Writing

Explicit teaching of vocabulary helps students develop their speaking and listening skills, writing and reading comprehension. Oxford University Press has analysed the word choice and grammar use of students in 2020. Here, we take a look at their findings.

Working with colleagues to assess and moderate student work enables teachers to make consistent judgements of achievement and progress. In our latest reader submission, Learning Specialist Jeanette Breen shares how Templestowe Heights Primary School has improved its writing moderation process and five tips for a more successful experience.

Children aged 8-14 in Australia recently submitted a 100 word story responding to the prompt ‘A different world – living in lockdown’ for a story-writing event. Their word choices were analysed and in this infographic, we see how their word choices compare to previous instalments of the event. 

‘Feedback is identified as one of the most powerful strategies to progress student learning.’ Today’s article explores the nature and impact of high quality feedback, and shares how one school’s focus on teacher feedback on students’ writing is driving real change and improving outcomes.

Literacy is a core set of skills that can help students overcome social and economic barriers and underpin success in everyday life. Tanya Vaughan and Susannah Schoeffel share recommendations for the development of good literacy skills among primary students.

In today’s reader submission Lanella Sweet, Extension and Enrichment Teacher at Wesley College in Melbourne, shares examples of classroom investigations designed to help students understand and develop their use of mathematical language, and its links with other areas of the curriculum.

Southbank International School in London introduced a structured writing program in the primary years to improve students’ narrative writing. In today’s article, teacher Stefanie Waterman explains what they learned throughout the process.

‘How quick we are as teachers to put our students on the spot to write a complete narrative piece and wonder why we are constantly plagued with, “I can't think!”. South Australian primary school teacher Bec Drozdoff explains how she tackles this challenge in her writing lessons.

How do preschool services support children to develop language and literacy skills and help them get ready for school? A recent study has explored this question and provides some practical literacy activity ideas.

At the Art Gallery of Ballarat, a group of secondary school students, pre-service teachers and English teachers spend two-and-a-half days writing together in order to encourage creativity and improve students’ writing skills.