Writing in Key Stage 1
Transcription-Handwriting
Building from their first steps into transcription (handwriting/spelling) in EYFS, children in year 1 and 2 use Read Write Inc and explicit handwriting lesson to form letters and sentences, and begin to join when ready. We know how important transcription skills are, and create as many opportunities for these skills to be taught and practised within the school day, as possible. We follow the ‘Letter-join’ handwriting scheme in school, as it links very closely with the formations taught in R.W.I, and creates a cohesive flow of learning for the children. We are always striving to improve, and each child has login details to use at home as well as school.
Transcription-Spellings
While working within RWI groups , children practice the spelling of new words and common exception words, and have their RWI teaching supplemented with quizzes and homework activities using 'Spelling Shed'. Once they have completed the RWI programme, they move onto their 'Spelling Shed' scheme, where they focus on statutory words and spelling patterns, using games, activities and quizzes. Each child has their own login details for the online versions of both programmes, and will be given these to take home at the start of the year.
Vocabulary
The building of vocabulary is very important for all of our children. We want the children to understand the joy of words, and realise how many are available to them! In year 1, children will continue to work in drawing club as a supplement to building their vocabulary banks. They will also be taught through English lessons and their wider curriculum a vast range of tier 1, 2 and 3 words that can enrich their own vocabulary. As well as using dictionaries and thesauri, children build word banks in class with previous and new vocabulary during each unit. These vast array of words will be complied by the teacher at the end of the unit, and added to 'VA-VA-Voom' books. This creates the children's personal thesaurus, and helps them to remember their new vocabulary and use it in context.
Composition
Every child, regardless of their R.W.I grouping, has quality first teaching within an English lesson. The English lessons are broken into ‘Phases’ in order to complete a unit of work:
Teachers select a suitable genre, then text type that the children will complete by the end of the ‘unit’. The first step to their learning in each new unit is the reading phase.
Reading Phase
Here, the children are taught reading objectives within the first stage of a writing unit, where they become immersed in the text, and eager to write for a given purpose. The children are asked questions linked to the text and characters within it.
G.P.S Phase
Once children have a good understanding of the story, they will then be taught explicit grammar, punctuation and spelling rules that could be used within their final writing. These skills are planned using examples linked to the text, and allow children to practise the new skill or improve understanding from previous teaching, demonstrate their understanding then apply their knowledge to a short writing task, linked to the book.
Writing Phase
This is where the children apply their transcription skills to compose a piece of writing, linked to their core text, combining their reading and grammatical understanding. Especially within year 1, a lot of time is spent on practicing and perfecting sentence structure verbally, before putting their ideas onto paper. This allows the children to feel confident in making mistakes, trying new vocabulary and complete informal self and peer assessments. They are given a range of WAGOL (what a good one looks like) examples, where they can identify features, identify key vocabulary and study how an author ‘does it’. Children then work as a class looking at a completed example, or create one shared piece, before planning their own. They have the opportunity to edit and improve as they go, using a ‘tool kit’ checklist for the specific type of writing to be completed. Children are encouraged to discuss ideas with their learning partners, use ‘magpie’ (ideas taken from author examples) ideas and sentences completed during their G.P.S phase.
Editing and publishing
Children are given the opportunity to revisit their work, and edit the whole piece for obvious errors, or a more focussed section as directed by the teacher. From there, the children will be given opportunities to create a final draft, that can be published or shared in a suitable way.
