Big Writing Adventures and the revised Areas of Learning for Wales

Big Writing (see pages 16–27) is an approach used widely in Wales because it works so effectively across the curriculum. Specific information and support for implementing Big Writing in Wales, including materials in the Welsh language, is available from Andrell Education Ltd: www.andrelleducation.co.uk

The fictional Big Writing Agency and the Writing Missions in Big Writing Adventures give children a real purpose and audience for their writing, in line with the aims of the LNF and the revised Areas of Learning for Language, Literacy and Communication Skills. Big Writing Adventures has been designed to develop and secure children’s oral and written communication skills so that they can use them widely and accurately across the curriculum.

Strand 1: OracyIn Big Writing Adventures children develop their ideas, vocabulary and the grammatical structures required for good writing primarily through talk; they are given the skills and confidence to communicate orally for a range of purposes. The lesson notes for every session offer plenty of ideas for speaking, listening, collaboration and discussion through teacher led, group and paired activities; drama and role-play work is included as appropriate. Pupils are given the opportunity to:

Communicate ideas and information Listen and respond to the viewpoints of others Contribute to discussions and presentations Discuss the viewpoints and ideas of others and reach agreement

Strand 3: WritingBig Writing Adventures is designed to develop the full range of writing skills. The carefully planned progression through the programme introduces and revisits key concepts to ensure they are embedded and that children are confident in using them independently.

In every Writing Mission pupils are given the opportunity to:

Record and explore their thoughts, feelings and opinions Communicate with others Express their ideas through the power of language Plan and select writing style, language and structure to suit the audience and purpose

Select, analyse and present information appropriately Improve writing through independent review, editing and redrafting

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Progression and AssessmentThe LNF and revised Areas of Learning for Language, Literacy and Communication Skills set out the expectations for Oracy and Writing at Foundation Phase, whilst recognizing that not all children progress at the same pace. Big Writing Adventures is underpinned by a carefully planned progression (see pages 34–37) that ensures learning is introduced and revisited throughout the programme.

Use of the Writing Criterion Scale (see pages 25–27) supports a cycle of continuous assessment for learning that allows teachers to identify and respond to children’s needs and to ensure that every child makes progress. The teaching strategies used in Big Writing Adventures are naturally differentiated; specific support for children who are struggling with certain tasks – or who need stretching – is given in the lesson notes where appropriate.

Big Writing Adventures: Correlation to the revised Areas of Learning for Wales, Year 2

Mission 1

Mission 2

Mission 3

Mission 4

Mission 5

Oracy: Speaking

Express opinions, giving reasons, and provide appropriate answers to questions

✓ ✓ ✓

Talk in detail about things they have made or done, explaining the process*

✓ ✓

Extend their ideas or accounts by sequencing what they say and including relevant details

✓ ✓

Build on previous experience, speaking confidently and making themselves clear by:

- organizing what they say- choosing words deliberately- including relevant detail*

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Use a growing range of appropriate vocabulary in play and structured activities and formal situations, using variety in tone to add interest*

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Speak clearly to a range of audiences ✓

Adopt a specific role, using appropriate language in structured situations

✓ ✓

Respond to and give opinion on drama as well as a wider range of stimuli*

Drama is first introduced in Year 3 of Big Writing Adventures

Prepare and ask a variety of questions, e.g. ‘Who?’, ‘What ?’, ‘Why?’, ‘When?’ and ‘How?’, for a variety of purposes and to clarify understanding*

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Use alliteration and rhyme in a range of contexts* ✓ ✓

Use rhythm and rhyme to create more detailed chants, rhymes and poems*

✓

*These statements now form part of the revised Areas of Learning for Wales, which will become statutory from September 2015

Mission 1

Mission 2

Mission 3

Mission 4

Mission 5

Oracy: Collaboration and discussion

Contribute to discussion, keeping a focus on the topic and taking turns to speak

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Share activities and information to complete a task ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Interpret, respond to and use non-verbal cues such as facial expressions and gestures*

✓

Writing: Organising ideas and information Meaning, purpose, readers

Extend their response to a variety of stimuli on subjects that are of interest or importance to them, including stories, poems, class activities and personal experiences*

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Write for different purposes ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Write text which makes sense to another reader, which may include details and pictures

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Use talk to plan writing ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Re-read and improve their writing to ensure that it makes sense

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Use written language for different purposes, audiences or functions within play and structured activities*

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Writing: Organising ideas and information Structure and organisation

Follow a structure in their writing with support, e.g. reports, lists

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Follow and build upon a form modelled by the teacher ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Refine the use of a storyline within imaginative writing* ✓ ✓

Organise writing with a beginning, middle and end ✓ ✓ ✓

Use different types of writing appropriate to purpose and reader

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Writing Accurately: Language

Understand and use language appropriate to writing, e.g. noun, verb, adjective*

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Use simple subject-related words appropriately ✓ ✓ ✓

Writing Accurately: Grammar and Punctuation

Use capital letters, full stops and question marks accurately, and sometimes use exclamation marks

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Use connectives to write compound sentences ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Use ordering words, e.g. first, next, then, lastly ✓ ✓

Use standard forms of verbs, e.g. see/saw, go/went and subject-verb agreement, e.g. I was/we were

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Use a dictionary* ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

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*These statements now form part of the revised Areas of Learning for Wales, which will become statutory from September 2015