WRITING IN A PRIMARY CLASSROOM (incorporating Speaking & Listening) 2012

Essential Components of an Effective Writing Session: A committed writing hour is timetabled daily.

There is a literature rich classroom environment which promotes and emphasises the reciprocal relationship between the three English dimensions.

Purposeful and explicit discourse focuses on oral language development using the Speaking and Listening dimension.

Precise student data is used to provide well-planned differentiated tasks.

Spelling strategies, vocabulary and handwriting are explicitly taught in meaningful contexts.

Writing instruction includes the teaching of the writing process that encompasses planning, composing, recording, revising and publishing.

Students are familiar with classroom routines including use of Task Management Boards and/or Lesson Outlines, prompting independent learning.

Teacher monitors/records student learning and seeks feedback from students on teacher effectiveness.

STRUCTURE OF THE WRITING

SESSION

TEACHING

APPROACHES EVIDENCE

10-1

5

min

ute

s

WHOLE CLASS

Teacher writes for or with the whole class.

An explicit learning intention based on an authorial or secretarial aspect of writing is articulated, displayed and demonstrated using exemplary texts.

Language Experience

Modelled Writing

Shared Writing

Teacher talk is explicit and makes connections with prior learning.

Teachers consistently use examples of exemplary writing to engage students in conversation.

Language Experience

Teacher makes explicit the process of how we turn ideas into words i.e. ideas can be said, what is said can be written, what is written can be read.

Teacher scaffolds and records ideas verbalised by students related to their interests and experiences.

Modelled Writing

Teacher self verbalises on a regular basis to model what a good writer does when they are writing.

Teacher generates and records the ideas, verbalising thoughts and actions giving insight into a writer’s mind.

Students observe, listen to and learn new skills modelled by the teacher.

Shared Writing

Teacher and student are collaboratively composing text together.

Teacher scribes and students observe, focusing on the composing process.

35-4

0 m

inu

tes

EXPLICIT TEACHING GROUP

A writers’ workshop is used to reinforce the learning intention.

Students are selected to be involved in the writers’ workshop according to their learning needs.

Teachers work with at least one group per day.

Interactive Writing

Shared Writing

Guided Writing

Language Experience

Interactive Writing

Students and teacher share the pen to plan and jointly construct a common text.

Teacher engages students in problem solving i.e. teacher records the words that provide challenges and opportunities for new learning.

Students practise the skills of recording i.e. handwriting, spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Guided Writing

Teacher works with a small group on the skills and process of writing i.e. planning, composing, revising, proofreading, publishing, after which they work independently.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

Students write on a topic for a sustained amount of time, practising the identified learning intention.

Independent Writing

Writing Conferences

Independent Writing

Teacher helps students embed the strategies and skills for independent writing.

Students create individual writing pieces based on the learning intention.

Teacher individually confers with students on a negotiated component of their writing.

Teacher Conferences

Teacher listens, asks questions and assists students to look at their own writing critically.

Teacher roves and confers with individual students.

Student seeks specific assistance and feedback related to their personal writing.

Peer Conferences

Students respond to and provide feedback to their peers on a selected piece of writing.

5-1

0

min

ute

s WHOLE CLASS REFLECTION

Students reflect on their learning.

Teacher provides opportunities for student-to-teacher feedback.

Facilitation of substantive conversations

Students make connections to the explicit learning intention articulated at the start of the lesson.

Students articulate what they are learning about writing.

Students define personal learning goals as they reflect and plan for future learning.

Students reflect on their learning in a variety of ways e.g. learning journals.

Students provide feedback about the teaching.

Department of Education and

Early Childhood Development