Getting the Buggers to Write

✍ Scribed by Sue Cowley

• Publisher: Continuum
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 265
• Edition: 3rd
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

In this third edition, bestselling author Sue Cowley offers advice on improving skills and confidence, and getting students excited about writing — not just in literacy or English, but across the curriculum. This book is full of engaging and creative approaches for writers at all stages of confidence and competence: from children just starting to write, to experienced learners looking to perfect their own style. This edition includes new material on: • Writing in the Digital Age• Creative ideas for getting boys to write• Cross-curricular writing projects On the companion website you'll find lots of useful extras, including advice about the teacher as writer — how you can use your writing skills beyond the school. This thoroughly practical guide will interest all educators who want to maximise the potential of every one of their students. It is an invaluable resource for teachers working at secondary and FE level, but equally a source of inspiration and practical advice for practitioners in primary schools.

✦ Table of Contents

Author’s Note, Third Edition......Page 14
Acknowledgements......Page 16
Introduction......Page 18
Starting Points......Page 22
First Steps to Writing......Page 24
The strands of literacy......Page 25
Early mark making......Page 26
Early writing techniques......Page 27
Letter activities......Page 28
From words to sentences......Page 29
Structure and young writers......Page 30
What makes a good writer?......Page 31
Back to basics......Page 33
Spelling......Page 34
Punctuation......Page 41
Grammar......Page 45
Some thoughts on paragraphing......Page 51
Handwriting......Page 53
Graphology......Page 54
Working with words......Page 56
Writing processes......Page 58
Finding a starting point......Page 59
Selecting a form......Page 61
Knowing your audience......Page 62
Thinking about viewpoint, style and timing......Page 64
Brainstorming......Page 69
Researching......Page 70
Mind-mapping......Page 72
Selecting material......Page 74
From first draft to final draft......Page 76
Reviewing and evaluating......Page 78
Getting them writing......Page 80
Keeping them writing......Page 82
Getting them writing properly......Page 84
A reason to write......Page 85
An atmosphere for writing......Page 87
Warm-up exercises......Page 88
Focus exercises......Page 89
Putting the pleasure back into writing......Page 90
The teacher as writer......Page 91
Writing across the Curriculum......Page 94
Writing in practical subjects......Page 96
Motivation across the curriculum......Page 98
All together now: cross-curricular writing projects......Page 113
Some basic tips......Page 116
Planning an essay......Page 118
Answering the question......Page 119
How to quote......Page 121
The ‘four step’ essay-writing technique......Page 122
Introductions and conclusions......Page 129
Creating a fiction......Page 132
Finding inspiration......Page 133
Using your senses......Page 134
The importance of genre......Page 136
Writing fiction......Page 139
Writing scripts......Page 152
Writing poetry......Page 153
Note-taking and annotation......Page 158
Building your writing......Page 160
Technique and non-fiction writing......Page 161
Types of non-fiction writing......Page 165
Recount (account)......Page 166
Report (non-chronological)......Page 167
Explanation......Page 169
Instructions (procedure)......Page 170
Persuasive writing......Page 171
Discussion......Page 173
The importance of being an expert......Page 174
Writing about language......Page 176
Writing about literature......Page 178
ICT and writing......Page 179
Word processing......Page 183
Writing and the interactive whiteboard......Page 186
Writing and the internet......Page 188
Email and writing......Page 189
Safety on the internet......Page 190
ICT: the practicalities......Page 191
Everyone’s a Writer......Page 196
Supporting the Struggling Writer......Page 198
Key strategies for the teacher......Page 199
Key strategies for the student......Page 200
Key strategies for differentiation......Page 201
Supporting students with English as a
second or additional language......Page 202
Writing and behaviour......Page 203
Challenging starters......Page 206
Finding a ‘voice’......Page 207
Essay writing with the most able......Page 210
Boys and Writing......Page 211
Expectations of boys’ writing......Page 212
Motivating boys to write......Page 213
Inspirational topics for boys’ writing......Page 215
Teaching techniques to inspire boys......Page 218
Engaging formats for boys’ writing......Page 220
Writing it Right......Page 222
Writing and Assessment......Page 224
Assessing writing......Page 225
Top tips for assessment......Page 226
Marking methods......Page 227
Strategies for assessment......Page 228
Effective questioning techniques......Page 229
Approaching exams......Page 230
Overwriting......Page 235
Dull or under-writing......Page 236
Lack of punctuation......Page 238
Repetitive writing......Page 239
Irrelevant facts......Page 240
Listing......Page 241
Displaying writing......Page 243
Publishing writing......Page 244
Book weeks......Page 245
Competitions......Page 246
Trips......Page 247
Marking symbols......Page 2