Writing Lessons - Motivating students for writing

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Writing - Sheena Cameron & Louise Dempsey

Planning an Effective Writing Programme

Beginning of the year - setting the scene
- Have a go! praise - be excited - model it.
- Working independently - set the expectation to have a go and let them know this is ok. Ok to make a mistake.
- Consider noise level.
- Once happy with expectations - set the routine. What are you going to do everyday during writing - make a plan to see all the kids during the week. Make time to be with high and low kids.

Roving and quick-stop 
One group a day - Praise one child for what they have done correctly and watch to see how many children self check and fix up their mistakes. Check to see if they remember their fix up throughout the week. The best feedback is what they notice and make the change to.
- Highlight it - Why have I highlighted this, wait for them to fix it up. Ask them to check a friend. Or ask the first person to tell the next person why I highlighted it (Metacognition).

Grouping for writing - key points

- Working with different skills, Same writing focus with diff needs. Grouping around needs - Using mini lessons to work a a skill. (Maybe link Linc ed goals or rubric to what the kids need) - group kids according to needs.
- Spend time establishing independent writing so that you are able to guide students without interruption.

Other writing forms - Have some fun with using different writing forms for experience.
- Comic strips
- Interviews
- Questionnaires
- Observations
- Letters
- Blogs
- Autobiographies.

A suggested sequence for teaching writing
1: Lesson intro (15mins) - Short and 1-2 things for them to go away and focus on. Set an achievable chunk each day to achieve - Reflect and make sure you are teaching.
- Chunk the task - model where you are up to and send the kids off - be clear on where you are and the kids will be. Give a chance to get kids to finish off their work so they are not playing catch up.
2: Independent writing (guided - 20 mins) - Check for guided group for tomorrow during this time, make sure the children get a chance to review their own learning as opposed to you recognising what they need to do. Plan the writing from what you have done the day before. Planning to only write a paragraph.
3: Wrap up (10 mins) - Get enough done so there is enough to review, not everyone had to be finished.

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