Brinkley Grove Primary School From September 2013

• 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

• However, the talking voice is not the same as the ‘writing voice’

BIG WRITING PHILOSOPHY

Sessions 1 session a week on FRIDAYS for Year 1 – 6

1 hour for year one; 1 hour 15 for year two; 1 hour 30 for KS2

Split into 2 equal parts with a break in the middle

Focus & text type will have been introduced the day before

1st session:

• fast, fun, lively, oracy based activities linked to the writing in 2nd session

• focus on VCOP (35 mins)

• planning time (10 mins) used to refocus the pupils’ thoughts on the stimulus

& text type for writing (Appendix 1)

2nd session:

• children write silently and independently within a calm, inspiring ethos

candle, music, silent food!

Teacher’s Role during writing time…

oTo maintain a quiet, purposeful atmosphere to support concentration

oTo provide 10min brain breaks

o To prompt pupils to build in VCOP

[These are known as time prompts]

TIME PROMPTSUsed by teachers during Big Write

A clock should be visible to all pupils

‘You have had 10 minutes. Count how many sorts of punctuation you have used?’

‘You have had 20 minutes. How many WOW words have you used?’

‘You have had 30 minutes. Look at your openers. Have you opened with connectives…’ly’ words, ’ing’ words?

‘You have 5 minutes left. Check you have met your targets…edits, self assessment and reflection’

TALK HOMEWORK

On Thursdays… 30 minutes preparing them for their TALK HOMEWORK

Prepares them mentally

No writing – ORACY BASED

A slip is sent home “My homework tonight is to talk to you about…”

Assessment… Weekly Big Write – normal marking policy with 2 super short term

targets to achieve across the curriculum within the week

eg. use these 3 adjectives over the week;

use a comma in sentences starting with an adverb eg. Slowly, he walked along the passageway towards the door

Method for referring to these targets

BIGGER WRITING – half termly against descriptors– summative assessment and long term target for the next half term

STOCKING FILLERS 4 or 5 five minute sessions across the week – fill those minutes that we so

EASILY waste in the week eg. end of day; in from playtime; waiting for assembly

Quick VCOP activities linked to new learning from short term targets in the previous

week

Encourage the children to ‘steal’ good examples of VCOP from authors.

Quick progress is encouraged by these activities - can be seen in their writing

Example - appendix 2

Six different ways to support children in planning their writing

Cartoon strips- draw what’s going to happen in sequence. Opening, body & ending scaffold Story writing frame: opening, build up, dilemma,

reaction to dilemma, resolution. Thought clouds Lists - key characters/settings/events/words to use Mind mapsThinking, but only if you are sure that child is ready to write… this is not usually encouraged!! Sue Palmer skeleton frames

4 or 5 key targets for all or most of the class to revise, revisit and re-learna.A misuse of commas in sentences starting with a verbb.Spelling of a common suffix TION/SIONc.Starting sentences with ANDd.Lack of variety of adjectives around movement

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

a Completed sentences for them to put the comma in where/whyWhole class

Start with shouting, running – create sentencesPairs/whiteboards

Start with tiptoeing, crying – create sentencesIndependently

Write 2 of your own Think, pair share

b Generate list of common tion/sion wordsThink,pair share

2 areas in the room – put the word in the right place in the room (cards with station/stasion) pairs

Sta_Mo_Po_Mis_Pairs

Put the list on whiteboards independent

c Egs of compound AND sentences Whole class discussion

Generate compound sentences on boardsPairs

Generate compound sentences on boardsIndependently/share

Paragraph given to change sentences with ANDs startingPairs

d List words for walking slowly/quickly and runningThink, pair, share

Choose 3 of these to write in sentences and use independently on boards & homework

Share homework Pairs

Write in sentences on boards 3 different chosen wordsThink, pair share

USE OF LEARNING ASSISTANT

MANY MANY SCHOOL WEBSITES - ideashttp://www.montgomery.devon.sch.uk/tag/big-write/

MUSIC HELPS CHILDREN TO FOCUS…

CLASSICAL egs:

Dances with wolves –John Dunbar theme

Out of Africa

The string quartet tribute