• Understand Big Writing.• Plan for Big Writing to succeed in our school.

• An agreed timetable for Big Writing for each cohort.

• An agreed timetable for implementing, monitoring and evaluating Big Writing.

What is Big Writing? - 1

• A way of teaching writing originally devised by Ros Wilson (Google Andrell Education).

• A way to teach writing that makes children feel confident and motivated.

• A way to break writing down into small steps that children can assimilate.

• A way to teach the steps that matches the developmental stage of the children being taught.

What is Big Writing? - 2

• Fast, fun, lively, predominantly oral activities.• Pupils talk the ‘writing voice’ in the first part

of a dedicated Big Writing session and at other points in the week.

• If a child can say it , then the child can write it.• Talking voice not the same as the ‘writing

voice’.

Not Just VCOP ...

Three Strands

• Basic Skills:• grammar, handwriting, spelling and sentence structure

• Detail and Structure:• openings – body – endings – 5 W’s – emotions and feelings• features of different non-fiction writing genres• play script• poetry• five part story structure

• Writing Voice:• vocabulary, connectives, sentence openers and punctuation

Strand One

• Basic Skills:• What resources have we got to teach:• Grammar?• Handwriting?• Spelling?• Sentence structure?

simple sentence

main clause

subordinate clause

noun phrase

adjectival phrase

adverbial phrase

adjectives prepositionsdeterminersconnectivespronounsnounsverbsadverbs

complex sentence compound sentence

graphemes and phonemes

paragraphs

fiction non-fiction

narrative poetry play script recount non-chronological

report

explanation discussion persuasion instruction

Strand Two

• Detail and Structure• What resources have we got to teach the features of all

the different genres of writing?

Writing

narrative

poetry

play script

recount

non chronological

reportpersuasion

discussion

explanation

instructions

Strand Three

• Writing Voice• What resources have we got to teach the features of

the writing voice?• Vocabulary• Connectives• Openers• Punctuation

Planning Big Writing

• Structure of sessions.• Two part

• Length of sessions.• Age specific

• When?• As part of two/ three week literacy unit?• Once a week/ fortnight/ 4 weeks in every 6 ...?• A few weeks after a genre has been taught?• Cross curricular opportunities?

Component Parts• Daily reminder of upcoming Big Write session.

• Big Write homework – talk homework.

• Two part Big Write lesson – from one literacy hour plus an extra session devoted to extended writing.

• Time can be split across the morning break

• (Only 1 hour, split into 2 x 30 min in Year 1)

Daily Reminder

• Brief recap of text type.• Re-visit success criteria for chosen genre.• Share children’s ideas.

Big Write Homework

• Gathering ideas for writing – oral homework, possibly written notes. E.g. List of people’s opinions and ideas to find out before the Big Write.

Big Write Lesson - 1

• Two parts:• Traditionally equal length: 40 – 45 minutes each• First the warm up session:

Investigate/ re-visitgenre to be written

Talk

Finding exciting words

‘Borrow’ exciting wordsfrom published authors

WOW words

Have a go with interesting punctuation

Play VCOP games

Upgrading sentences

Spot the difference

Role play

DramaLook at last big write in pairs

Last 5 minutes refocuson task ahead

‘Up-level’ writing

Big Write Lesson - 2

• Second session part one. Children return to a very different classroom:

‘Electric Silence’ Fairy Lights

Candle

Very quiet background music

Special pens/ pencils

Children work quietly/silently on their own

Children take responsibility for improving (up-levelling) their writing Lights dimmed

Children enterroom in silenceSpecial paper

Big Write Lesson - 3

• Second session part two. Teachers’ role:

Maintain the silence

Provide 10 minute brain breaks:10 mins check your punctuation20 mins check your WOW words30 mins check your openers and connectives40 mins check your targets

Each child has three‘small step’ targets

Clock – possibly colour coded in 10 min intervals

Last 5 mins children stop writing and use their polishing pens to check they have addressed their targets

Peer evaluation can be built in – e.g. three stars and a wish

Classroom Changes

• ‘Writer of the Week’ display.• WOW words display.• Target display – who has reached their goal?• Connective Ladder.• Openers display.• Punctuation Pyramid.

Suggested Timetable

• Staff Meeting on Big Writing – this is it!• TA training – 22nd October.• Monitor Literacy and Big Write planning –

early November.• Monitor Big Write books – later in November.• Feedback to staff, celebrate success! – early

December.

• Understand Big Writing.• Plan for Big Writing to succeed in our school.

• An agreed timetable for Big Writing for each cohort.

• An agreed timetable for implementing, monitoring and evaluating Big Writing.