NGfL CYMRUGCaD

Descriptive and Original Writing

Teaching GuidanceThe unit supports the teaching of a unit of lessons upon creative writing. Initially, a series of lessons will enable pupils to practice descriptive writing skills in preparation for the WJEC English GCSE Paper 1 Section B1 – descriptive writing. Whereas, subsequent tasks will provide learners the opportunity to develop styles of narration, craft story openings and could either be used as stimuli for an piece of English Open Writing Coursework or as practise for the WJEC English GCSE Paper 1 Section B2 – imaginative writing. Lessons are numbered in order of PPTs on site.

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Lesson 1a : Descriptive openers and tasks

Lesson 1b

Cut out sufficient text-boxes from the ‘descriptive opener’ word docs and distribute to pupils on arrival. Request them to fathom a scenario which could be described by their sentence e.g. I looked out of the window. I saw a man picking his nose could describe a number of scenarios. Specifically request they pick out features of successful writing in the opener and indicate if any senses are being targeted in their opening.

‘Images’: triggered PowerPoint show allowing class to vote on which story opener is more applicable or effective and then individuals to justify why their choice permits greater potential. Arrows on either side of ‘opener’ can be raised by left clicking in the shape. Request students to select either one of the openers from the show or from the opener given to them on arrival to class and extend it into a full paragraph. This allows AFL opportunities.

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Lesson 4

Distribute print-offs of ‘Examples 1-5’ to groups of five pupils. Request they place them in order from most to least successful using the information from the ‘tips’ section. Request learners justify their selection using accurate, specific terminology.

Lesson 2a: Zooming in on detail

Images and focus: build a solid description by adding textures that concentrate on the whole image and its smaller parts. Use the red arrows to open up sentence openers and a set of vocabulary. Use the button image to proceed to the next image.

Lesson 3: descriptive writing, peer and self assessment

Progress through the triggered PowerPoint show of a perfect example of descriptive writing (word docs of these are available with unit).

Rank the paragraphs to an appropriate grade and follow sequence of prompts on feature-spotting and good practice. Pupils can now write a further draft of their existing piece or be given a new prompt to consider. Peer assessment grids and hints word docs (Under Lesson 3 units) can be used alongside this.

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Activity 1

Development on themes of characterisation and creating atmosphere. Slideshow will highlight tasks and provide ample teacher notes but familiarity with process and highlighted areas will add significantly to fluency (there are many arrows that will require learners to contribute as to ‘What is effective?’ or ‘How does the phrase work?’; this could be used as a highly interactive resource with students taking turns to elaborate on the next specific feature. This could also be turned into a game within a split class- a score of 1-5 being awarded each time a student volunteers or is pressed to answer.

Lesson 5: Creative writing

PowerPoint using buttons as stimulus for open writing. Tasks are explained, prompts given and questions embedded into show. Link to an exciting Russian video on ‘buttons’ animation is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQKuBFIdu4A

Paired activities will present students with ideas on character and the skill of ‘showing’ rather than ‘telling’ and focus on how a button might tell a story.

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Activity 2 continued:

Activity 2 continued:

Lesson 4: creating own writing with promptsImaginative writing analysis: follow prompts on screen to match stories with the relevant button. Pupils may be challenged to justify their choices and note areas of successful practice; reference can be made to the ‘tips and things to avoid’ worksheet.

Activity 2

Develop writing: pupils could select the style of writing they feel comfortable with or alternatively be challenged by peers to write in an unusual manner. Printouts of the four slides featuring stories could be distributed to enable pupils to continue and personalize each paragraph.

Additional resources here would be very beneficial. Previous delivery of this unit has revealed that personalisation is a crucial factor to individual expression and creativity. By sticking buttons of differing shape, size and colour underneath the chairs of learners, each pupil will have a tangible background to a story. Pictures of buttons from cut up photographs will provide a satisfactory alternative, yet images could also be used, in addition to the individual button, as a manner of visual stimulus or differentiating to varying abilities.

Following the study of two examples, print-offs of ‘Blank Buttons’ can be used to ensure that both story beginning is generated and learners are not intimidated by creating entire piece of fiction. The tape/ blu-tac holding button to chair can now be used to secure the A5 story starts to a board and individuals can be requested to find techniques discussed in previous unit (during a student-centred assessment for learning) drill in the examples. A display could be created by improving the presentation of this material.

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Additional tasks:

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Activity 1

Peer Assessment grids

Reacquainting students with narrative voice

Extract work, featured a compelling page from ‘The Book Thief’, will reacquaint learners with ideas of narration. Teachers may prefer to use their own examples of work at this point to demonstrate the variations of first, second and third person narrative.

Two assessment grids. These could be printed as hand-outs and learners could assess ‘The Book Thief’ extract as a stand alone piece of open writing.