Handout Pack: Improving Writing Quality

Teach First

Modelling questions/ statements for strategy selectionModelled question Modelled response Who is my target audience? “I am writing for a XXX audience, a class

that has not yet learned about XXX. I should be sure to explain terms that the audience may not know.”

What goals am I trying to accomplish in my writing?

“I need the reader to understand the similarities and differences between X and X When planning my writing, I need to think about all of the things I know about X and X

What strategy could I use to accomplish my goals?

“I could make a Venn diagram to organise my thoughts and compare and contrast. The headings from the diagram could then be separate points in an outline.”

How should I carry out the strategy? “I think I will list the similarities first and then focus on the differences.”

Strategy Think Aloud Cue Words Predicting I predict…

In the next part I think… I think this is…

Questioning Why did… What did… How did… Where was… Should there…

Visualising I see… I picture…

Personal Response I feel… My favourite part… I liked/disliked…

Clarifying I got confused when… I’m not sure of… I didn’t expect…

Summarising I think this is mainly about… The most important idea is…

Reflecting I think I’ll… next time. Maybe I’ll need to… next time. I realised that… I wonder if…

Making Connections personal connections

This is like… This reminds me of…

Strategy Think Aloud Cue Words Predicting I predict…

In the next part I think… I think this is…

Questioning Why did… What did… How did… Where was… Should there…

Visualising I see… I picture…

Personal Response I feel… My favourite part… I liked/disliked…

Clarifying I got confused when… I’m not sure of… I didn’t expect…

Summarising I think this is mainly about… The most important idea is…

Reflecting I think I’ll… next time. Maybe I’ll need to… next time. I realised that… I wonder if…

Making Connections personal connections

This is like… This reminds me of…

Modelling Checklist1. Do pupils have the prerequisite skills to perform the task/activity?2. Have I broken down the concept or skill into its smallest steps? 3. Is the context age appropriate?4. Have I made clear why we are doing this (modelling) and what I expect from

pupils as a result? (i.e. independence)5. Have I used appropriate visual, auditory etc. ways to illustrate important

aspects of this concept or skill?6. Have I incorporated think-alouds- practised and scripted as necessary?7. Am I setting the benchmark for excellence- “Modelling High”?8. Have I made the success criteria explicit and am I using these when thinking-

aloud?9. Have I made clear the connections between each step?10. Have I modelled the use of any supporting scaffolds e.g.

number lines, key word lists, memory cues,11. Am I carefully deconstructing model examples?12. Am I checking for understanding, misconceptions? Quick-

fire questions used?13. TIMING- Pace, time to re-model up to 3 times, time for

questions and clarification?14. Have I factored in time for focussed practice?15. Does the model enable subsequent independent work- are

the knowledge, skills, processes required the same?

Planning StrategiesCreate a Do/What chart to thoroughly examine a writing prompt before beginning an assignment. Circle all verbs in the writing prompt that describe what you are being asked to do. Underline the words that describe what the task is. Then, create a chart to generate a roadmap for the writing assignment. Select one historical event to write a newspaper article about. Describe what happened during the event, who was there, and when it occurred. Your lead statement will communicate the most important points to the reader. Use quotes from eyewitnesses to support your reporting.

Do/ What Table

Do WhatSelect Select One historical event Write A newspaper article Describe Describe Use Use Quotes from eyewitnesses

Know, Want to know, what I learned table

K W LWhat I Already Know About This Topic

What I Want to Know About This Topic

What I Learned About This Topic

Source: What Works Clearing House 2016

Magpie sheet

Top/ Down graphic organiser

Example for Maths equation

Spider diagram

Future notices What are the facts?

Why am I writing?

Future notices What are the facts?

Why am I writing?

Introduction

Description

Habitat

Problems and dangers

Summary

Planning Frame

Audience and PurposePurpose explanation and example genre table

Source What Works Clearing House 2016

Purpose: techniques

Continued…

Key curriculum genres in school Science

Activity(Domains)

Genre Social Purpose

Doing Science Procedure to instruct somebody how to do something

Procedural Recount

to retell the aim, method and outcome of an experiment

Experimental Record

to enable scientific activity to occur and retell accurately the results and conclusions

Explaining Science

Sequential Explanation

to describe the phases of a process in a linear sequence

Causal Explanation

to describe and link the phases of an event in a predominantly cause and effect relationship

Theoretical Explanation

to illustrate a theoretical principle

Factorial Explanation

to explain the reasons or factors that contribute to a particular event

Consequential Explanation

to explain the effects, or consequences of an event

Exploration to explore competing explanations, or theories for a situation

Organising Science

Descriptive Report

to give information about one type of thing

Taxonomic Report

to describe parts or types of a group of things

Arguing Science Exposition to argue for a particular point of view on an issue

Discussion to argue the case for two or more points of view about an issue

Key curriculum genres in school History

Activity(Domains)

Genre Social Purpose Stages

Chronicling History

Autobiographical Recount

to retell the events of one’s own life

OrientationRecord of events(Reorientation)

Biographical Recount

to retell the events of a person’s life

BackgroundRecord of events(Evaluation of person)

Historical Recount

to retell events in the past

BackgroundRecord of events(Deduction)

Reporting History

Descriptive Report

to give information about the way things are or were

IdentificationDescription(Deduction)

Taxonomic Report

to organise knowledge taxonomically

ClassificationDescription of types or parts

Historical Account

to account for why events happened in a particular sequence

BackgroundAccount of events(Deduction)

Explaining History

Factorial Explanation

to explain the reasons or factors that contribute to a particular outcome

OutcomeFactorsReinforcement of factors

Consequential Explanation

to explain the effects or consequences of a situation

InputConsequencesReinforcement of consequences

Arguing History

Analytical Exposition

to put forward a point of view or argument

(Background)ThesisArgumentsThesis

Analytical Discussion

to argue the case for two or more points of view about an issue

(Background)IssueArgumentsPosition

Challenge to argue against a position, view orreading

(Background)ArgumentsAnti-thesis

Key curriculum genres in school English

Activity(Domains)

Genre Social Purpose

Factual/

RhetoricalExposition/Argument

Arguing for a point of view on an issue

Discussion/Discursive

Arguing the case for one or more points of view

Procedure Enabling people to do or make things

Story Observation Responding personally to things or events

Recount Responding personally to temporal succession of events

Narrative Dealing with and evaluating unusual or problematic events and their outcomes

Moral tale/fable

Telling a story with an explicit moral point of view

News story Dealing with newsworthy events

Response Personal Personal response to a culturally significant work

Review Assessing the appeal and value of a culturally significant work

Interpretation

Providing readings of culturally significant work

Critical Analysing culturally significant work and reading against the cultural values of its messages

Key curriculum genres in the Visual Arts

Activity(Domains)

Genre Social purpose

Persuasion Exposition Arguing for a particular point or issue

Discussion Exploring an issue from different points of view

Factual Descriptive report Giving information about one thing

Taxonomic report Describing parts or types of a group of things

Genealogical report Giving information about classes of things within historical framework

Procedure Instructing someone in how to do something

Procedural recountTo recount in order and with accuracy the goal steps and outcomes of an artistic activity

Response Descriptive Deconstructing and making a personal response to artwork

Evaluative Technical description and appraisal of artwork

Interpretative Technical description and appraisal of artwork

Critical Analysing meanings in artwork and denaturalising its cultural values

Revising

Examples: revising checklists

Source: TES

Revising Checklist

Have I written an interesting introduction?Have I used interesting vocabulary?Have I used a selection of different connectives?Have I used complete sentences?Does my conclusion make sense?

Action PlanStrategy/ Model ActionsModelling

Gradual Release of Responsibility

The Writing Process

Planning

Audience and Purpose

Revising

Other notes