Talk4

Writing

As part of our School Improvement Plan we aim to develop the skill and enjoyment of writing across the school using:

Talk 4 Writing

What is Talk 4 Writing?

Who is Pie Corbett?PoetAuthorEducationalist

Talk 4 Writing?

Was developed by Pie Corbett, supported by Julia Strong

It is a powerful programme based on the principles of how children learn

It enables children to imitate the language they need for particular topics orally

They can then read and analyse, before writing their own version

Talk 4 Writing?

Begins with a “cold” or unaided task From this teachers produce individual

targets and teaching points For example using description or joining

sentences with and, but, so, then or because

Talk 4 Writing – ModellingImitation Stage

Teachers model a short story based on the cold task e.g. The Three Little Pigs, which children learn with accompanying action

“Once upon a time, there lived a mother pig, in a cosy cramped thatched cottage. She had not one, not two, but three lazy, spoilt, selfish sons”

Target areas at word and sentence level are addressed, for example time connectives and quotation marks

A story map is drawn showing the sequence in pictures, words and actions

Talk 4 Writing – ModellingInnovation

Comprises looking at the five points of the story:

Opening

Build up

Problems

Resolution

Ending

Making a ‘story map’ or ‘boxing-up’ and then working-together to change the story.

“In a far off land, there lived a Mummy and Daddy Cheetah in a dark, dusty, spacious cave, with not one, not two, but three cute, cuddly, baby cheetahs”

Talk 4 Writing – ModellingInvention (Final Stage)

Encourages the children to work individually on the story making it their own

Culminating in the ‘hot’ writing task – another unaided piece of writing

Talk 4 WritingConclusion

I have given the children a questionnaire on the enjoyment of writing and the results have been overwhelmingly positive, with 80% of pupils saying they enjoyed “Talk 4 Writing”