Writing

Program Early Stage One Term 2, 2015

(to be taught in conjunction with Patterns Writing and Grammar Unit)
Program Outcomes
ENe 2a Composes simple texts to convey an idea or message
ENe 5a Demonstrates developing skills in using letters, simple sound blends and some sight words to
represent known words when spelling.
ENe 7b Recognises some different purposes for writing and that own texts differ in various ways.
ENe 9b Demonstrates developing skills and knowledge in grammar, punctuation and vocabulary when
responding to and composing texts.
ENe 10C Thinks imaginatively and creatively about familiar topics, simple ideas and the basic features of text
when responding to and composing texts.
ENe 11D Responds to and composes simple texts about familiar aspects of the world and their own
experiences
ENe 12E Demonstrates an awareness of how to reflect on aspects of their own and others learning.

The foci of the Term 2 writing program are as follows-
Students will:
Have many opportunities to construct a sound sentence.
Understand the necessary structural components of a sound sentence.
Understand that their writing must make sense to those reading it.

Strategies that can be used in teaching sentence construction

Modelling of sentences.
Include the use of sentences from a wide range of authentic texts that demonstrate the sentence
structure/sentence feature, being taught. Using a range of texts will promote student understanding
of text purpose and audience.

e.g. Theres a Sea in My Bedroom by Margaret Wild descriptive language.

But he liked collecting shells. He had fan-shaped ones, some that looked like trumpets and some that looked
like curved animals teeth. They were yellow and grey and pink and purple.
Joint construction of sentences.
Write words on cards so that a range of sentence structures from authentic texts and real world experiences
can be demonstrated. Provide students with ample opportunities to play with position of words to encourage
discussion of whether various word arrangements make sense.
I

am

catching

tadpoles

(present tense)
I

caught

tadpoles

(past tense)

Independent Construction of sentences

Provide lots of opportunities for students to write following whole class joint construction.
For writers requiring support
1. Teacher to provide word cards to students to assemble after whole class joint construction. Encourage
students to then trace over dotted or outline of words in assembled sentence.

2. Provide a match to sample for them to glue words to.

This

is

my

house

3. Next provide sentence on a strip of paper or mini whiteboard for them to copy from.
This is my house.

Weekly Writing Schedule

Week

Sentence a day

Focus

Register/evaluation

1. I can..
2. I can see a .
3. I like
4. Mum can..
5. Revisit/revise/make own
1. Dad can
2. Look at the
3. Look at my
4. Here is a .
5. Revisit/revise/make own
1. Here is the
2. I can go to..
3. It is.
4. This is
5. Revisit/revise/make own
1. A.can.
2. He can..
3. She can
4. I went.
5. Revisit/revise/make own
1. Im.
2. My
3. I saw.
4. I go to
5. Revisit/revise/make own
1. A dog can..
2. There is
3. We are
4. They are
5. Revisit/revise/make own
Recounts: Use scaffolds and joint
construction to ensure inclusion of
When (Past tense)
Today; Yesterday; On the weekend; Last
Thursday etc.
We went to the library.
Yesterday we went to the library.
- Zoo excursion will provide context for
recounts

Adjectives: revisit some sentence
starters and use adjectives to make
them more interesting (e.g. big, grey
elephant). Review sentences about zoo
for this.
We saw the elephants.
We saw the huge grey elephants.
Recounts: Use scaffolds and joint

Full stops and Capital

letters

Full stops and Capital

letters

Making sense

Making sense

Creativity

Creativity

All of the above

All of the above

construction to ensure inclusion of

When (Past tense)
Today; Yesterday; On the weekend; Last
Thursday etc.
We went to the library.
Yesterday we went to the library.
Who (including modelling of correct
pronoun reference)
I; We; My family; My brother; Mum and
Dad; My friend etc.
I went to Bellas party. She is my friend.

All of the above

Additional Notes: Display previously constructed sentences for students to use as a model and for reading
practice. Students can also begin editing their writing with teacher assistance using class success criteria as a
guide.
Opportunities for students to share their writing with an audience via a blog/website/writing should be
explored at each teachers discretion.
Program Evaluation:
1.
2.
3.

How well did students respond to each of the sentence starters? Were they relevant to the students?
Does the program provide enough guidance and ideas related to teaching writing? Do additional
resources need to be provided?
Does the Sentence a Day idea provide students with diverse enough writing experiences?