11 Plus: Descriptive Writing - Dyslexia Support

This booklet is aimed to improve descriptive writing. In many 11 plus exams, there is a choice of creative writing tasks - one of these is a response to a picture.

A picture of a train station is provided, along with a model response. Students are then guided through a number of exercises to help them read and comprehend the description.

A list of words associated with trains is provided. Students have to write the syllables in different colours to aid memory. Dyslexic students struggle to read due to difficulty processing sounds. Often they have visual strengths which can be used to aid memory. This booklet utilises this strength by using a colour method to learn to spell and read words.

To further enhance reading fluency, a list of phrases from the model text is provided and a timed activity in which students record the time taken to read the text, along with errors made.

Prior to reading, students learn the different sentence openers that are used to write an engaging descriptive piece.

Finally, students complete their own independent, writing task about another train station picture. This is a useful assessment to see how many successful features are used in their own writing.

A further planning booklet and rubric for marking descriptive writing is provided.