1. An approach to writing by Pie Corbett and Julia Strong
Talk 4 Writing
An approach to writing by
Pie Corbett and Julia Strong

2. What is Talk For Writing?
Talk for Writing, developed by Pie Corbett and supported by Julia Strong, is powerful because it is based on the principles of how children learn. Talk for Writing enables children to imitate the key language they need for a particular topic orally before they try reading and analysing it. Through fun activities that help them rehearse the tune of the language they need, followed by shared writing to show them how to craft their writing, children are helped to write in the same style.

3. The process: Information texts
The “Cold” piece of writing
On your paper, please write a short paragraph about lions.

4. Teacher assessment for differentiation
The class teacher will look carefully at the pieces of writing and give the children ways forward.
She may also group them according to
Punctuation targets
Vocabulary targets
Connective targets

6. Features and purpose of the text type
Children will now be given a wide variety of information texts in order to discover the main features of this type of text such as
Sub titles
Facts
Questions
Present tense
Illustrations,
Glossary

7. Rehearse specific spelling and language patterns
Stage 1: Imitation
The children will then
Learn a text orally
Draw a text map
Rehearse specific spelling
and language patterns
Read and annotate the text

8. Tigers
Tigers are huge, powerful animals that live only in Asia. Although most tigers live in warm places, they can find very hot weather uncomfortable. Some tigers live in cold areas of China. These tigers have longer fur to protect them.
Tigers have striped fur that helps to camouflage them so they can hunt their prey. They are carnivores – this means they eat meat. Their sharp, front teeth can tear their prey.
Hunting and cutting down forests have reduced the number of tigers in the wild and they are now very rare.

9. Stage 2: innovation- shared writing
Title
Elephants
What they are- definition/ description of habitat
Elephants are…
What they eat and how they hunt
Elephants only eat…
Final issue, important or amazing fact/ point.
Due to…..
This writing is self, peer and teacher assessed and ways forward given.

11. Stage 3: Independent application
The children write their own text about an animal they have researched, paying particular attention to their targets. This is called the “Hot piece.” The genre can be revisited, where possible, throughout the curriculum to embed the language and features.