For more information, visit us here: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/ We made the Functional-Grammar-Table because we were fed up with texts which told you the rules of a piece of grammar but didn’t tell children (or indeed adults) why and where you might want to use it and the effect grammar can have on your writing. We were also fed up with the concept of ‘grammar deficit’. This is the teaching practice of continually passing judgement on rule errors in grammar-exercises as opposed to talking critically about what value grammar can have on writing or the effect of its absence has on the effectiveness of a piece. This realisation has transformed our practice. We explain how we now approach grammar teaching below: Teaching Grammar Through ‘Writing Tricks’ Minilessons What lessons will have a practical, lasting, positive influence on student writing? – Nancie Atwell In many classes, minilessons precede daily writing lessons. Whether you’re teaching a grammar, writing-craft or genre study-point, it is useful to follow these stages: Introduce the topic and its functional purpose -> Share examples -> Provide information -> Guided practice -> Assess learning. Introduce the topic and functional purpose - This can be anything from a writing strategy or skill, grammar function or a literary genre concept. Always share the purpose and the function with the class, before moving on to formalities or rules. - Share examples Look at examples from children’s or author’s real writing - Provide information Provide information about the topic and how it can be used in ‘real’ writing. - Clarify misconceptions and contrast a good and a poor example to see how the writing is affected. - Guided practice Children work individually or in pairs to practice what they are learning. Ideally this will be in the context of an authentic piece of writing a child is currently working on. - Assess learning Teachers ask children to consider how they can use this information as they write. They can also reflect on their authentic use of it by leaving a comment in their book. The Importance Of Giving ‘Writing Tricks’ Whatever you choose to do in these minilessons you should ensure that you teach in context and in a way that will empower children’s writing intentions. Calkins (1998, p.198) suggests that to successfully apply this attitude is to perceive minilessons as ‘quick tip’ giving before writing begins. This changes your perception of these lessons, stops them turning into exercises and instead creates a climate where children feel instructed in and taught something valuable.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers.

Genre-Booklets To Aid Children & Teachers In Writing Across The Curriculum To read our article about these Genre-Booklets and preview them, please follow this link: https://literacyforpleasure.wordpress.com/genre-booklets/ Here is a summary of how the booklets are organised: Genre – The purpose of the goal-orientated writing. Field – Involves people doing things with their lives and sharing it. Tenor – How to interact with the people you are sharing the writing with. Mode – Making use of ways to channel your writing. At least one exemplar text of the register features in action A ‘Boxing-Up’ planning sheet, showing the stages the genre goes through. What Impact Have We Seen? We place these booklets in plastic hanging-baskets on our literacy wall. When children have completed their class-writing, they are welcome to come and take a booklet from the display and write. Children know they have to follow the writing process – as set out here and use the booklet to support them. We have also had a number of booklets go home – with children asking for addition genres which they feel they need to complete tasks outside of school. These Are Our Main Reflections: Children no longer seem to require so much support from us. They write more freely and happily. Children are taking greater care when planning a piece of writing. Children’s writing is purposeful and always demonstrates features of the genre being written. Their writing is genuinely informative or entertaining and is often cohesively produced. Children aren’t so tentative to begin writing. Children don’t want writing sessions to come to an end – it’s hard to get children to pack away. Children’s motivation to write has increased dramatically. Children’s motivation to research and undertake independent study in the foundation subjects has increased dramatically. Children are reading more critically. Children are taking writing in the foundations subjects more seriously. A sharp increase in children taking writing home. A sharp increase in children purchasing writing-notebooks and writing at home. Children’s writing outcomes have so far been impressive across ability ranges. Children are beginning to talk like real writers. Here Is A List Of Our Current Genre-Booklets: Narrative Writing How to write a memoir (recount), match report, short-story, scary/horror story, vivid setting, an interesting character, a memorable and vivid story, a newspaper article, advocacy journalism. NonFiction Writing How to write an information text, a book review, instructions, rules, match report, an explanation, a biography, a letter of compliant, a persuasive letter, a persuasive leaflet and advert, a discussion text. How to write a free-verse poem