BIG

1. BIG writing Brinkley Grove Primary School From September 2013

2. BIG WRITING PHILOSOPHY • Big Writing is the development of the ‘writing voice’ through fast, fun, lively and predominantly oral activities • Pupils talk the ‘writing voice’ in a dedicated ‘Big Writing’ session & at other points in a week • Based on the premise, IF A CHILD CAN SAY IT, A CHILD CAN WRITE IT • However, the talking voice is not the same as the ‘writing voice’

3. Sessions • 1 session a week on FRIDAYS for Year 1 – 6 • 1 hour for year one; 1 hour 15 for year two; 1 hour 30 for KS2 • Split into 2 equal parts with a break in the middle • Focus & text type will have been introduced the day before • 1st session: • fast, fun, lively, oracy based activities linked to the writing in 2nd session • focus on VCOP (35 mins) • planning time (10 mins) used to refocus the pupils’ thoughts on the stimulus • & text type for writing (Appendix 1) • 2nd session: • children write silently and independently within a calm, inspiring ethos • candle, music, silent food!

4. Teacher’s Role during writing time… • To maintain a quiet, purposeful atmosphere to support concentration • To provide 10min brain breaks • To prompt pupils to build in VCOP • [These are known as time prompts]

6. TIME PROMPTS Used by teachers during Big Write • A clock should be visible to all pupils • ‘You have had 10 minutes. Count how many sorts of punctuation you have used?’ • ‘You have had 20 minutes. How many WOW words have you used?’ • ‘You have had 30 minutes. Look at your openers. Have you opened with connectives…’ly’ words, ’ing’ words? • ‘You have 5 minutes left. Check you have met your targets…edits, self assessment and reflection’

7. TALK HOMEWORK • On Thursdays… 30 minutes preparing them for their TALK HOMEWORK • Prepares them mentally • No writing – ORACY BASED • A slip is sent home “My homework tonight is to talk to you about…”

8. Assessment… • Weekly Big Write – normal marking policy with 2 super short term targets to achieve across the curriculum within the week eg. use these 3 adjectives over the week; use a comma in sentences starting with an adverb eg. Slowly, he walked along the passageway towards the door • Method for referring to these targets • BIGGER WRITING – half termly against descriptors– summative assessment and long term target for the next half term

9. STOCKING FILLERS • 4 or 5 five minute sessions across the week – fill those minutes that we so EASILY waste in the week eg. end of day; in from playtime; waiting for assembly • Quick VCOP activities linked to new learning from short term targets in the previous week • Encourage the children to ‘steal’ good examples of VCOP from authors. • Quick progress is encouraged by these activities - can be seen in their writing Example - appendix 2

10. Six different ways to support • children in planning their writing • Cartoon strips- draw what’s going to happen in sequence. • Opening, body & ending scaffold • Story writing frame: opening, build up, dilemma, reaction to dilemma, resolution. • Thought clouds • Lists - key characters/settings/events/words to use • Mind maps • Thinking, but only if you are sure that child is ready to write… this is not usually encouraged!! • Sue Palmer skeleton frames

11. USE OF LEARNING ASSISTANT

12. MUSIC HELPS CHILDREN TO FOCUS… CLASSICAL egs: Dances with wolves –John Dunbar theme Out of Africa The string quartet tribute MANY MANY SCHOOL WEBSITES - ideas http://www.montgomery.devon.sch.uk/tag/big-write/