Talk for Writing

This year we have introduced a new writing programme to Redwell’s curriculum.

Talk for Writing involves the exploration, through talk, of the creative processes involved in expressing oneself through writing.

The process follows roughly three stages.

Imitation: Children are first taught to imitate a story. A ‘creative hook’ engages the children. A model text with an archetypal structure and carefully selected writing features is shared with the class. Pupils co-create a visual map of this text with the teacher. They use it, alongside repeated storytelling and drama, to internalise it and deepen their comprehension. The content and structure are explored and relevant words, phrases and grammar are embedded through daily warm-up lessons.

Innovation: Through shared writing, the children and teacher innovate around the model text, amending the existing plan or visual map together. Children then write their own version, following the structure of the model text, but adapt the characters, events and settings. This provides opportunities for internalisation of genre-appropriate language patterns that can be applied during independent writing. Using guided writing, children are supported at word and sentence level according to their learning requirements. Writing is assessed by self, peer and teacher. Feedback is provided to inform revisions and next steps.

Independent Application: Children write their own text independently using their accumulated knowledge and skills. As confidence and experience grow, children become less reliant on the model text at this stage and are able to draw on a growing portfolio of transferable textual features and techniques.

We are already reaping rewards through the implementation of Talk for Writing at Redwell. For example, in our P2 classes where Talk for Writing was piloted last year, focusing more time within the week on writing and providing instant feedback within shared and guided writing sessions has developed the writing abilities. Students are more confidently able to structure a story with a beginning, middle and end and are also using more adjectives to make their stories more interesting.

Attitudes towards writing have also changed. Children are now regularly choosing to write during their free time. They love sharing their writing with the class and are particularly excited when they are able to have their story acted out by their classmates.