers – signal

Notebook – building prior knowledge, jotting down ideas, before beginning a topic, send home for discussions with parents

Writing monitoring sheets – groups, stories to share

Front Loading – not too many ideas no more than 2

Sitting time – age plus 10 minutes instructional time

CARE – COPY AND RIP OFF EVERYTHING(give them 30 seconds to steal as many answers as they can)

Lego instructions – build, then write instructions for someone else to build.

Kete

The Literacy Place.com

The Literacy Shed