BIG Writing BIG Writing

A Ros Wilson Strategy

The Big Writing Philosophy

Big Writing is the development of the writing voice through fast, fun, lively and predominantly oral activities Pupils talk the writing voice in a dedicated Big Writing session & at other points in a week Based on the premise, IF A CHILD CAN SAY IT, A CHILD CAN WRITE IT

Philosophy Continued .
The talking voice is not the same as the writing voice BOYS LOVE TO TALK! WHATS GOOD FOR THE BOYS IS GOOD FOR THE GIRLS

The Four Generic Targets

VCOP Summary
Vocabulary
The range of ambitious vocabulary a pupil knows; WOW words. The range of ways pupils have of joining ideas, phrases & sentences The strategies pupils have for opening sentences; especially the 3 key openers: connectives, ly words & ing words The range of punctuation a pupil can use & the accuracy with which they use it.

Connectives Openers

Punctuation

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

. ? . ?, ! . ? , ! . ? , - ! : ;
The Punctuation Pyramid

BIG WRITING The Method

One & half hours per week, plus daily stocking fillers Time comes from one literacy hour, plus extra half hour devoted to extended writing at some other point. Time should be split into 2 x 45 min sessions across morning break [Only 1 hr, split into 2 x 30 min in Y1]

Method continued
Focus & text type will have been introduced the day before First 45 mins = 35 mins of fast, fun, lively oracy based activities linked to whats expected in their writing. Followed by 10 mins of planning time Planning time used to refocus the pupils thoughts on the stimulus & text type for writing Second 45 mins is for writing

ACTIVITY
Uplevel this sentence. The boy ran. In pairs, discuss why I like this sentence: The light dimmed. I took a glance at the beast, whilst I still had time. Identify the parts which have been uplevelled.

Possible links with NLS Units a Y2 example

Week
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NLS Unit Plan

Narrative 1 Narrative 1 N-F 1 Instructions N-F 1 Instructions Poetry Poetry Narrative 2 Narrative 2 N-F 2 Instructions N-F 2 Instructions

Possible Big Write text type

Revisit text type Recount NLS Unit Outcome oral or written retell Revisit text type Recount NLS Unit outcome simple instructions Revisit text type story with simple setting NLS Outcome Class anthology of poems Revisit text type Informal letter or X-C write NLS Outcome story Revisit text type Informal letter or X-C write NLS Outcome Instructions + diagrams

BIG WRITING - Resources

Pupil Portfolio Special Pens Special Paper Three goals

BIG WRITING Teachers Role

To maintain the silence To provide 10min brain breaks To prompt pupils to build in VCOP [These are known as time prompts]

Check your targets!

40 mins

Check your punctuation!

10 mins

45 MINS

Check your openers and connectives.

30 mins

Check your WOW words!

20 mins

Time Prompts
A clock should be visible to all pupils, ideally colour coded in 10min intervals. 1. You have had 10 minutes. Count how many sorts of punctuation you have used? 2. You have had 20 minutes. How many WOW words have you used? 3. You have had 30 minutes. Look at your openers. Have you opened with connectivesly words, ing words? 4. You have 5 minutes left.

Stocking Fillers
Every day aim to finish one lesson 5 minutes early to do some quick VCOP activities. Encourage the children to steal good examples of VCOP from authors.

The Criterion Scale

Write on Target
Chapter 1 What is BIG Writing? Chapter 2 The Long Term Strategy Chapter 3 FS Contribution to BIG Writing Chapter 4 What is effective target setting? 5 Target Setting process 6 Methods & Motivators 7 Gender Differences 8 - Basic Skills 9 What really does raise standards in writing? Chapter 10 Case Studies Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter

In phase groups, discuss how you will take this forward. Consider if you will adopt the whole process or just part. Consider the BIG Write session. When? [Day/time] How often? Timescale? When introduce?

Next Steps