So ideas! What can I do to help the tamariki with their writing?
I am going to focus on the following parts of the curriculum that I feel I am weak on and need more knowledge about and some practical ways of implementing these in the classroom.
- Sentence Structure/syntax (syntax being the study of how words and morphemes combine to form larger units such as phrases and sentences).
- Differentiation in writing. My tamariki range from being able to write cvc words only with assistance to intermediate level.
I am going to start by testing first of all whether the tamariki know all the parts of speech and what they mean before I start teaching explicitly the structure of sentences. I need to know what they know before I launch into this area of instruction. I see a lot of errors with sentences, lower use of different structures and also repeated structures in their writing. This should help with this area and provide some interesting writing.
With differentiation for my poorer writers, it is to help them gain more skills but also for some independent work ideas so I am available to help the rest of the classroom with their learning, rather than having to be next to them constantly.
The curriculum now has explicit text that tells you how you should be teaching, not just what. It is far more prescriptive. This makes the research side of things relatively simple. I have to do as it says basically, it is my job. However, I would like them to publish the research behind the curriculum.
Research
One of the authors involved (among many teachers, principals and experts) in writing this curriculum is Dr Helen Walls. I have been on a course with her in the past and implemented a lot of what she suggested. I am going to read her current thoughts and use some of her resources around sentence structure.
Regarding sentence structure etc, I will be working with the text: Writing Matters: Developing Sentence Skills in Students of All Ages - William Van Cleave. This covers parts of speech, has explicit teaching with model lessons and follow up activities. William Van Cleave has a BA in English and Women's Studies and an MA in English. He has worked in many schools with children who struggle and has been a tutor, teacher and principal. His book is clear and easy to read and understand for the teacher.
For differentiation, Dr Walls will be my primary guide along with resources from Brolga Education which is run by Trudy Mayo in Australia to help guide me to maybe doing a better job at differentiation in writing.
I will roll these new lessons out in term 3 and see how we go!
