'I am a Clever Writer' Practice at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Broadway
At St. Mary's, we have started to adopt the 'I'm a Clever Writer' approach. Currently, we are implementing this in our Key Stage One class. Hoewver, the other class teachers have had initial training in this exciting approach to writing.
Planning
Using AFL to identify which skills need to be consolidated and (after referring to the Progression of Skills Document) which new skills need to be introduced to ensure the children make progress.
Genre – pick the most appropriate genre to facilitate the teaching of the new skills. E.g. if you need to consolidate speech, don’t move on to non-chronological reports. What additional stimulus or text will best inspire the above genre? Where possible use curriculum links. Consider your curriculum and where you can make meaningful links (non-fiction writing). Most sequences of learning will usually take no longer than a week (or two in upper KS 2). Year 5 and 6 may take a little longer.
Teacher input and WAGOLL
WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like) – create a piece of writing that gives you and the children a clear picture of what you expect them to achieve by the end of the week. (Write the WAGOLL yourself.) The WAGOLL will precisely show what they are aiming for. Having a clear shared outcome makes it is easier to break down the steps and ensures the children get there. Share the WAGOLL with the class every day. Use this opportunity to pre teach new vocabulary that you include in the WAGOLL and most importantly, use the WAGOLL to illustrate how the new skill has been incorporated. (No WAGOLL for moderation work in Year 2 and 6).
Make every lesson count and always move the learning on. Break the end piece of work down into achievable steps for the children. If you’re teaching them a brand-new skill, give them the opportunity to concentrate solely on that skill within the context of the stimulus and genre before layering with previously taught skills.
Working Wall
Working Walls are an imperative part of the learning journey and should be built up during the week displaying high level vocabulary, a range of openers and the skill you are working on. It is essential that the wall is interactive and is produced as a result of class discussion. You can also hold the children to account with any words that are copied down incorrectly.
Clever Writer Checklist
New skills will be shared on the Clever Writer Checklist and this will be displayed in the classroom. New skills will be added throughout the year, allowing children to always embed previously taught skills alongside new skills.
The I am a Clever Writer checklist ensures that the children know exactly what they need to include in their writing to be successful. It empowers children and becomes their menu for writing. The children will always be able to verbalise their success criteria and will always be able to discuss the progress that they have made. It also ensures the writing in topic books / science books / RE books is at the same standard as their English Books.
Independent work
Children need to write frequently, practising newly taught skills and embedding previously taught skills in a context relevant to the genre and stimulus. Just like in maths, if you don’t use it, you lose it. If children don’t write frequently, they don’t have the opportunity to use and further embed their skills. Opportunities for independent writing should take place at least 4 times a week (aiming for 40 minutes a day by the end of the Year 1). During independent writing Success Criteria and working walls are available for the children, but scribing should not take place. The WAGOLL must not be on display during the independent writing.
Handwriting
Time must be given to practise and perfect handwriting to ensure children go beyond accuracy to fluency in letter formation. In EYFS children will learn lowercase correctly and in Year 1 they will follow the Cambridge Handwriting. As stated in the English Review (May, 2022) it is imperative that children correctly learn unjoined handwriting before using some of the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters. Teachers will identify misconceptions and address these.
Spelling
Despite a piece of work containing all the appropriate skills, it will not be deemed an ARE piece of work if spelling is not to standard. Within the week, when necessary, designated time will be given to dictation activities to enable children to practise and apply their spelling knowledge. No Nonsense Spelling and Big Spell will be used and weekly spellings will be sent home. Interventions are in place who struggle with spelling.
Assessment
Live marking is essential and will immediately identify errors and address misconceptions. Live marking will allow you to identify good practice, celebrate this and display examples on the Working Wall for other children to magpie. Live marking also ensure mistakes / misconceptions are addressed immediately and the learning is moved on.
Teachers will look at all work at the end of the lesson, mark the work against the Success Criteria and identify misconceptions and areas for development. Misconceptions will inform the teaching for the next day. There will be evidence that all work has been marked (see marking policy).
At the end of the week / sequence of learning an independent, extended piece of writing (Star Write) will bring skills and improvements together. This will provide children with time to really show off what they have learned. It’s also fantastic evidence of progress when compared with how they started the unit and demonstrate what they’re capable of. In a six-week half term it is expected that at least four Star Writes will take place.
PowerPoint Presentation for Parents: