Using Authorship to promote better writers

WHAT?

As part of the school’s strategic plan, we are aiming to raise student achievement in literacy, through increased engagement in writing and the development of thinking in literacy through authorship. So last Friday, I participated in a PD session run by Verity Short, on Light the Fire – turning theory into vibrant practice. I had been absent for the first session, I had the folder but didn’t get going at first.

The folder had the printed powerpoint presentation, some exemplars, lesson plans and graphic organisers – these having the planning process that is needed to create a lesson around authorship. In the second session with colleagues, we unpacked how the lessons had worked for them. Using the guided reflection sheet, we worked part by part, bit by bit, to see if they had been successful and which parts of the lesson they need to do better next time.

As part of this PD, Verity shared a range of text to find exemplars, directed us to TSM material available online and then shared out a number of poems that she had used before. She then made us read, The Game written by Louise Wallace. It is a poem written about the feelings of a batter going out on the cricket pitch, ready hit the first ball. Verity asked us to tell her what part we resonated with. She guided the group to share, adding in and confirming our ideas. I noticed that she was running us through the same process as used in the lesson plans.

The group around me scribbled notes and were stuck on every word. At the end of the session, Verity shared the next set of handouts, directing us to the poem written by a 7 year old and the lesson plan to go with it. Over the weekend, Verity also shared via the internet a range of exmplars and notes of possible text that we could use.

SO WHAT?

Verity has provided us with a scaffolding that helps us to plan a lesson around authorship. There are 7 stratgic parts to teaching an authorship lesson.

1.    It needs to start with a stimulus something that provokes a reaction and a connection.

2.    The analysis of the exemplar is where the children unpack and are directed to the parts that the teacher wants them to notice. It is important that children need to have some emotional response. As a teacher, I need to ensure that they all understand the point/s the author is trying to convey to the reader as well as the specific learning intentions.

3.    By making connections to personal experiences of the students, I am deliberately giving the children something they can connect to and then they will be more successful with their writing.

4.    By getting the children to close their eyes and visualise, I am encouraging them to bring the image to life in their minds before actually writing. This stage uses questions and wait time to encourage the children to roll their own movie in their heads.

5.    The success criteria is co-constructed with the class but you have already guided them through the exemplar to form ideas on what an effective piece of writing will look like. This stage needs the teacher to prompt the children  - How will you know if you have done a good job? What does this piece of writing need? What are you learning to do as a writer?

6.    Writing – the children then are given time to write. Some children will be independent but others will chose to be part of a writer’s clinic/workshop where the teacher is guiding and helping them to achieve success as writers.

7.    The next stage – Helping Circle – this is where the children unpack whether or not they are successful. They are also encouraged to edit and revise their writing. It is important to always refer back to what is recorded within the success criteria and what they were asked to focus on.

Now WHAT?

My first thoughts were how could I use ‘The Game’ with my own class to write a paragraph on their experience of the Cross country. Using the planning template provided from Verity and having my new white folder with me, I wrote up the lesson plan for ‘The Game’.

Initially I copied word for word what Verity had written in her example. But after reading through, I deliberately changed parts to make it more mine. I did this because I was thinking of the children in the class and how I could engage them specifically to get the best from them. I also only use one verse from the poem which had a metaphor in because the children have already had experience of using metaphors in their Mother’s Day poems.

I found this planning fairly straight forward and was looking forward to teach authorship in my class. Although I am not a writer, I am looking forward to giving this a good crack.

“You cannot kindle a fire in any other heart until it is burning in your own.” Ben Sweetland