From Oral to Written Narrative

1. From Oral to Written Narrative Moira Lloyd, School Improvement Service Stacey Hicks, Beverley High School Rebecca Coe, Beverley Grammar School

2. Course materials • From Oral to Written Narrative, a pack of activities and ideas aimed at Key Stage 2, Black Sheep Press. • Talkabout……secondary school, a pack of activities to develop situational understanding and verbal reasoning skills, Black Sheep Press

3. Characteristics of Students with SLCN • Disorganised in time • Disorganised with possessions • Difficulties structuring work • Disorganised in place • Difficulties with comprehension • Difficulties with vocabulary • Difficulties generalising from specifics • A long time to process information • Frequently distracted

4. Choosing the cohort • Y7 • Low level 3 in KS2 NC writing test • Group of 4 likely to work well together • Pre intervention testing in 3 schools

5. Objectives • To build confidence orally – doesn’t involve written/reading/ worksheet activities - all oral sessions • Group of 4 – build relationships • Build up listening and understanding, memory, expressive and social skills • Improve written work/vocabulary

6. General Strategies • Teach students to file and organise their work • Show them the classroom rules • Explain the purpose of an activity • Emphasise key points • Slow everything down • Chunk information • Give students time to answer

7. General strategies • Provide list of vocabulary for new topics and check understanding • Visual cues and concrete materials • Use gesture and action • Give direct instructions • Give written directions and instructions for assignments. • Demonstrate and talk through tasks

8. Lesson Structure • Warm up • Revisit previous lessons • New concept • Activities to reinforce concept • Summary

9. Using Cue Cards • When? • Who? • Where? • Problem • Solution • Dialogue • Emotion

10. Personalising the resources

11. Pupil Responses • ‘I love coming here!’ • ‘It’s not like a real lesson’ • ‘I think these lessons are working because I can write down my ideas better & describe things better.’ • ‘I now know that I have to use when, where, what, who, how & also that a story has a problem & a solution.’ • ‘I found these lessons very helpful because now I can get my ideas out of my head & onto paper.’ • ‘It also helps me in my Humanities, French & Spanish lessons.’ • ‘I’m now more confident.’

12. TA Responses • ‘It didn’t take long to see a definite improvement in the pupils’ performance.’ • ‘This Oral to writing Narrative programme clearly builds the confidence & ability of the pupils using it.’ • ‘Even those that don’t like writing have enjoyed using this method & have achieved in their lessons & wanted to go on to do writing once the ideas started to flow.’ • ‘A brilliant programme that has been proved to work in English lessons as well as other subjects.’

13. Outcomes • Increased TA self confidence • Increased pupil self confidence both socially and in class interactions • Improved skills • Improved motivation • Increased lesson enjoyment • Improved working relationships