How Often Do You Change...

[Guest]

I'm thinking at this in terms of writing. In previous years, we have always had a different focus each week, be it a big book, a film, an animated short, etc etc... and then each child sometime in that week has done some kind of 'focused' writing task to do with the stimulus. For example, when we did Sponge Bob Square Pants week - all the children (on very different levels) had to have a go at filling in some blank speech bubbles on a Sponge BOb cartoon strip.

 

But, we have more children tis year, and it's proving more difficult to get every child through, whilst still giving them the individual support, coaching them how to link letters to all those sounds they can here (which we all know is a long and drawn out process at this time of year )

 

Anyhow, we've been thinking about just working through half the children in a week, thus taking two weeks to complete the cycle. But my question is this... do we do the same literacy type focus for two weeks and just keep adding new activities to keep it rich and fresh... or keep having a new litercay focus each week and just get the children who didn't write last week to have a go this week... .. or umm... other suggestions...? what does everyone else do? I know what I prefer, but I'm interested in what others think

 

Now I know we should just let the children write when they want to write and I know how hard it is to get some of the younger boys to sit down and 'have a go' - but as ever, powers that be insist that we get everyone to have a go, so we have the evidence in their books to pass on.

 

Thoughts and comments would be sooooooo welcome.

[AnonyMouse_3678]

Hi,

 

When I worked in Reception, we had a different focus every two weeks. These were usually linked to our topic and based around the NLS medium term plans.

 

The whole school followed an 'analyse and apply' approach which we loosely used in Reception. This meant in the first week we focused on sharing a big book, drama, retelling stories. We did some informal writing e.g. within role play or writing badges for characters, but mainly focused on familiarising the children with a text/genre.

 

In the second week, we worked through a more formal writing task, drawing on the children's experiences in the previous week. The children usually found writing easier as they already had lots of ideas. We could devote more of the timetable to writing as we weren't trying to squeeze reading activities in as well.

 

Hope this helps

[AnonyMouse_6324]

I am lucky that with a small class I can stick to plan A and do one sort of 'starting point' text/ powerpoint whatever each week. If you went to two weeks - could you offer two different writing tasks for those who you feel are ready - and use this to give the time for other activites for the others? May be a win win situation then?

[Guest]

Look at the new literacy strategy, at my school we are starting to try it out now. For the whole school from R to y6 each focus is to last 3-4 weeks and everyone is starting in week one and two with lots of speaking and listening, role play and drama, leading up to at the end of each focus producing a higher quality piece of writing. Seems to be working so far.

Liz x

[AnonyMouse_4544]

Our focus can last a few days or a week or longer depending on the children's involvement and the learning intentions we wish to cover.

As a school don't use the literacy strategy at all for writing.

[Guest]

I'd much rather take the lead from the children and maintain a focus for as long as they are interested... I jusat wish others can see it that way at school!

 

anyone know where I can see the new Literacy Strategy on the web ?

[Guest]

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primaryfr...rks/foundation/