In these Programmes of Study, opportunities for drafting and
re-drafting should be given where appropriate. |
Word processing aids redrafting and gives professionalism to
finished work.
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STRANDS
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LEVEL A
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LEVEL B
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LEVEL C
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LEVEL D
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LEVEL E
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Functional writing
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Writing of this kind may arise from activities such as planting
seeds, giving directions, exploring technology, baking etc. Pupils
will discuss, before, during and after activity. They will report
orally to teacher and others. Sequence can be explored through
drawings perhaps linked by arrows to form a flow chart. The teacher
will help pupils to observe, to select important features, to
order their writing and act as scribe.
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Appropriate forms might include letters or reports of events or
activities undertaken. Sequencing will continue. Pupils will perhaps
use simple notes to order their writing. Audiences for letters
can include other pupils, parents, people in the community. Real
letters will motivate best: to an author; to a newspaper; seeking
information. Teachers will make pupils aware of styles and vocabulary
suitable for different audiences, and demonstrate layout features.
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Non-narrative writing is often undertaken in the context of other
curricular areas such as environmental studies. The purpose and
audience for writing of this nature should be clearly established.
The teacher will help pupils make notes on, for example, a visit
or a radio or TV programme and to build reports form these notes.
Reports based on pupils' reading will involve the teacher in helping
them to analyse the text and identify important data.
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Reading and discussing texts with teacher and other pupils to
identify the main forms associated with functional writing, pupils
will be encouraged to produce a variety of different kinds of
writing and to write succinctly. They will learn to use topic
and summing up sentences. At the same time, the teacher will show
others ways of recording ideas and findings - for example by notes,
lists diagrams.
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Skills of selecting facts, grouping information, emphasising key
ideas, manipulating materials from more than one source, will
continue to be developed. In the secondary school, all teachers
should continue this process, and there should be agreement across
the curriculum to ensure consistency of approach in writing reports,
summaries, and notes.
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Personal Writing
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From the first, the teacher will establish
trust, helping pupils speak confidently about themselves. They
will express ideas perhaps through drawings, which, after discussion,
will be elaborated to provide detail and form the basis of a
story. The teacher will: discuss, decide with pupils the main
points, act as scribe. When pupils first compose, their own
stories may consist of a single sentence. This can be aided
by the provision of printed words and phrases for story-making.
With more experience, pupils will be able to compose several
sentences.
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Sequence can be developed by drawing a
series of pictures, putting them in order and writing a sentence
for each one. Discussion one to one, and in groups, will help
pupils to reflect, consider and begin to reshape their stories.
Good examples of the writing of other pupils, adults, books etc.
also support pupils as writers. The teacher will help pupils acquire
words to articulate their feelings. The use of concept keyboards
can also be of help.
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With increasing confidence in personal
narrative, pupils will be asked to use different forms, such as
a letter to a friend, an item for a class newspaper or a piece
of verse. The sense of purpose and audience will be developed
through the use of many contexts for personal writing such as
magazines, other classes, parents and other teachers.
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The teacher will show pupils how to depict emotions in accounts
of their experience using situations common to many pupils. The
teacher may construct a text on blackboard or OHP from their shared
experiences or memories to help pupils explore formats and their
effects and to discover styles appropriate to purpose and audience.
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Pupils will be given more choice in selecting topics, allowing
them to reflect on aspects which have meaning for them. They should
use a variety of forms - free verse, haiku, diary or journal,
personal letters etc. Time for reading, discussion before writing
is essential, as are good examples and follow up discussion. Drama
scripts present opportunities for dialect and colloquial forms,
particularly through paired and group work. Where appropriate,
in poetry writing, rhythm, line length for various effects, imitation
of specific forms, sound qualities can all be demonstrated and
explored.
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Imagina-
tive
writing
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The teacher will stimulate excitement and enthusiasm for writing.
A character or animal, perhaps linked to a reading programme or
theme, may become a focus for imagined events; story tapes, broadcasts,
role-play, expressive activities etc. can be starting points for
imaginative explorations. Teachers will, by reading stories to
pupils, develop their awareness of sequence by, for example, looking
at beginnings, middles and endings.
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Teachers will help pupils select, draft what they wish to say,
by questioning, giving a model (eg how will the story start?)
and by discussing appropriate vocabulary. Group discussion of
first draft can help clarify effectiveness. The teacher can draw
pupils' attention to aspects of the story they know from reading,
eg plot, character, dialogue and setting. Poetry writing depends
on wide experience of listening to and reading poems, with discussion
of structures and effects. At this stage content, rhythm and vocabulary
are more important than rhyme.
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The teacher will help pupils to develop their imaginative writing
by providing stimulating contexts and giving them an awareness
of the importance of character, setting the scene and action.
At this stage, pupils will be asked to look at events from the
points of view of different characters. Pupils' writing of poetry
will be aided by their reading aloud and occasional verse-speaking.
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New effects can be achieved by showing pupils how to turn basic
story ideas into plays, radio, TV or film scripts or by having
the story told in role, for example by a news reader. This will
help pupils to discover the need for a flexible and varied vocabulary.
From their reading, pupils can be made aware of differences in
effects created by first or third person narrative, and the effects
possible with present and past tense narrative.
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Pupils can now draw on knowledge from what they have heard and
read, to use in their own imaginative writing. The teacher will
use careful questioning to help pupils see the need for filling
out the texture of stories in character development and setting.
The notions of openings, turning points, resolutions can be introduced.
Sections of stories can be written, discussed, redrafted, before
being brought together to build longer, more fully shaped works.
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