ALL Inquiry - Boys as Reluctant Writers

Yesterday I attended an ALL workshop and gained insight into why boys often don't enjoy writing, as well as some practical ideas on how to make writing interesting.

I know this is a long blog, but I wanted to formulate the ideas on paper before I forget it. It is such valuable information, that I'm hoping that everybody that reads my blog, will take something from it, and try it in their class.

We focussed on unpacking the writing process.

Workshop Powerpoint

Questions that arise:
* Do we have enough data to understand why the specific boys that I chose are reluctant writers? 
* What does our current writing systems and processes look like? 
* Does eAsstle impact on our planning? Majority of our planning is based on the outcome of the eAsstle assessments. 
* Why are students reluctant? What is really going on for each boy? Could it be the way the teacher is leading the writing programme? Could it be the relationships in the class? 

My goal: To enable change for the whole school.

Prewriting Stage: 
During the writing process prewriting and planning is the most important part of the writing process. It should not be rushed, there is no time limit. (This hooks in what Anna told us in our writing PLD's). Make this phase in the writing plan interesting. 
* Teach your students how to come up with keywords by playing a Topic game. Have a rugby ball - give a topic, pass the ball, if you catch it, you have to say a word that is linked to the topic. e.g. Holiday is the topic - vocab might be: beach, sand, sun, car
* Bus stop activities around the class. Enlarged photos, sticky notes, write down what comes up in your mind when you see the photos. Share with class.
* ESOL speaking strategies such as Running Dictation, Think, Pair, Share, Videos, Pictures, etc.
* Hands-on experiences - builds prior knowledge - then further develop that prior knowledge by building on it. e.g. Language experiences, cooking, weaving, technology etc.

Planning Stage: 
* Use digital tools - make it interesting!
* You could alternate the planning phase: in groups, with a buddy, with the teacher, on Popplet, etc
* Model and explain the value of planning - students to understand the WHY...
* Have lots of visuals.
* Practice the planning phase. Have three templates available e.g. brainstorms, KWL chart, 4 blocks on a page etc. Every day give a topic, and use one of the planning templates to practice planning. Alternate the templates. (They are writing without knowing that they are writing).

Drafting Stage: 
* Create a glossary
* Write a paragraph on I wonder, do a word search which the students created themselves, create a questions page, draw a picture and label, write amazing facts.
*These activities are short and sharp.
* Lots of visuals, maps, art, etc

Editing stage: 
* Adding detail especially extending vocab
* Highlight nouns in writing pieces - add an adjective (do these for a few days in a row during mini-workshops)
* Practice adding adjectives by having a picture e.g. of Bumble from Transformers - students to identify the noun (robot) and add adjectives (yellow, big, fast). Do these quick sharp activities often.
* Use exemplars of text - highlight adjectives

Proofreading stage:
* Students that struggle with reading, won't be able to use the dictionary. Rather teach them how to hear sounds in a word and record it. There are spelling 4 strategies
* The spelling framework requires students to: Say it, Hear it, Find it, Write it, and Use it (Use your spelling charts as a traffic light activity)
* Traffic light activities e.g have a picture with scrambled letters. Students identify what they hear first, second or last, etc
* Write down all the words you know with a specific sound - quick warm-up activity.
* What is the purpose of each punctuation? Not just naming them.
* Do Readers Theatre.  This will encourage fluency and identifying the use of punctuation.
* Look into Nessy
 * lots of mini-workshops (10min) on spelling and punctuation
* have visual checklists for students around punctuation

Publishing stage: 
What do you want to achieve with regards to your writing programme?
E.g. of what a term 1's writing might look like: (Not linked to weeks)

Recount

Describe

Choice

Quick Writing

Students might write 2 or 3 of each type through the term. They choose one of each type (their personal best) of writing to publish. These published pieces form your bases for your OTJ's. Don't publish all pieces - Just one of each type. 

What types of writing am I collating from term 1 to inform my planning for term 2? Samples of planning, drafting, pre-writing etc. Each is a sample. Don't just measure the outcome. Measure the process. 

* link writing to art. Students can write a caption about their art piece. 

* link writing to music - lyrics, how it makes you feel, etc

NB! Get feedback from students about your teaching.