BECKENHAM SCHOOL: ��CHILDREN AS WRITERS:�A PRESENTATION FOR PARENTS��MURRAY GADD: 2016�

WHAT CHILDREN NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE AS GOOD WRITERS

�Children need to:��- Be able to write with a definite purpose� and specific audience in mind.��- Ensure that the meaning is clear.��

- Be able to write with impact.��- Ensure that their writing is accessible to� others, ie. it contains correct grammar,� spelling and punctuation (‘courtesies for� the reader’).

Note that good writing is not necessarily long writing – we are after quality not quantity.

What does a child need to learn to become a proficient writer? ��Learning to write is a very complex task – besides having ideas for writing, the emergent student writer needs to be able to:

• learn some basics about ‘what writing� is’ (eg. writing is made up of� sounds/letters, words, groups of words� with spaces between words; writing moves� from top to bottom/left to right);��- learn what letters (including letter� combinations) go with what sounds;��- learn how chunks of sounds flow into� each other (this is the beginning of� spelling);

• think about the meaning of words they� might want to use (‘Is it the right word?’);��- think about the order or organization of� words in a sentence (based on their� knowledge of English grammar);��- write some high frequency words (the� most commonly used words) correctly;

• develop some strategies for writing� other words they might want to use as� well as they can;��- learn about basic punctuation forms and� be able to use them to create a sentence;��- learn to physically create and join� together alphabet letters (this is the� beginning of printing or handwriting).

As they get older, children are expected to be able to apply all of these basic skills to:��- texts that have a specific purpose in� mind, eg. narratives, reports, instructions;��- texts across the curriculum;��- increasingly complex and sophisticated� texts.

This might mean:��- adding concise and relevant detail that � elaborates on the main points;��- using different sentence patterns that are � mainly grammatically correct;��- using more sophisticated vocabulary and� language features that are appropriate to the� purpose and topic;��- clear and logical structure and paragraphing.

We now have national standards which specify and illustrate what writing achievement at the end of each year of schooling looks like.��Parents receive reports ‘in plain English writing’ twice a year on their children’s progress in relation to the national standards.

WHAT CHILDREN DO AS THEY WRITE

• come up with ideas for writing;��- decide on the purpose and audience for their� writing;��- decide on the writing form, eg. story, letter,� newspaper report;��- plan their writing, eg. drawing a picture, coming� up with ideas, brainstorming and sequencing� ideas;��- draft their writing – recording all the� ideas/words/sounds they can as well as they can� – sometimes on every second line;

• revise their writing – re-read it for meaning;��- edit their writing – re-read it for impact;��- proof-read their writing – re-read it for grammar,� spelling and punctuation;��- receive feedback from the teacher on the� meaning, impact and ‘correctness’ of the writing;��- publish the writing, once it is 100% ‘correct’.

HOW CHILDREN LEARN WRITING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES

�- By regular writing.��- By having something to write about.��- By being exposed to quality writing.��- By receiving focussed instruction on writing� practices. �� This means demonstrating, teaching and� explaining new skills and strategies.�

• By being encouraged to write independently.��- By being affirmed as they take writing risks.��- By talking about reading, writing and books.�

WHAT PARENTS CAN DO TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN BECOME BETTER WRITERS

1. Talk with your child about the writing they are doing, especially at school. ��

2) Talk with your child about what they might want to write about. �� This means helping them to come up with the details of their writing. �� Remember that ‘good writing floats on a sea of talk’. �

3) Encourage your child to ‘have a go’ with new words when they write. ��Don’t ‘give them words’ until they have had a go. ��Don’t expect 100% accuracy when children draft their writing.��

4) Ask them questions as they write – for example;��‘What does that bit mean?’ �‘What’s happening there?’ �‘What’s going to happen next?’�

5. Correct their writing efforts positively and constructively. ��In doing this, you must accept that children will not always express ideas as adults will.�

6. Praise them to the hilt when they are making a really good writing attempt. ��This must include the impact/meaning of the writing as well as the grammar, spelling and punctuation.��Don’t judge their ability as writers just on the spelling, punctuation and handwriting.� �

����7) Give them authentic writing challenges – for example: �� - blogging to friends/family� - keeping a diary� - writing (texting?) their own� invitations � - writing (texting?) a letter of thanks � - writing serial stories for the family.����

8) Let them see you writing.�

Remember that:��Writing at school is where students need to be challenged. ��Writing at home is where students need to achieve success.