The swallow and the wasp

This model text is a story called ‘The swallow and the wasp’ or ‘Why wasps can only whine’. Its underpinning storyline lends itself to creative innovation.

Noughts and crosses – subordinating conjunction style

Noughts and crosses – subordinating conjunction style. This is a great game to play once the children understand subordinating conjunctions and it will really build their confidence while being an entertaining challenge. It’s also a good game to play at a staff meeting to help build staff confidence.

How to innovate on non-fiction documents

Once the children have become familiar with the original non-fiction model text, they are ready to move into the second phase, which involves using the original as a basis for creating something new – writing their own version. Pie Corbett outlines the approach in these notes. IMAGE: John Campbell [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Sentence structure progression

Rehana and Rashida from Yew Tree Community School in Birmingham, a Talk for Writing Training School, have kindly shared their toolkit showing how sentence structure progresses across the years.

Hook, line and sinker

Whether you’re after inside hooks, outside hooks, role play hooks or experience hooks, Talk for Writing trainer Jamie Thomas has it all covered and shares his hook ideas.

Independent writers

The aim of Talk for Writing is to grow independent writers. Here are some suggestions from Pie Corbett as to how this can be achieved in relation to narrative and non-fiction. He then looks at how such independence can be prepared for through the innovation stage of the Talk for Writing process.

Never-heard-the-word grammar grid

If you’re teaching grammar, as with any teaching, it’s important to establish what the children already know and what needs to be taught. Use the never-heard-the-word grid with your class in order to establish which of the key grammar terms need teaching, or which the children have understood from previous grammar lessons.