Improving Writing Menu
Identified need: / Try: / Info: / Available from:I need some new ways of getting my students to generate ideas for narrative writing! / 90 Ways to use Pictures / Stimulating and original ideas / www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/english/ks3
Storywheel / Grab some dice and get your story ingredients!
I need some practical and clear approaches to teaching sentence level! / Word Wall Clause Challenge / Kinaesthetic activity to teach clause placing
Sentence Level Starters / OHTs to revise, consolidate and secure varying sentences
25 Ideas for Sentence Level Starters / It does what is says on the tin! Not much preparation work needed!
I want to get an idea of how sentence level work can be embedded within a scheme of work! / Crime and Horror Scheme of Work / Three weeks on reading (Crime) and three weeks on writing (Horror) – with a strong focus on sentence level activities. All supporting resources available to download!
I want some strategies to help my very weak writers! / 35 Ideas for Weaker Writers / It does what is says on the tin!
I really need to help my students to reap the rewards of learning how to successfully re-draft and refine! / 10 Ways to use whiteboards to generate and improve ideas for writing / All new. All different. Give them a go!
Re-drafting Cards / As shown on the Movin’ on up! Training
A great way to get your students critically evaluating each other’s work
I want some original ideas to teach paragraphing! / Top Tips for Teaching Paragraphs / Quick, read this before you start writing ‘Paragraphs!’ in your sleep. / www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/english/ks3
I want to use video to generate ideas for narrative writing! / Lucky Dip video / A 4 minute animation which you watch without visuals and then watch with visuals and sound. Fantastic resource which will have your class in the palm of your hand! / See display copy for ordering details.
I need a sequence of mini lessons tailored to the writing needs of my identified ‘intervention’ students! / The Vastly New and Improved:
Writing Challenge / A fantastic board game where (with your help) your students go on ‘Quests’ and complete ‘Challenges’ to produce focused writing to help them acquire the essential skills of writing. Not to be missed! / Available to buy from Hertfordshire LEA. E-mail
I want some good lesson plans which follow the Literacy Progress Unit style of Remember, Model, Try, Apply and Secure / DFES Folder: Targeting Level 4 in Year 7: English / See unit 3: Teaching Writing. Some good lesson plans and some well-chosen texts and resources. Could be adapted for weaker students in Yrs 8 and 9. / Your department should have a copy but if not, Phone: 0845 6055560 to order your copy quoting reference: DfES 0103/2003
I want to have a generic guide to the content of the different text types to help my students use the features of text types! / Aide Memoires for Writing Triplets / What are the features of Inform/Explain/Describe, Analyse/Review/Comment etc in terms of Word, Sentence and Text level? / www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/english/ks3
I want to use success criteria to improve writing so that my students can peer mark and set themselves targets! / Matrix Target Stickers / No Keanu Reeves but a teacher time saver and a student friendly resource! You’ll need Avery Labels L7163 from County Supplies! / www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/english/ks3
I want to show my students a visual representation of the skills they need to improve through the NC levels! / Level Ladders / A great A3 colour poster showing the progressive skills needed to achieve levels 4-7. / www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/english/ks3
I’d like a quick and easy way to use student friendly versions of the NC levels to get my students self and peer assessing their work! / Marking Stickers / Fun, colour stickers which begin ‘I am aiming for a Level 5 by….’ Using student friendly language. You’ll need Avery Labels L7163 from County Supplies! / www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/english/ks3