The Writing Book

I was really struggling to work out how to change my writing programme to really make sure my learners were learning each session and making progress.  I know I have to use learning intentions and success criteria and all the Murray Gadd things I have learnt but got confused how to join the two together. 

This weekend I have just brought the Writing Book by Sheena Cameron http://www.thewritingbook.com/.

There are many points that will make a difference to my Teaching as Inquiry focus group.

I have read the book cover to cover and then again.  Looking forward to implementing many of the strategies in there from Monday this week but more in depth next term.

Teaching as Inquiry Cycle Professional Readings

Following are some professional readings I have done around Teaching as Inquiry

• Teaching as Inquiry
• Teaching as Inquiry Resources
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Focusing Inquiry

What is important (and therefore worth spending time on), given where my students are at?

• Through the past term I have worked with this group of students but made little progress in helping them to move onto the next progression.  I have focused on sentence structure and the structure of how to write a recount.  Now I need to focus more clearly on the next steps in the literacy progressions.
• For all of them the area that is needs focusing is on spelling high frequency words correctly as they all are writing stories that are interesting to read.
• Re-reading their writing to check it makes sence

Evidence and Data Gathered on Writing Teaching as Inquiry based on Murray Gadds Progressions

These are the notes I took for the focus writing group based on Murray Gadds Literacy Learning Progressions.

	Level	Contents and Ideas	Sentence Formation	Structure	Vocab and Language Features	Spelling	Punctuation
Alex Woods Year 2 Should be at 1a	1p	Content is related to the topic	Writing simple sentences. Mostly only writes 2 sentences	Beginning to get beginning middle.  Doesn’t write long enough stories to get the end	Uses words from List 1 and 2. Uses precise nouns	Gets mostly beginning and middle sounds of words, eg, crathre - country, rast - raced, fes -fields	With support can use full stops.  Knows a capital letter goes after a full stop
Oliver Gregor Year 3 Should be at 2	1p	Content is related to the topic	Writing simple sentences.	Writes beginning, middle and end of stories and is including personal voice	Use words from List 1 and 2.  Use precise nouns and some adjectives	Getting most sounds of words, biedeyday/bofyday - birthday, kack - cake.	Can use capital letters and full stops.  Will often put an ‘and’ after a full stop
Joshua Vivian Year 2 Should be at 1a	1p	Content is related to the topic.  Really keen to get his ideas down and share them in an interesting way	Writing simple sentences	Lots of personal voice.  Beginning, middle and needs to include ends of writing.	Uses words from list 1.	Getting most sounds in words, eg, nrvis - nervous, butafiysse - butterflies.  Check blends	Uses full stops consistently but is still unsure where they need to go
Connor Mendham Year 2 Should be at 1a	1p	Content is related to the topic.	Writing simple sentences that start mainly with I when writing a recount	Writing has beginning, middle and end.  Beginning to include personal voice	Uses words from list 1 and 2.	Getting most sounds eg tablit - tablet but then miegcafi - Mine Craft, faut - felt.	Uses full stops and captal letters consistently