1. at Park Mead Primary

2. Big Write Information Morning
Introduction of Big Write and Big Talk
To understand how it works at Park Mead
Big Write
VCOP
DIRT
Daily Basic Skills
Talk Homework
Children’s view
Tour of the school to see it all in action

4. If a child can say it, then a child can write it

5. What is Big Writing?
A philosophy about writing which was originally devised by Ros Wilson (former teacher & Ofsted inspector)
A whole school approach to teaching writing
Development of the writing voice through fast, fun, lively and mainly oral activities

6. What is Big Writing? Focuses on: Talk and oral rehearsal
Accurate basic skills
Giving writing a purpose
Target setting

7. Key elements of Big Write?
Every week the children concentrate on the four elements of Big Writing, V C O P:
Vocabulary
Connectives
Openers
Punctuation
Classes have an interactive display outlining these elements

8. Key elements of Big Write
Vocabulary – selecting exciting, challenging, different words and phrases to be used in their writing.

9. Key elements of Big Write
Connectives – Children are taught to use a range of words and phrases which connect and extend ideas.

10. Key elements of Big Write
Openers – Story and sentence openers which are interesting and excite the reader.

11. Key elements of Big Write
Punctuation. Different kinds of punctuation which adds to the story and helps the story evolve.

13. If you want to create a generation of great writers, first of all make sure they are great talkers.

14. Big Talk
A child can only write (unsupported) with the language stored in her or his own brain.
A child therefore, can only speak or write within the range of language that he or she has already learned within the home, the community and school.
Focused around children learning through talk
Building talk into every area of our curriculum and our practice.

15. Big Talk Stimulus to encourage and facilitate talk Photos or pictures.
Talk sofa.
Role play/drama.
Shared reading.
School lunch.
Story bags.

16. What does it look like at Park Mead?

17. Big Talk in Reception
Big Talk is integrated in a continuous provision of adult led and adult initiated activities
VCOP modelled through talk
Outdoor talk time – talking all the time
Opportunities for emergent and independent writing.
Shared writing every day after story time
Marking in same medium
Read feedback in talk parters – editors glasses

18. Big Talk/Big Write in Year 1
Autumn Term
10 mins VCOP
10 mins Big Write
Spring Term
15 mins VCOP
15 mins Big Write
Summer Term
30 mins Big Write

19. Big Write in Year 2 – 6 1.5 hours weekly dedicated to the “Big Write”
Starts in smaller chunks and builds up
35 mins on VCOP activities
10 mins planning time
Break
45 mins Big Write (silent extended writing session)

20. Big Write in Year 2 – 6 VCOP session includes: Breaktime
Fast, fun and lively oral VCOP activities through games
Discuss success criteria (how to achieve an effective piece of writing for a particular task)
planning time
Breaktime

21. Big Write in Year 2 – 6 BIG WRITE
Up to 45 minutes session of silent extended writing
Year 2 and 3 to start at 30 mins and build up to longer time periods throughout the year
Year 4, 5 and 6 to start at 45 mins

22. Big Write in Year 2 – 6 BIG WRITE
classroom atmosphere for this session is altered to include:
A quiet calming atmosphere – classes may play soft music
Children may use a special pen or pencil
Big Write folders for children to keep their work in (this folder to have their Writing Target Ladders in the front)
The folders help the children to see the progression in their own writing

23. Dedicated Improvement Reflection Time
DIRT
Using written work from Big Write children to have the opportunity to:
Read through work and teacher comments
Edit and improve work
Engage in peer / self assessment activities
Use Writing Target Ladders

24. Talk Homework
The Big Write task will be explained to the children prior to Big Write day
A written slip explaining the talk homework will be given to the children and put on their year group website pages from September
Children are encouraged to come home and TALK about it as a Talk Homework:
To start thinking about the task
To talk about it with someone at home
To orally rehearse sentences they may wish to use

25. Children’s view
A selection of children have been interviewed throughout the year
Most children enjoy the Big Write and felt that they learnt from these sessions
“like that I can get it all down so don’t have to do half one day and the rest another”
“everybody is focussing”
“can get rid of the DIRT in my work”
“VCOP games gets us ready”

26. Children’s view
Children in Year 2 and up were surveyed in a questionnaire (286 children in total)
81% agreed/strongly agreed that Big Write has helped them learn more writing skills
90% agreed/strongly agreed that they think their writing has improved this year
76% agreed/strongly agreed that they like the classroom atmosphere during Big Write
65% agreed/strongly agreed that they enjoy Big Write lessons

27. Children’s view
My writing has improved by the fact that each week we have to write a piece of writing and then DIRT it.
We write more frequently now
I think Big Write has helped Park Mead’s writing
What the children wrote when asked how they think writing has improved this year
Last year we completed writing sometimes but not all the time now Big Write is on a set day so we know when it is.
I love the changes that have happened this year. I really like Big Write because we learn lots and it really improves my writing.
I think the changes to writing at Park Mead has made pupils a lot more confident and adventurous in our writing
The changes to writing has been good because we get all week to plan and then on Friday we DIRT our work.
We didn’t get as much time to write last year.

28. Tour of School
Opportunity to see it all in action across the whole school
A range of activities will be going on including:
Big Write
VCOP activities

29. Thank you very much for your time.
Any further questions?