Writing as easy as Pie! - wsassets.s3.amazonaws.comwsassets.s3.amazonaws.com/.../pdf/42517_book.pdf · How did you intend to impact on pupil learning? With a focus on composition

Authoredby:

Gemma Coward

School:Misterton C of EFirst School

Type ofschool:

Primary

Type ofsetting (ifEarlyYears):

LA maintainedschool

LocalAuthority:

Somerset

Region:South West

School or setting

Writing... as easy as Pie!

Table of Contents

What

Impact

Summary

What were your reasons for doingthis type of development work?

As an authority, Somerset were looking to furtherimprove their progress in addressing the issuesin writing across the county. In joining thisproject, they aimed to build on improvements sofar through developing new and effectivestrategies. As part of our research team, I waskeen to be involved having been inspired bylearning Pie Corbett's Storytelling into Writingstrategies several years ago in Buckinghamshire.Initially, I implemented the strategies in theFoundation Stage in my school and saw fantasticresults. When I moved to Somerset and took onthe role of Senior Teacher and Literacy Leader, Isaw a need to raise standards in writing and soagain implemented Pie's Talk for writingstrategies, but this time across the whole school.However, I wanted to take the strategies furtherand was keen to learn more through thisresearch project to enthuse children and staff andenable our children to become effective writers.

Who might find this case studyuseful?

• Carer

Teaching and Learning Resources p.1tlr.nationalstrategies.dcsf.gov.uk

© Crown copyright 2011

Free schoolmeals:

Less than 20%

Yeargroups:

Early Years, Year1, Year 2

Gender:Both

Wholeschool:

Yes

Peopleinvolved:

LA adviser, Seniorleadership team(SLT), Subjectleader, Supportstaff, Teacher

Number ofclasses:

6

Number ofadultlearners:

14

Learners

• Headteacher• Middle leader• Parent• Senior leadership team (SLT)• SIP (School Improvement Partner)• Subject leader• Teacher

Key points

Point 1

Writing: An effective way to inspire children andstaff

Point 2

Unlocking teachers' ability to teach and children'sability to write

Disclaimer: Please be aware this is UserGenerated Content "UGC" and remains theproperty of the author. For more informationregarding this, please refer to UGC section of theTerms and Conditions.

What•

Intentions

What specific curriculumarea, subject or aspect did you intend to have impacton?

◦ English - speaking and listening◦ English - writing



How did you intend to impact on pupil learning?

With a focus on composition and effect I wanted to impact on all children but,particularly to track the lower ability children with specific needs, such asspeech and hearing difficulties. I wanted to see the impact Talk for Writinghad on these children in being able to write a completed literacy outcome ina range of contexts. I intended to do this by using the Talk for Writingstrategies, demonstrated by Pie Corbett. For example, modelling clearlystructured talk to rehearse writing, giving time for the children to internaliseand adapt 'blueprints' for different genres of writing, model writing using aclearly defined tool kit to assess against and then support the children incompleting writing using the strategies modelled.

In this case study, I focused particularly on my Year 1/2 class with my focusgroup of children being Year 1 children working at below age relatedexpectations in writing as they came into Year 1. Through this project, Ishared the Talk for Writing strategies I learnt from Pie Corbett with severallocal first schools who were also targeting their below age expectationchildren. I have included comments and samples of learning from theteachers and some of their headteachers, but most of the evidence is frommy class and focus group.

What were your success criteria?

◦ Improved composition and effect across a range of genres◦ Tasks are sustained and completed◦ Embedded in all teaching sequences will be opportunities forchildren to successfully peer and self assess against toolkits in allphases of the writing process

PLEASE NOTE this page has three tabs - click 'Next tab' below or use tabsabove to see Teaching approaches and CPD approaches

What information or data did you use to measureprogress towards your success criteria?

◦ Observation outcomes◦ Periodic teacher assessment◦ Pupils' work

•



Teaching approaches

What did you do? What teaching approaches(pedagogy) did you use to achieve the intended impact?

◦ Assessment for Learning (AfL)◦ Collaborative group work◦ Cross-curricular work◦ Learning how to learn◦ Self assessment and peer assessment◦ Teaching sequences◦ Use of pupil talk for whole-class teaching◦ Use of thinking skills

Describe the teaching approaches you used

Using Pie Corbett's Talk for Writing techniques as follows embedded in allteaching sequences:

◦ Talk for Writing at every opportunity across all phases◦ oral rehearsal with actions◦ group/pair oral storytelling◦ storymapping or visual plan◦ sound recordings and editing◦ boxing up◦ use of toolkits◦ use of a variety of feedback for effective assessment forlearning◦ enriching the reading environment with read alouds, a poem aday and home/school sharing of reading loves◦ story boxes◦ storytelling corner◦ real purpose and audience at all opportunities◦ cross-curricular links.

The materials below were created in SMART notebook to share withteachers on a SMARTboard as part of a workshop presentation, so you willneed that software on your computer to open these materials. Smart'sNotebook Interactive viewer can be downloaded free from: Smart

Upload

Guide for children to give each other constructive feedback (NOTEBOOK-64KB) Attachments



http://www.directoryofchoice.co.uk/links/goto/42679/3143

http://www.directoryofchoice.co.uk/node/43415/file

Toolkit for a good presentation (NOTEBOOK-69 KB) Attachments

•

CPD approaches

What did you do? What approaches to CPD andlearning for adults were used?

◦ Demonstration◦ Learning conversation◦ Lesson observation◦ Modelling◦ Training◦ Work scrutiny

Describe the CPD approaches you used

Through Stretch Targets Funding (County target to get 64% children to level2b by 2009) foundation stage, Year 1 teachers and Literacy subject leaderscame to a storytelling into writing workshop I led based on Pie's Talk forWriting strategies. I then asked schools to decide what they needed todevelop with their children and what support they would need inimplementing the initiatives. They then went back to try out the strategies inschool and I then went into each of the schools to support the teachers withshared/modelled writing, guided writing, demonstration lessons of storytellingand story mapping, whole school staff meetings and teachers came to myschool to observe me teaching. I then used the evaluations of these sessionsto plan another session on boys' writing through poetry and creative gamesbased on strategies learnt from Pie. Teachers then evaluated the impact ofthis in their schools and I collated this as a overall document for theheadteachers of schools involved. The headteachers wanted to continue thework of our federation of schools, so I then led another session for all staff inall the schools on 'Reading as a Writer' and 'Boxing up into Writing'. Twoschools have taken this work on through action research with Bath Spa andthe schools are now looking at formalising the working together throughlesson study. In my own school, as I learnt each new technique from Pie, Ishared it with my school through staff meetings. This built on our initialstorytelling into writing work and, as a school, we are working on embeddingthese strategies together.




What CPD materials, research or expertise have youdrawn on?

The Talk for Writing workshops, led by Pie Corbett

Previous knowledge of Pie Corbett techniques

Workshop materials created with Angie Fernyhough AST Knights TemplarFirst School

Related National Strategies resources:

◦ Improving writing with a focus on guided writing: Leadingimprovement using the Primary Framework◦ Letters and Sounds: Principles and practice of high qualityphonics◦ Support for writing◦ Improving practice and progression through Lesson Study◦ Talk for writing◦ Support for Spelling

Upload

Process - storytelling into writing

Who provided you with support?

◦ External agency

How were you supported?

Alison Cooper - Regional Adviser for Literacy came to visit, observed asession and spent time discussing my research and the impact with me. Thistime for reflection during the project was very helpful in thinking about nextsteps.

Links with Literacy consultant, Maria Richards discussing progress andimpact was extremely helpful. Again, the process of discussing strategies,what worked well, what didn't and why and where to go next was crucial indeveloping my teaching and the children's learning.











http://www.directoryofchoice.co.uk/node/43391

The three whole day Talk for Writing CPD sessions with Pie Corbett werewell spaced out and each one built on the knowledge and skills we hadlearnt and practised in each session. I replicated this with the Stretch Targetsgroup as building in time to reflect on practice and learning and then build onthe skills has been the key to developing my own practice and the strategiesused in school.

Node informationAttachments Zip:

77380c341975ae65c05c0e9edb388f11.zip

Related Links

• Improving writing with a focus on guided writing: Leading improvementusing the Primary Framework• Improving practice and progression through Lesson Study• Letters and Sounds: Principles and practice of high quality phonics• Smart• Support for Spelling• Support for writing• Talk for writing

File Attachments

• Guide for children to give each other constructive feedback ( notebook 64KB )• Toolkit for a good presentation ( notebook 69 KB )• Process - storytelling into writing ( doc 24 KB )

Impact•

On pupil learning

What has been the overall impact on pupil learning?

The composition and effect strand of writing has improved for all children. Ibelieve this is due to teaching the children to internalise 'blueprints' forwriting which they have learnt to develop for their own writing. Using PieCorbett's strategy of orally rehearsing their sentence structure and



http://www.directoryofchoice.co.uk/files/downloads/zip/77380c341975ae65c05c0e9edb388f11.zip

http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/64444




http://www.smarttech.com/us/We+have+made+some+changes+support







composition before writing it down enables the children to develop theirsentence structure. Modelling by the teacher and then practising withanother child is another important element of this. Children C, E and G'simprovement from September to July conveys this clearly.

Enthusiasm and attitudes towards writing, particularly in the boys hasincreased. Most children can now sustain writing to complete a task. I havealso included samples of Child O's writing to show the progress of a boyworking at age expectation in writing at the start of Year 1. Again, you cansee the impact of having a 'blueprint' to base the story on. Clearly, listeningto and working on the story of Julia Donaldson's 'The Gruffalo' has given hima frame for his own story. This is also evident in Child E's May narrativewriting.

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◦ Child O - June (PDF-571 KB) Attachments◦ Child C - narrative June (PDF-461 KB) Attachments◦ Child C - recount July (PDF-282 KB) Attachments◦ Child E - narrative May (PDF-495 KB) Attachments◦ Child E - narrative May 2 (PDF-276 KB) Attachments◦ Child E - recount November (PDF-154 KB) Attachments◦ Child G - recount July (PDF-427 KB) Attachments◦ Child G - recount November (PDF-516 KB) Attachments◦ Child O - narrative May (PDF-1.1 MB) Attachments◦ Child O - narrative November (PDF-636 KB) Attachments◦ Child O recount - July (PDF-630 KB) Attachments

Thoughts you think are relevant to overall impact onlearning

Embedding the talk through all phases of the teaching sequence wasessential in enabling children to build up banks of stories and narrativepatterns to create their own stories. As Pie says 'children can not create outof nothing' Pie Corbett 2008. Linking to real life experiences e.g. linkingsenses poetry to outdoor learning, D&T and Science learning to havepersonal experiences to draw on enabled children to write more effectively.Using tool kits expanded teachers' and childrens' knowledge and ability towrite effectively.

Unfortunately, due to scanning in black and white, you can't easily see thehighlighting on the children's learning which shows them if they are meetingthe success criteria. Green highlighting shows them that particular part of the














writing is meeting part of the tool kit and orange shows that is a bit thatneeds to be improved. This has been another successful part of theassessment for learning process, helping the children to edit and improvetheir writing. In the samples above, you will notice our children have learnt tocross out or put dots under words to help them keep the pace of their writingand not to worry over mistakes or difficulty with spelling. You can see someof this in child H's work below.

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◦ Poetry planning - senses (DOC-54 KB) Attachments◦ Yr 2 Child H - October (PDF-718 KB) Attachments◦ Yr 2 Child H - Work after TfW - June (PDF-916 KB)Attachments

Quotes you think are relevant to overall impact onlearning

In my learning journal, (30.01.08) I wrote “Child E - actually got part of anidea in writing!”. “Banana yellow flames jumping…” then on 05.02.08 “Child Ewrote a whole stanza and had ideas from the start. He included alliterationand similie” I want to paint an army aeroplane as fast as a racing car'.

We felt truly inspired by what we saw, the pace of the lesson, theresponses of the children and the outcomes. We were impressedby Gemma's enthusiasm for the subject and how she guided thechildren in their learning.

Teacher's evaluation after observing a lesson

Through my monitoring and our Pupil Progress Meetings, it is clearthat there is consistently good progress in writing. Our children areloving the strategies we are using.Headteacher, Merriott FirstSchool

Quantitative evidence of impact on pupil learning

◦ Periodic teacher assessment

Qualitative evidence of impact on pupil learning

◦ Logs or interviews






◦ Observation outcomes◦ Pupils' work

Describe the evidence of impact on pupil learning

The teachers involved in the project gave this feedback to the questionbelow: What impact has this had on your children's learning?

◦ They are more engaged◦ Children are more creative◦ They work more co-operatively◦ Children are more interested

•

On teaching

What has been the impact on teaching?

What changes have you implemented as a result of the Stretch Targetstraining and follow up visits?

◦ part of our whole school target – basis for a number of sharedstaff meetings◦ shared writing◦ shared talking◦ story mapping◦ story telling – verbally talk is now embedded across theteaching sequences◦ connectives◦ lots more practical activities◦ all teachers are building in more time for speaking & listening.

Thoughts you think are relevant to impact on teaching

One teacher said she was enjoying teaching literacy again which she hadnot done for years. Enthusiasm is so important in engaging children andenabling them to learn so these exciting initiatives are motivating teachersagain.



Quotes you think are relevant to the impact on teaching

Looking back through my learning journal there a few notes which reflecthow I, or others in the project, adapted teaching and altered the strategiesused:

“After the January Stretch Targets meeting the teachers asked for moretraining and demonstration of how to teach shared writing as, at that point,not many of them were doing much and, if they were, it was at a muchslower pace than I was modelling.” You will notice that in “What has theimpact on teaching?” box, the teachers stated they are now teaching writingthrough shared writing so the project has helped changed practice in ourgroup of schools.

In January, I also reflected “next time I would do several shorter poems (freeverse) to keep the pace of the lesson going.” I also decided to “reorganisethe group with TA support during whole class teaching as I noted particularchildren giving responses to the TA which built their confidence to shareideas with the class.”

Evidence of impact on teaching

◦ Evidence from observation and monitoring◦ Evidence from planning◦ Teacher perceptions

Describe the evidence of impact on teaching

This is the feedback teachers gave: YEAR 1 TEACHERS GROUP Whatworks well and why?

◦ Verbalising and internalising stories before trying to write orsubstitute characters◦ Literacy can involve talking – it doesn't have to be writing everytime and the quality of writing is improving because the childrenhave used talk to explore, shape and practise what they want towrite.◦ Enough time to complete pieces of work.◦ Children to be more active.◦ Story mapping – using the map to support children telling thestory using 'story language' and to support sentence structure andpunctuation.◦ Role play and understanding characters.◦ Tactile use of physical objects.◦ Speak in sentences, with time to do it.



◦ This all focuses the child on the task.

•

On school organisation and leadership

What has been the impact on school organisation andleadership?

Our group of schools are working together, supporting each other inresearching techniques to improve and develop strategies to improve writingthrough Talk for Writing. The schools are now working together on a newproject looking at mathematics and using the expertise of a Numeracyspecialist in one of the other schools to lead the INSET.

In terms of Talk for Writing, the strategies I have discussed in the case studyare now being developed in other classes within the school. All staff havereceived the poetry and narrative training I delivered which was based on thetraining I had from Pie Corbett as part of the TfW project. As in all theschools I worked with, the TfW practise is most developed in the FS andYear 1 classes as this is where the project was focused as part of the stretchtargets project. The subject leaders from all the schools have now receivedthe narrative training and are beginning to support teachers across theschool in TfW strategies.

Thoughts you think are relevant to overall impact onschool organisation and leadership

The whole school and groups of schools working on the same initiativesgives teachers the opportunity to all be clear on strategies and how theydevelop through the school as children progress. First schools workingtogether in a similar way ensures consistency in practice, transition andsupport for all staff and children.

I feel that this model of practice works particularly well for small schools. Ithas enabled at least six schools to benefit from sharing from the training oneperson has had. Meeting together, discussing practice and providing supportfrom those conversations has helped all our schools to move on in ourpractice and the achievements of our children. In my school, now only oneEAL child is working at below age expectations in writing whereas at thebeginning of the year there were five. Similarly, at Meriott First School all



children in Year 1 are now working at least at age expectations in writingexcept two SEN children who themselves are making good progress.

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◦ TfW within planning - Merriott (PDF-822 KB) Attachments◦ Writing sample Merriott 1 (PDF-850 KB) Attachments◦ Writing sample Merriott 2

Evidence of impact on school organisation andleadership

Prior to this our group of schools did not meet together as regularly to worktogether on joint initiative. Now, we are working together and branching outto use other teachers expertise in other areas. In these times of tight budgetsand smaller staff number, it is now essential to share expertise betweenschools.

Within our school, TfW strategies are becoming embedded. All teachers aredoing shared and modelled writing using flip charts or large sheets of sugarpaper to write on. I found that children would get up and go to the flip chartand flick back through the writing to remind themselves of ideas or to'magpie' parts of writing they thought were effective. The literacy governor issupporting these strategies by using her visits to look at impact and see howwriting is developing through these strategies.

All classes now have 'a poem a day' and a structured 'read aloud'programme so that all our children have a wide, varied and enriching rangeof books read to them to enjoy everyday to help build those 'blueprints' forwriting and to develop their ability to read as a writer.

Node informationAttachments Zip:

a0958304558aedd0d7ed7ec6e8939184.zip

File Attachments

• Child O - June ( pdf 571 KB )• Child C - narrative June ( pdf 461 KB )• Child C - recount July ( pdf 282 KB )• Child E - narrative May ( pdf 495 KB )• Child E - narrative May 2 ( pdf 276 KB )• Child E - recount November ( pdf 154 KB )





http://www.directoryofchoice.co.uk/node/43397

http://www.directoryofchoice.co.uk/files/downloads/zip/a0958304558aedd0d7ed7ec6e8939184.zip







• Child G - recount July ( pdf 427 KB )• Child G - recount November ( pdf 516 KB )• Child O - narrative May ( pdf 1.1 MB )• Child O - narrative November ( pdf 636 KB )• Child O recount - July ( pdf 630 KB )• Poetry planning - senses ( doc 54 KB )• Yr 2 Child H - October ( pdf 718 KB )• Yr 2 Child H - Work after TfW - June ( pdf 916 KB )• TfW within planning - Merriott ( pdf 822 KB )• Writing sample Merriott 1 ( pdf 850 KB )• Writing sample Merriott 2 ( pdf 746 KB )

Summary

What is the crucial thing that made the difference?

Firstly, having the stretch targets funding has allowed us the time to meet togetherand research the impact of the Talk for Writing strategies. Also, having an AST towork alongside teachers to support them in implementing these strategies at class/whole school level has been essential to its success. The support of the group'sheadteachers to devote staff meeting time and release staff for training and follow upsupport and linking this work into layered curricular targets has increased the impact.To have the level of support from the national strategy in taking part in the PieCorbett, Talk for Writing CPD workshops enabled me to become immersed in thestrategies and inspired to share the ideas not just in my own school, but local schoolstoo.

What key resources would people who want to learn fromyour experience need access to?

• The National Strategies Talk for Writing materials• A framework for support e.g. lesson study and dedicated time to reflect onthe development and impact of the strategies• Key materials from Pie Corbett e.g. The bumper book of storytelling• Funding to enrich the reading and writing environment• Recording equipment e.g. dictaphones, talking tins or microphones.














What CPD session and resources were particularlyuseful?

Days 1, 3 and 4 of the Talk for Writing training had the most impact on my teachingand the resources I used with other teachers, having already started on Storytellinginto Writing using the strategies demonstrated by Pie.

If another individual or school was attempting to replicatethis work, where would they start and what would theessential elements be?

Firstly, reading this case study and other Pie Corbett case studies on the EverybodyWrites website.

Secondly, the use of the Pie Corbett materials when published and any other PieCorbett books around improving writing, of which there are many including theLiteracy strategy writing fliers.

Thirdly, the National Strategies Talk for Writing materials that are coming out inSpring 2009.

Finally, an abundance of enthusiasm and a belief that this is a key to unlockingchildren's ability to write.

What further developments are you planning to do (orwould you like to see others do)?

We are planning to continue the model we have in place of local schools workingtogether and spreading good practice across Somerset next year. The NationalStrategy Talk for Writing materials will play a big part in this.

Related Links

• Everybody Writes• Literacy strategy writing fliers






http://www.everybodywrites.org.uk/

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/publications/literacy/1128197

Documents

Writing as easy as Pie! - wsassets.s3.amazonaws.comwsassets.s3.amazonaws.com/.../pdf/42517_book.pdf · How did you intend to impact on pupil learning? With a focus on composition