Book Talk

DCSF Publications Tel: 0845 60 222 60

Booklet: 00467-2008BKT-EN

DVD: 00761-2008DVD-EN

“I spend much of my time not writing at all. First, I ‘write’ the stories in my head and dream them and weave them until they’re ready. Then, I sit on the bed and ‘tell’ them down onto the page.”

Michael Morpurgo

Good writers…Read widely Read as writers

Plan

Draft and craft their writing Reread

Transcribe

efficiently

Persevere Enjoy writing

Talk for Writing is…

…the developmental exploration, through talk, of the thinking and creative processes involved in being a writer.

Pie Corbett Talk for Writing workshops 2007-2008

‘Book Talk’ is…• learning about a book by talking about it;

• talking to deepen understanding and critical appreciation;

• giving children time to think collectively and tentatively, proposing and reshaping their understanding;

• only worth doing if the book contains anything worth talking about!

Creating Interest

Warming up the imagination

All was still in the valley of the dragons. Mist had drifted in from the sea nearby and was clinging to the mountains. Birds twittered uncertainly in the foggy damp, and clouds hid the sun.

All was still in the valley of the dragons. Mist had drifted in from the sea nearby and was clinging to the mountains.

All was still in the valley of the dragons.

Book-talk

All was still

The Dragon Machine

Work with a partner to ‘book talk’, using the example in the handout.

The Dragon Machine

Creating a reading area

Reading Journal

Retelling

Story Sacks

Fill with items to retell the story and stimulate discussion about the themes

and issues

Collective Drawing

Empty chair

Role play what you would want to say to George’s parents if they were sat there.

Comparing two images

Book Gossip

Top tips from Pie Corbett

Model book-talk before

the class tries.

Encourage personal responses from the children – it shouldn’t be a barrage of comprehension questions.

Use open prompts, questions and invitations.

Encourage critical and

evaluative thinking.

Tell the children that they can’t be wrong,

but should be prepared to change and

adapt their ideas in response to others.

Build towards group dialogue.

Use drama techniques to develop and enhance book talk.