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LITERACY

Situation

Despite years of Literacy Hours, no doubt some of your pupils still find writing difficult? Do you recognize some of these problems that pupils face:

  • Unproductive at generating ideas
  • Poor at organising and planning their ideas
  • Unwilling to redraft their work
  • Limited in forging connecting between diverse themes
  • Dull in their templated writing styles
  • Unclear how to explore and develop their thinking?

 

Solution 

Using visual tools works directly on the source of good writing: having something to say and saying it clearly. Working upstream in the writing process helps put pupils’ thoughts in order. Why is this important? Because clear writing comes from clear thinking. And well–connected ideas, organised and planned, make for confident, engaged and competent writers.

 

Benefits 

When visual tools are used systematically throughout the writing process, from generation to planning, you can expect to see your pupils:

  • - Willing to brainstorm an endless supply of ideas for writing
  • - Able to capture, edit and organise their ideas into a writing plan
  • - Explain and discuss their ideas with peers
  • - Extending their thinking with novel and exploratory inter–connections
  • - Distinguishing between facts, opinions and beliefs
  • - Be Clear about the links between causes and effects
  • - Make fluent and confident presentations
  • - Read with more interest and depth

 

Case Studies/Testimonials 

Many Primary Schools and Network Learning Communities have used Model Learning’s courses to support their Literacy initiatives eg Sunderland Local Authority which set up a two–day training programme (with work–based learning in-between) for Literacy Advisors and Coordinators.

 

Literacy Guru Sue Palmer says ours is “The course for speaking and listening and thinking skills”. She wishes all teachers “of all ages” could do it. 

Jessica (aged 10) from Prince Rock Primary School in Plymouth reports “Writing is easy when you do the thinking first”.   

 

Links 

As you can see, these benefits have an impact on other areas of learning. Click on the following to read about Thinking skills, Assessment for learning, Learning to learn.