24/01/2019

1

SSIF Project Literacy Leads’ Strand

Day ThreeWellshurst

9am – 3.30pm

Aims

To engage with the writing process and reflect on opportunities for creative engagement

To review rich text strand input and literacy leads’ responsibilities in schools

To follow up the Term 2 ROH input in and maximise its impact in all participating schools

To share and further develop school plans

To reflect briefly recent Ofsted proposals and consider implications for our schools

To consider the range of writing opportunities pupils are being offered

Literacy Leads Strand

Session Focus Date Venue

1 & 2

Planning for the design and delivery of

curriculum enrichment projects linked to

writing (ROH input)

Complete baseline survey to evaluate

current practice

Term 2 Cavendish School

3

Maximizing creative opportunities

Reviewing ROH element

Early thoughts on Ofsted curriculum

proposals

Evaluating progress and problem-solving

Writing for pleasure

Auditing your English curriculum

30 Jan Wellshurst

Future dates: 4 March, 2 May, 8 October

24/01/2019

2

Future session coverage

Reading for pleasure and rich text-led planning: the literacy lead’s role

Developing creative opportunities across the curriculum

Developing good practice in advance of the new Ofsted approach to curriculum

Enabling mastery: mapping writing opportunities and metacognition

The importance of talk and drama in improving writing

Unpicking ‘greater depth’ and planning for it through KS2

Supporting non-literacy specialists

Spelling and vocabulary issues

Supporting effective modelling across literacy

Leading moderation

Whole school writing policy

What to do when it’s not working: Interventions for staff and pupils

Evaluation

Key Performance Indicators

Sept 2018

All schools involved understand their CPD plans and way forward.

Nov 2018

Leads are confident and prepared to work with teachers in school to select, design and coordinate effective curriculum enhancement for links to writing.

Jan 2019

Leads take action on:

reading for pleasure as a pre-requisite for reading and writing success

developing teachers’ reading habits

exploiting classroom relationships to impact on writing

embedding a global approach to rich texts

mapping creative writing opportunities

Day Three Agenda

9 – 10.30am Reflect on being writers in the context of approaches

to writing poetry

10.30 – 11.00 Break

11 – 12.30pm ROH follow up session

with ROH staff

12.30 – 1.15 Lunch

1.15 – 2pm Making connections

2pm – 3pm Workshop and working tea

3pm – 3.30 Feedback from workshops

24/01/2019

3

Teachers as Writers: emerging research

Impact on pupils

enhanced enjoyment and engagement

increased sense of ownership

greater awareness of aspects of the writing process

better able to articulate the processes involved in

constructing text, including initial idea generation, the

building of drafts over time, and the purpose of editing

The Betjeman Poetry Prize - inspiring children

aged 10-13 to read, write and perform poetry

Outcomes for pupils:

Direct engagement with arts and culture

Development of creativity

Inspiring future careers

Enriching childhood

Improved literacy and communication leading to better life chances

“Cultural education gives children and young people the opportunity to develop

their creativity, both individually and collectively, and that’s why our goal is for

every child and young person to have the opportunity to experience the richness

of the arts.” Darren Healey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England

Three approaches to place poems

http://www.nwp.org.uk/join-an-nwp-writing-group.html

24/01/2019

4

INVENTORY

Olivia McCannon

Open door, high cistern, wooden loo seat

Harvesters hanging, mangle in passageway

Long key in lock, block of wood dangling

Wall clock, drop-leaf table, pressure-cooker beans

Seersucker tablecloth, jug of Bisto, crumbs

Pink-yellow Battenburg, splashes of dark tea

The Worst Room

A special place

A few pointers in editing for young poets

After you have completed your first draft (without stopping to make changes), you must begin the editing of your poem, asking yourself questions based on the following pointers.

1. Don't tell me, show me.

2. Don't generalise, be specific.

3. Compare and contrast.

4. Don't be afraid to rewrite.

5. Bring the senses into your writing.

https://www.betjemanpoetryprize.co.uk/editing-tips

24/01/2019

5

Thinking about teachers’ writing

Do you prefer writing alone or collaboratively?

What makes it easier / more difficult to get started?

Aspects you enjoy? Challenges?

What might be the best conditions for you to write? What makes

you stop or get stuck?

How do you feel when you review / try to improve your work?

How can we use the experience of being writers to support

pupils?

As a leader, what do you want teachers you work with

to know about being a writer?

Creating creative links and opportunities

National Poetry Day: 3 October 2019: https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/

National Non-fiction November: http://www.fcbg.org.uk/national-non-fiction-november/

Children's Book Week https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/tips-and-advice/reading-in-schools/childrens-book-week/

Royal Opera House materials: http://www.roh.org.uk/learning/learning-platform/resources/

Writing competitions: https://www.youngwriters.co.uk/competitions/primary-school.php and

https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/competitions-for-children/childrens-writing-competitions/

Our Class Loves This Book Award: https://ukla.org/awards/our-class-loves-this-book-the-john-

downing-award

The National Theatre: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning/primary

The Globe: http://teach.shakespearesglobe.com/

The Royal Shakespeare Company: https://www.rsc.org.uk/education

The British Film Institute: https://www.bfi.org.uk/education-research/teaching-film-tv-media-studies

Poetry by Heart: http://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/poetry-for-children/

24/01/2019

6

Reviewing the SSIF Project so far

Rich text strand

Comparative assessment

Grammar for writing

Lower KS2 strand

Royal Opera House CPD

Baseline surveys

In-house training and discussions

Monitoring visits

Expected impact

Rich Text Strand so far

Day One• Review current practice to set a baseline for evaluation of this

strand

• Explore the importance of reading for pleasure – in the classroom

and across the school

• Reflect on our role as ‘Teachers as Readers’ and the impact of this

in school

• Identify the characteristics of ‘rich texts’

• Experience the process of taking reading skills into writing

• Explore a range of practical techniques to inspire and improve

children’s reading & writing

• Investigate how strategies can be used effectively to extend

vocabulary and improve writing

• Share ideas & quality texts with colleagues and begin to embed

strategies into your own planning

Rich Text Strand Day Two

• Engage with research into reading communities

• Explore reading strategies in detail

• Strengthen the use of rich texts to improve

engagement, reading development, vocabulary,

grammar and writing

• Explore classroom use of non-fiction texts to

improve writing

• Share ideas & quality texts with colleagues and

begin to embed strategies into your own planning

24/01/2019

7

Rich Text Strand Day Three

• Continue to consider a range of approaches to rich

texts in the classroom

• Identify ways forward to ensure rich text theory will

have an impact on writing

• Continue to develop skills to teach metacognition in

reading: comprehension as a suite of strategies

• Experience a range of creative models for using rich

texts

• Explore the importance of making connections: rich

texts and the real world

The Teacher’s Reading of the Text

Stage 1 – orientation and engagement

Identify possible pre-reading activities:

to tune learners in, create context,

develop engagement, ownership and

curiosity.

Think about the advantages of spending

several lessons / days before looking at

the text.

The Teacher’s Reading of the Text

Stage 2 – planning for effective reading

Be alert to opportunities for reading skills to be applied.

For example:

Would this be a good passage to apply empathising?

Does this section require strong visualising skills?

How would reading this part be enhanced by pattern-spotting?

What summarising opportunities could be exploited?

Is this an extract that supports inference development?

24/01/2019

8

The Teacher’s Reading of the Text

Stage 3 – getting ready to embed grammar

Notice the writer’s choice of grammatical features. For example, be aware of:

noun phrases in descriptive passages

adverbials in scene-setting passages

multi-clause sentences in action sequences

simple sentences to build tension or for emphasis

modal verbs in persuasive texts or internal monologue

Select writing challenges that build on what pupils have

done before

Ensure writing tasks are authentic and purposeful

Exploit what learners have gained from the reader

experience with the rich text

Maximise writing by zooming in during reading and

considering the whole text

Vary writing across a range of purposes and genres

The Teacher’s Reading of the Text

Stage 4 – planning writing outcomes

The Teacher’s Reading of the Text

Stage 5 – designing the learning

From the menu of activities generated by stages 1-4, select

those that match the reading and writing needs of your class.

The key elements of formative assessment:•A learning culture, where pupils have self-belief and know how to learn and teachers have high expectations and belief that all pupils can succeed•Pupil involvement at the planning stage•Pupils knowing learning objectives and co-constructing success criteria•Discussion about what excellence looks like•Effective questioning•Talk partners and classroom discussion•Effective self, peer and teacher feedbackShirley Clarkewww.shirleyclarke-education.org/what-is-formative-assessment/

24/01/2019

9

Feedback from takeaway task

Share completed planning for rich texts.

Create and Dance / Create and Sing

Create and Dance

Empathetic writing: diaries, monologues, letters, reports

Voiceovers for movement

Linking choreography elements to grammar (e.g. relate actions to verb choices)

Theatre review

Description of Alice’s journey or the setting of Wonderland

Developing dialogue to mirror dance

Debate – should the Knave be executed for stealing the jam tarts?

Use dance motif approach to strengthen characterisation in writing

Instructions for prop making

Create your own species in Wonderland

Write a sequel

Adverts/ leaflets to promote own performance

Improvised writing following viewing or experience of dance

‘Read’ still images or motifs – inference skills

24/01/2019

10

Create and Sing

Letters between characters representing the

letters sent and received in the piece

Oral debates and discursive writing (e.g. bull

fighting)

News reports (e.g. showing bias)

Dating profiles

Persuasive writing: ‘why you should come with

me’

Agony aunt advice

Don Jose on trial – statements on both sides,

interviews

Alternative endings

Carmen’s obituary

Narrative episodes to link the acts

Poetry approaches to the lyrics

Create new lyrics keeping scansion and syllabic

patterns

Directing key scenes and director’s notes for

actor’s and production

Dialogue / scripting additional scenes

Marketing materials

Performer’s character notes and working diary

Assembly or performance notes: synopsis

Evaluation of performance

Feedback and impact in your school

What steps have you taken / planned to use the ROH input?

What systems are in place to support dissemination of the

various strand inputs?

How are the multiple strands of the KS2 Writing Project

impacting on practice in your school?

If you have had a monitoring visit, what next steps were

identified?

What else would help to ensure this project leads to improved

writing outcomes in KS2?

24/01/2019

11

Working towards a template:

maximising and improving writing around any

creative stimulus

Talk – paired, group, whole-class

Drama - a range of approaches

Reading – rich texts from poetry, fiction, non-fiction

Grammar – relevant to the writing

Writing – for a range of purposes (to entertain, to inform,

to discuss, to persuade) and audiences

Lunch (and children’s classic food quiz!) “It is dull, Son of Adam, to drink without eating,” said the Queen presently. “What would you like best to eat?”“Turkish Delight, please, your Majesty,” said Edmund.

‘We don't want to push children through a mark scheme. We

don't want them jumping through hoops. We want them to

retain from their schooling a body of knowledge a range of

skills that will take them forward as young people as they

move on to the next stage in their education.’

24/01/2019

12

Ofsted’s rationale

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the foundation subjects. It is disappointing to see

so few higher scores in technology subjects, humanities and arts.

In phase 2 of our research, we saw that almost all of the primaries used topics or themes as

their way of teaching the foundation subjects. However, the ones that were most invested in

curriculum design had a clear focus on the subject knowledge to be learned in each subject

and designed their topics around that. What appears to happen more often, though, is a

selection of topics being taught that do not particularly link together or allow good coverage

of and progression through the subjects.’

‘What gets measured gets done. English and mathematics are what

are measured in primary schools. It is hardly surprising, then, that

they get the most lesson time and most curricular attention from

leaders. It is clearly possible to do this badly, as we found in phase

1 where some schools were practising SATs as early as Christmas in

Year 6 and focusing on reading comprehension papers rather than

actually encouraging children to read. However, our results here

appear to suggest that many more primary schools are doing it

well.

New ‘quality of education’ judgement

replaces the ‘quality of teaching, learning and assessment’ and

‘outcomes’ judgements from the current framework

Focuses on:

▪ the extent to which your school's curriculum sets out the knowledge

and skills pupils will gain at each stage (intent)

▪ the way your school staff teach and assess your selected curriculum,

to support pupils to build their knowledge and to apply that

knowledge as skills (implementation)

▪ the outcomes pupils achieve as a result of the education they’ve

received (impact)

Ofsted says this judgement will "place more emphasis on the

substance of education" and less on performance data.

Baa baa black sheep

Baa baa black lamb

Can I buy your wool?

Okay, okay sir, two bags full?

First is for yon master, and this is for your girl

But no bag for that tiny boy in his shack along this way.

24/01/2019

13

The case for writing for pleasure

‘A recent survey conducted by the National Literacy Trust (NLT, 2016) makes it clear that for many years there has been a decline or stagnation in UK children’s enjoyment, volition and motivation to write both in and out of school; with 49.3% of children showing largely indifference or dislike for writing (NLT, 2017). Importantly, The National Literacy Trust also states that ‘eight times as many children and young people who do not enjoy writing write below the expected level compared with those who enjoy writing’.’

© Literacy For Pleasure, Ross Young (2018)

The 14 Interconnected Principles of

A Writing For Pleasure Pedagogy

▪ Creating A Community Of Writers

▪ Every Child A Writer

▪ Reading, Sharing And Talking About

Writing

▪ Purposeful & Authentic Writing

Projects

▪ Explicitly Teach The Writing

Processes

▪ Scaffolding New Learning & Setting

Writing Goals

▪ Reassuring Consistency

▪ Personal Writing Projects: Writing

Everyday

▪ Balancing Composition With

Transcription

▪ Teach Self-Regulation Strategies

▪ Being A Writer-Teacher

▪ Pupil Conference: Meeting Children

Where They Are

▪ Literacy For Pleasure: Reading And

Writing Connecting

▪ Successful Interconnection Of The

Principles

More writing for funFor example…

Random word play

https://www.textfixer.com/tools/random-words.php

Consequences

Telephone Pictionary

What is the answer?

Old texts from new (e.g.

https://www.facebook.com/Jane-Branson-Learning-870180413074224/)

Madlibs https://www.wordblanks.com/mad-libs/story/2933

Proverbial play

24/01/2019

14

Proverbial play

A stitch in time saves nine

A stitch in time saves a tear

A stitch in pants saves embarrassment

A witch in time saves cats

A switch in time saves energy

A snitch in time saves taking the blame

A snitch in time wins Quidditch

A ditch in time becomes a puddle

A stitch in the time-space continuum saves the Doctor

To TAP or to PAT?

Authentic writing opportunities

‘Pupils need to have a reason to write and someone to write for.’

Authentic writing goes beyond the

student and the teacher. It asks

students to apply their reasoning,

reading, and writing skills to a task

that transcends the classroom and

reaches a real-world audience.

A strong topic linkA non-chronological

report about a creature

of my choice, holiday

brochure text about Greece

Real experiencesInstructions for a

beginner

A current news storyA profile on Gareth Southgate, a

letter to the Queen about the US

president’s visit

A rich textWriting in role,

an additional

scene

Independent motivationsA eulogy for my grandad, a

letter to my future self

Genuine publishing opportunitiesA report on a trip for the school website, a

letter to our MP about plastic pollution

Text Audience Purpose

24/01/2019

15

Takeaway task

1. Continue to plan how your school will respond to the ROH input. Bring plan using template to be provided to the next session.

2. Review KS2 planning and pupils books and highlight strengths and areas for development in:

Range of writing prompts, purposes and audiences

Use of talk and drama to develop quality writing

Use of rich texts to support writing

Bring notes to the next session.

We meet again on 4 March.

Evaluation

References & further reading

Shirley Clarke website

https://www.shirleyclarke-education.org/what-is-formative-assessment/

EEF Evidence Summary on Reading Comprehension Strategies https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/pdf/generate/?u=https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/pdf/toolkit/?id=160&t=Teaching%20and%20Learning%20Toolkit&e=160&s

EEF Improving Literacy in KS2 – guidance report https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/Campaigns/Literacy/KS2_Literacy_Guidance_2017.pdf

Information about the Betjeman Poetry Prize

https://www.betjemanpoetryprize.co.uk

Teachers as Writers

http://www.teachersaswriters.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Teachers-as-Writers-Research-Report-2017-FINAL-.pdf

Literacy for Pleasure Manifesto

https://literacyforpleasure.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/a-writing-for-pleasure-manifesto.pdf