writing the national literacy strategy narrative writing

WritingThe National Literacy Strategy

Narrative Writing Narrative Writing


Narrative WritingNarrative Writing

Aims:Aims:

• To revisit the teaching sequence from reading to To revisit the teaching sequence from reading to writing;writing;

• To provide ideas to cover the main aspects of To provide ideas to cover the main aspects of story writing.story writing.


ActivityActivity

What are the key features of narrative text types? Fill in the sheet looking at:

• Purpose

• Structure

• Language features

• Writer’s knowledge

• Story connectives


The teaching sequence from reading to The teaching sequence from reading to writingwriting

Reading and responding

Analysing texts(reading for writing)

Planning and writing


Basics about storiesBasics about stories

• Structure:Structure: OpeningOpening

Build-upBuild-up

ProblemProblem

ResolutionResolution

EndingEnding

• Stages of development:Stages of development: RetellingRetelling

InnovationInnovation

InventionInvention

Opening

ResolutionBuild Up

Problem

Ending


Capturing storiesCapturing stories

• Story MountainStory Mountain

• Story MapStory Map

• TimelineTimeline

• Post itsPost its

• Scene listScene list

• StoryboardStoryboard

• FlowchartFlowchart


CharacterisationCharacterisation

He came down the road.He came down the road.

Simon stormed across the road without looking Simon stormed across the road without looking either way.either way.


What has the author done to build up the character?What has the author done to build up the character?

Coral Ocean stood on the edge of the playground and waited. Coral Ocean stood on the edge of the playground and waited. No one came near. All the other children seemed to be No one came near. All the other children seemed to be engrossed in their own games. She gazed through railings engrossed in their own games. She gazed through railings and pretended to notice something interesting in the distance. and pretended to notice something interesting in the distance. Blinking back tears, she roughly rubbed her eyes and hoped Blinking back tears, she roughly rubbed her eyes and hoped that no one would notice.that no one would notice.

“ “What’s up?” A tall boy had come across and stood bouncing a What’s up?” A tall boy had come across and stood bouncing a ball against the shed.ball against the shed.

“ “Clear off!”, snapped Coral, not yet even ready to try.Clear off!”, snapped Coral, not yet even ready to try.

“ “Keep your hair on”, muttered the boy. He spun round and Keep your hair on”, muttered the boy. He spun round and raced back the playground bouncing his ball as he went. raced back the playground bouncing his ball as he went. Coral could see him chatting to some other boys and pointing Coral could see him chatting to some other boys and pointing back at her.back at her.


Planning your characterPlanning your character

• NamesNames

• Special detailsSpecial details

• FeelingsFeelings

• TypeType


Characterisation techniquesCharacterisation techniques

• What characters sayWhat characters say

• What characters doWhat characters do

• Showing rather than tellingShowing rather than telling


Characterisation throughCharacterisation through saying and doing saying and doing

Tim walked through the graveyard. He felt very scared.Tim walked through the graveyard. He felt very scared.

Tim raced through the graveyard, his heart thudding. He Tim raced through the graveyard, his heart thudding. He paused by a tombstone and peered into the darkness. paused by a tombstone and peered into the darkness. He could feel his legs shaking. What was that dark He could feel his legs shaking. What was that dark shape ahead of him.?shape ahead of him.?


SettingsSettings

Creating settings:Creating settings:

• Think realThink real

• Be preciseBe precise

• Time of dayTime of day

• WeatherWeather


Liam’s Story OpeningLiam’s Story Opening

Burning like he was on fire Chris ran for shade he Burning like he was on fire Chris ran for shade he was dying to get out of this heat. He had a headache was dying to get out of this heat. He had a headache so he dashed for his warm sand-filled towel. When so he dashed for his warm sand-filled towel. When he woke up it felt like he was on a completely he woke up it felt like he was on a completely different beach but 10 times hotter.different beach but 10 times hotter.


Scary settings checklistScary settings checklist

• Use short sentences to create tension and Use short sentences to create tension and

make the heart beat quicklymake the heart beat quickly

• Balance short sentences with longer ones Balance short sentences with longer ones

containing detailcontaining detail

• Keep the reader wonderingKeep the reader wondering

• Pick out unusual details to describe the setting, creating Pick out unusual details to describe the setting, creating atmosphereatmosphere

• Mention dark, or coldMention dark, or cold

• Have the character think aloud, e.g. Have the character think aloud, e.g. ‘What was that?’‘What was that?’

• Describe the character’s reactions to show how they feel, Describe the character’s reactions to show how they feel, e.g. e.g. His hand gripped the banister till his knuckles turned His hand gripped the banister till his knuckles turned white.white.


Different types of Different types of settingsetting

Rewrite this paragraph, changing the setting to science Rewrite this paragraph, changing the setting to science fiction…fiction…

Tara walked into the next room. There was a long, silver Tara walked into the next room. There was a long, silver table down the middle of the room. Pictures of elves, in table down the middle of the room. Pictures of elves, in green and red tunics, hung from the wall as well as a green and red tunics, hung from the wall as well as a mirror edged with leaves of gold. On the floor lay a mirror edged with leaves of gold. On the floor lay a carpet woven with flying dragons . . .carpet woven with flying dragons . . .


OpeningsOpenings

• timetime

• namename

• exclamationexclamation

• questionquestion

• dialoguedialogue

• warningwarning

• wishwish

• scene setterscene setter

• traditionaltraditional

• the new arrivalthe new arrival

• dramatic actiondramatic action

• introducing the monsterintroducing the monster


ParagraphsParagraphs

Opening

ResolutionBuild Up

Problem

Ending


Tips for writing endingsTips for writing endings

• Describe, or show, the character’s feelingsDescribe, or show, the character’s feelings

• Reflect on events and perhaps provide a moralReflect on events and perhaps provide a moral

• Look to the futureLook to the future

• Revisit where the story beganRevisit where the story began

• Comment on what has happenedComment on what has happened

• Show, or comment on, how the character has changedShow, or comment on, how the character has changed


Showing character changeShowing character change

Beginning:Beginning:

Jo gazed miserably at her Jo gazed miserably at her breakfast. The fried egg breakfast. The fried egg seemed to be staring at seemed to be staring at her. It had a sneer on its her. It had a sneer on its sunny face. She stabbed sunny face. She stabbed it with her fork, spilling its it with her fork, spilling its eggy blood on to the eggy blood on to the white plate.white plate.

Ending:Ending:

Jo’s mother slid the plate Jo’s mother slid the plate in front of her. Jo in front of her. Jo glanced at the fried egg, glanced at the fried egg, sunny side up, and sunny side up, and grinned at her mum.grinned at her mum.

“ “I’m starving!” she said, I’m starving!” she said, picking up her fork and picking up her fork and tucking in. “I could eat tucking in. “I could eat seven breakfasts!”seven breakfasts!”


Time to go home!Time to go home!

writing the national literacy strategy narrative writing

Documents

writing planning

main aspects of story

coral ocean

teaching sequence

tall boy

stories structure

opening structure

analysing texts