- This week we have begun uploading videos of the children reading a piece of writing on the writing blog (www.silverstream2.writing.blogspot.com).
- They will begin each video by telling you what they are learning to do. This is their current group focus for their writing and it is expected that they will use this at least once in their writing each day. They should be able to explain to you what this focus means and looks like!
- The blog is now ready for you to begin giving feedback to your child. Of course you are not obliged to only give written feedback (by commenting on the blog). You can also talk to your child! Please try to write at least one comment. Hopefully some online ‘conversations’ will develop.
Giving Feedback
When we look at children’s writing to establish next teaching points, we consider two aspects – surface and deep features.
Surface features are punctuation, spelling, handwriting and grammar.
Deep features are the use of language features (simile, metaphor, alliteration, personification etc), sentence structure, structuring the piece of writing – beginning, middle, end, use of vocabulary, considering the audience etc.
While surface features are important (and easy to give feedback on) the focus for this project is on the deeper features. This is why the pieces of writing will be recorded on video. It is so easy to comment on the surface features first and dishearten the child who has put lots of effort into using descriptive words to make the piece of writing exciting for his/her audience!
Consider these comments…
“You have spelt gleaming wrong. Oops, you forgot a full stop. It would’ve been better if you had started with that sentence. It is a good piece of writing though.”
“The way you started that piece of writing really captured my attention. I think it was because you used a short sentence. That is what you have been working on isn’t it? I wonder if you could think of a more powerful word to use instead of ‘good’ to describe the icecream you ate?”
“You didn’t seem to write much today. ‘Good’ and ‘nice’ were quite boring words. That simile ‘as hungry as a horse’ was very clever.”
“I know that you’re learning to use alliteration in your writing. It was clever the way that you wrote ‘quickly the quiet cat quivered’.”
- Give an emotional reaction to the piece of writing.
- Suggest a possible next step or improvement.
Watching the videos and leaving a comment
2. Use the labels along the side to find your child’s writing. | |
3. View your child’s work by clicking on the play button on the video | |
4. After viewing, click on the comments box below the video. | |
5. Type your comment in the box | |
6. When you have finished, choose who you would like to comment as. The easiest is name/URL | |
7. Enter your name, remember not to use surnames to maintain anonymity in cyberspace! Click continue | |
8. Click post comment, or to preview, click preview. | |
9. The comment will be visible after it has been ‘approved’. |
