Grammar for Writing Teaching Narrative and Nonfiction Debra
Grammar for Writing: Teaching Narrative and Non-fiction Debra Myhill All art is achieved through the exercise of a craft, and every craft has its rudiments that must be taught. Fairfax and Moat (1998
INTRODUCTION 2
Aims of the Day q Recapping on the principles of Grammar as choice; q Exploring practical examples to develop settings and character in narrative writing; q Building subject knowledge of verbs and verb phrases; q Exploring practical examples to teach non-fiction writing. 3
REPRISE 4
Table Talk q Discuss together what you remember as the key learning from the last professional development day. q Share what you have done (and haven’t done!) since to test out these ways of teaching in your own classroom. q What can you remember about the noun phrase and its structure? 5
Key Message: Creative Grammar q Our approach to grammar integrates the teaching of reading and writing. q It asks writers to look, through their reading, at what other writers do; q It asks writers to be the readers of their own writing; q It asks writers to think about their own readers: q It shows how grammar choices are one way of managing the readerwriter relationship. 6
Key Message q Teaching writing with attention to grammar is not about telling children how they should write; it is about showing them the repertoire of choices available to them, and discussing how those choices create different meanings. NOT: q You should use fronted adverbials to make your writing better. BUT: q What happens if you move that adverbial to the front of the sentence? How does it change how we read this sentence? 7
Linking Grammar and Writing One way to create a strong visual description of a narrative scene is to use precisely-chosen prepositional phrases. One way to create suspense in a narrative is to put the subject after the verb. One way to create character, and show not tell, is to choose verbs carefully to make the reader infer. 8
LEAD Principles PRINCIPLE EXPLANATION RATIONALE LINKS Make a link between the grammar being introduced and how it works in the writing being taught To establish a purposeful learning reason for addressing grammar, and connect grammar with meaning and rhetorical effect EXAMPLES Explain the grammar through To avoid writing lessons becoming mini -grammar lessons, and to allow access showing examples, not to the structure even if the grammar lengthy explanations concept is not fully understood AUTHENTIC To integrate reading and writing and Use authentic texts as show ‘real’ writers make language models to link writers to the broader community of writers choices TEXTS DISCUSSION Build in high-quality discussion about grammar and its effects To promote deep metalinguistic learning about why a particular choice works, and to develop independence rather than compliance 9
Noun Phrases PRE-MODIFICATION HEAD NOUN POST-MODIFICATION determiners, adjectives, adverbs nouns prepositional phrases, non-finite clauses; relative clauses, adjectives… spiced pumpkin soup with chilli oil and toasted sunflower seeds the heart of the wood a family of rabbits a pair of tattered breeches bunched at the waist a small white cottage perched high on the cliffs my friends, Yellow and Orange crayon, who are no longer speaking to each other fingers, long, white and dancing 10
Writing Time Think of a piece of footwear: high heeled sparkly shoes; leather boots; school shoes; fluorescent orange trainers; ballet shoes … and who might wear them. Freewrite for 5 minutes about the character who might wear these shoes. Let your pen take your imagination for a walk. 11
KS 2 Assessment Framework Working at the Expected Standard - The pupil can: q write effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, selecting language that shows good awareness of the reader (e. g. the use of the first person in a diary; direct address in instructions and persuasive writing) q in narratives, describe settings, characters and atmosphere q integrate dialogue in narratives to convey character and advance the action q select vocabulary and grammatical structures that reflect what the writing requires, doing this mostly appropriately (e. g. using contracted forms in dialogues in narrative; using passive verbs to affect how information is presented; using modal verbs to suggest degrees of possibility) q use a range of devices to build cohesion (e. g. conjunctions, adverbials of time and place, pronouns, synonyms) within and across paragraphs q use verb tenses consistently and correctly throughout their writing q use the range of punctuation taught at key stage 2 mostly correctly (e. g. inverted commas and other punctuation to indicate direct speech) 12
ESTABLISHING A SETTING IN NARRATIVE 13
Setting in Narrative A kangaroo sits in the hot sun in the evening. Rewrite this as a short narrative paragraph about a particular kangaroo, conveying a sense of place and climate.
Setting in Narrative Far inland, where ocean is a dim memory, the sun floats on the waves of another bake-earth day. In the long shadows, a big red kangaroo licks his forearms and lets the early evening breeze wash over him. Adverbials positioned at the front of the sentence foreground a sense of location and time.
Setting in Narrative Far inland, where ocean is a dim memory, the sun floats on the waves of another bake-earth day. In the long shadows, a big red kangaroo licks his forearms and lets the early evening breeze wash over him. Nouns and noun phrases provide specific detail and evoke a sense of heat and dryness.
Setting in Narrative Far inland, where ocean is a dim memory, the sun floats on the waves of another bake-earth day. In the long shadows, a big red kangaroo licks his forearms and lets the early evening breeze wash over him. Action verbs extend the metaphor of desert as ocean.
Setting in Narrative Can you verbalise this link in more every day language? Verbalising the grammar-writing link The writer uses adverbials at the start of the sentence to foreground and locate the place where the kangaroo lives. The writer uses nouns and noun phrases to evoke the sense of heat and dryness. The writer uses action verbs to extend the metaphor of desert as ocean. What grammatical choices have you made in your description? Metalinguistic thinking
Detail in Setting for Inference Beyond the alley they came to a warren of grimy streets, where old women stood in the doorways, wearing sacks for aprons, and men in carpet slippers sat on the steps. Dogs nosed among crumpled paper in the gutter; a rusty bicycle wheel lay on the cobbles. A group of boys at the corner talked to a girl whose hair was rolled in brightly coloured plastic curlers. Elidor – Alan Garner What do you infer from this description of the setting? What language choices are creating that inference? 19
Detail in Setting for Inference Beyond the alley they came to a warren of grimy streets, where old women stood in the doorways, wearing sacks for aprons, and men in carpet slippers sat on the steps. Dogs nosed among crumpled paper in the gutter; a rusty bicycle wheel lay on the cobbles. A group of boys at the corner talked to a girl whose hair was rolled in brightly coloured plastic curlers. Elidor – Alan Garner Long (expanded) noun phrases with lots of additional detail after the verb 20
Detail in Setting for Inference Beyond the alley they came to a warren of grimy streets, where old women stood in the doorways, wearing sacks for aprons, and men in carpet slippers sat on the steps. Dogs nosed among crumpled paper in the gutter; a rusty bicycle wheel lay on the cobbles. A group of boys at the corner talked to a girl whose hair was rolled in brightly coloured plastic curlers. Elidor – Alan Garner Long (expanded) noun phrases with lots of additional detail after the verb Prepositional phrases to show details about the place These help us infer this is not a rich area, but that it is a community. 21
Establishing Mood and Atmosphere The island looked perhaps two or three miles in length, no more. It was shaped a bit like an elongated peanut, but longer at one end than another. There was a long swathe of brilliant white beach on both sides of the island, and at the far end another hill, the slopes steeper and thickly wooded, but not so high as mine. With the exception of these twin peaks the entire island seemed to be covered with forest. So far as I could see there was no sign of any human life. . . I sat down in the shadow of a great rock. The gibbons set up a renewed chorus of howling and hooting in the forest, and a flock of raucous birds clattered up out of the canopy of the trees below us and flew off across the island to settle in the trees on the hillside opposite. Kensuke’s Kingdom – Michael Morpurgo 22
Establishing Mood and Atmosphere The island looked perhaps two or three miles in length, no more. It was shaped a bit like an elongated peanut, but longer at one end than another. There was a long swathe of brilliant white beach on both sides of the island, and at the far end another hill, the slopes steeper and thickly wooded, but not so high as mine. With the exception of these twin peaks/ the entire island seemed to be covered with forest. So far as I could see there was no sign of any human life. . . I sat down in the shadow of a great rock. The gibbons set up a renewed chorus of howling and hooting in the forest, and a flock of raucous birds clattered up out of the canopy of the trees below us and flew off across the island to settle in the trees on the hillside opposite. Kensuke’s Kingdom – Michael Morpurgo 23
Setting in KS 1 Once there was a lighthouse keeper called Mr Grinling. At night time he lived in a small white cottage perched high on the cliffs. In the day time he rowed out to his lighthouse on the rocks to clean and polish the light. The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch Expanded noun phrases provide visual detail of the setting. 24
Writing Time Look at your free-writing: you have been thinking about a character. Now imagine your chosen footwear in a setting, without their owner. Write a paragraph about the shoes in that setting, thinking about what visual detail you want, what you want the reader to infer, and what mood you want to create. 25
Creating Settings Verbalising the grammar-writing link: q Using expanded noun phrases can provide visual detail about the setting; q Expanding noun phrases with prepositional phrases can provide detail about the setting; q Choosing your noun phrases and prepositional phrases carefully can make your reader infer about the kind of place that your setting is; q Choosing your noun phrases and prepositional phrases carefully can create a particular mood or atmosphere in your setting. 26
CREATING CHARACTERS IN NARRATIVE 27
Creating Characters in Narrative q Show not tell: reveal your character through showing what they are like, not just telling the reader; q Use specific, concrete detail to describe characters to make your readers believe in them - generic not specific: this man not any man; q Create strong visual descriptions which allow your reader to see the character in their own mind’s eye; q Reveal inner reflections so your readers know what your characters are thinking and feeling; q Think about how you name your characters; q Use dialogue to suggest character.
Show, not Tell: make your reader infer ‘Mr Wormwood was a small ratty-looking man whose front teeth stuck out underneath a thin ratty moustache’. Show not tell: Dahl doesn’t tell us that Mr Wormwood is a nasty little man, he tells us he is ‘ratty-looking’ and so shows us he is a nasty little man. We have to work this out for ourselves (or infer this). When we write, sometimes we do tell our readers about characters, but good writers also make the reader infer what the character is like.
Use Verbs to Show not Tell When she marched – Miss Trunchbull never walked, she always marched like a Stormtrooper with long strides and arms aswinging –when she marched along a corridor you could actually hear her snorting as she went, and if a group of children happened to be in her path, she ploughed through them like a tank, bouncing off her to left and right. Matilda – Roald Dahl What do the verb choices here make us infer about Miss Trunchbull? 30
Use Verbs to Show not Tell When she marched – Miss Trunchbull never walked, she always marched like a Stormtrooper with long strides and arms aswinging –when she marched along a corridor you could actually hear her snorting as she went, and if a group of children happened to be in her path, she ploughed through them like a tank, bouncing off her to left and right. Matilda – Roald Dahl What do the verb choices here make us infer about Miss Trunchbull? What is the effect of choosing the verb ‘happened’ to describe the children? 31
Give Specific, Concrete Details Make your characters believable by giving specific, concrete details. (about a pigeon) I felt its small heart racing underneath my finger And the push and power of its wings. Its head was whiter than a splash of milk. Its eye blazed fire. “Name him he’s yours”, the old man said. I didn’t have to think. “Re del cielo!” I replied “King of the sky!” Noun phrases provide the concrete detail here: this is not any pigeon, but it is this pigeon.
Give Specific, Concrete Details He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. The only thing Harry liked about his appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of lightning. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling What concrete details about Harry Potter are given here to help us understand this character and believe in him? What grammatical choices does J. K Rowling use to achieve this?
Give Specific, Concrete Details He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. The only thing Harry liked about his appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of lightning. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling Long extended noun phrases provide the concrete detail.
Writing Time q Re-read your freewriting about a character who wears the shoes you chose. q Now visualise him or her – what do they look like? What are they wearing? How do they feel? Imagine you are filming your character from every angle. q Now write one paragraph describing your character: thinking about how you can show not tell to make your reader infer, and about how you select specific concrete details to make your character specific and believable.
Create Strong Visual Images He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws. He has knobbly knees, and turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose. His eyes are orange, his tongue is black; he has purple prickles all over his back.
Create Strong Visual Images He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws. He has knobbly knees, and turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose. His eyes are orange, his tongue is black; he has purple prickles all over his back. Noun phrases to convey a strong visual image
Create Strong Visual Images He was diminutive, no taller than me, and as old a man as I had ever seen. He wore nothing but a pair of tattered breeches bunched at the waist, and there was a large knife in his belt. He was thin, too. In places – under his arms, round his neck and his midriff – his copper brown skin lay in folds about him, almost as if he’d shrunk inside it. What little hair he had on his head and his chin was long and wispy and white. Kensuke’s Kingdom – Michael Morpurgo. What language choices help you see this character? How would you paint him? 38
Create Strong Visual Images He was diminutive, no taller than me, and as old a man as I had ever seen. He wore nothing but a pair of tattered breeches bunched at the waist, and there was a large knife in his belt. He was thin, too. In places – under his arms, round his neck and his midriff – his copper brown skin lay in folds about him, almost as if he’d shrunk inside it. What little hair he had on his head and his chin was long and wispy and white. Kensuke’s Kingdom – Michael Morpurgo. Expanded noun phrases with elaborating detail of his appearance. Noun phrases which refer to parts of his body so we see the whole man. Freestanding adjectives which add to the visual images. 39
Reveal Character’s Inner Reflections Charlie is taking me by the hand, leading me because he knows I don’t want to go. I’ve never worn a collar before and it’s choking me. My boots are strange and heavy on my feet. My heart is heavy too, because I dread what I am going to. Charlie has told me often how terrible this school-place is: about Mr Munnings and his raging tempers and the long whipping cane he hangs on the wall above his desk. I don’t want to go with Charlie. I don’t want to go to school. Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo How does this character feel? How does Michael Morpurgo convey this?
Reveal Character’s Inner Reflections Charlie is taking me by the hand, leading me because he knows I don’t want to go. I’ve never worn a collar before and it’s choking me. My boots are strange and heavy on my feet. My heart is heavy too, because I dread what I am going to. Charlie has told me often how terrible this school-place is: about Mr Munnings and his raging tempers and the long whipping cane he hangs on the wall above his desk. I don’t want to go with Charlie. I don’t want to go to school. Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo First person voice shows his thinking: first person pronouns and determiners emphasise the ‘I’ of this piece.
Reveal Character’s Inner Reflections Charlie is taking me by the hand, leading me because he knows I don’t want to go. I’ve never worn a collar before and it’s choking me. My boots are strange and heavy on my feet. My heart is heavy too, because I dread what I am going to. Charlie has told me often how terrible this school-place is: about Mr Munnings and his raging tempers and the long whipping cane he hangs on the wall above his desk. I don’t want to go with Charlie. I don’t want to go to school. Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo The use of negative verbs and adjectives convey his sense of fear and reluctance. This is reinforced by repetition.
Reveal Character’s Inner Reflections Grandma Poss looked miserable. ‘Don’t worry Grandma, ’ said Hush ‘I don’t mind. ’ But in her heart of hearts she did.
Reveal Character’s Inner Reflections The island looked perhaps two or three miles in length, no more. It was shaped a bit like an elongated peanut, but longer at one end than another. There was a long swathe of brilliant white beach on both sides of the island, and at the far end another hill, the slopes steeper and thickly wooded, but not so high as mine. With the exception of these twin peaks the entire island seemed to be covered with forest. So far as I could see there was no sign of any human life. Even then, as I stood there, that first morning, filled with apprehension at the terrifying implications of my dreadful situation, I remember thinking how wonderful it was, a green jewel of an island framed in white, the sea all about it a silken shimmering blue. Kensuke’s Kingdom – Michael Morpurgo Adding a reflection in the midst of other description such as describing a character or setting. 44
A tip from the author, Philip Reeve Proper Nouns for characterisation Getting the names right is half the battle – you can do a lot of worldbuilding simply by deciding what people and places are called. In my Mortal Engines books I went for slightly whimsical, Dickensian-sounding names. When I started writing the story which became Railhead I tried to make sure the names sounded different. I called my central characters Zen and Nova because those were the sorts of names I remember from futuristic stories and TV shows that were around when I was a child – they’re sci-fi names. I knew that in German-speaking cities there are often railway lines called the U-bahn and the S-bahn. My interstellar empire would be linked by the K-bahn, whose trains would go through K-gates and flash across a dimension called K-space to reach their far destinations.
Writing Time q Re-read your draft paragraph of your character description. q Think about your description and what you wanted to make your reader think or feel or know about your character. q Look at the descriptive detail in your prepositional phrases and noun phrases: show not tell; visual images; concrete detail; inner reflection; naming q Make at least one language/grammatical change which you think improves your description and achieves what you want it to achieve (your authorial intention) q Now explain to your partner the change you made and why.
VERBS AND VERB PHRASES 47
Definitions How would you define a verb? 48
The Problem of the ‘Doing’ Word q ‘A verb is a doing word’ – what is the verb in this sentence? q Many verbs in authentic texts are not evidently ‘doing’ words at all: the verbs to be and to have are the most frequent verbs; q Often the word which seems to evoke ‘doing’ in a sentence is not the verb: Ø I love hunting. Ø I saw the dreamcatcher. q To understand clauses, you need to understand the ‘verb’ is often a ‘verb phrase’: ‘I could have danced all night!’ 49
The Verb – a Starting Point The verb - be be am are is was were being been The verb - have has had having q These are very high-frequency verbs in English and are also important building blocks for verb phrases (more later!) q Unlike many other verbs, these words are always verbs – they can’t be nouns or adjectives (except human being) q Encourage KS 1 children to know that these are verbs (and can be very helpful for EAL children. 50
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Find the Verbs Five hundred United Nations officials were treated to a dinner of mis-shapen fruit and vegetables last week, in a bid to highlight the global food waste problem. The produce, which had been rejected as imperfect by UK and European supermarkets, was served in the form of a lavish meal to government ministers and officials in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Tuesday night. The four-course dinner, consisting of grilled sweet corn tamales, lentil dal with tamarind and tropical tiramisu, was part of a week of the United National Environmental Programme Annual Summit. Asked mid-meal what they thought of the food, the officials all agreed it was delicious. 52
Find the Verbs Five hundred United Nations officials were treated to a dinner of mis-shapen fruit and vegetables last week, in a bid to highlight the global food waste problem. The produce, which had been rejected as imperfect by UK and European supermarkets, was served in the form of a lavish meal to government ministers and officials in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Tuesday night. The four-course dinner, consisting of grilled sweet corn tamales, lentil dal with tamarind and tropical tiramisu, was part of a week of the United National Environmental Programme Annual Summit. Asked mid-meal what they thought of the food, the officials all agreed it was delicious. 53
Teacher Knowledge: Verb Phrases It does help you in your work with children if you understand the difference between lexical, auxiliary and modal verbs. This means understanding verb phrases. The underlined words are I dance all verb phrases: including I am dancing when there is only one verb I danced I was dancing I had danced I is a pronoun: it could be I could have danced another pronoun like you or we. Or it could be a noun I might be dancing like Jane or The man I should have been dancing 54
Teacher Knowledge: Lexical Verbs I dance I am dancing I danced I was dancing I had danced I could have danced I might be dancing I should have been dancing The lexical verb: in effect, this is the ‘doing’ verb. It is the main verb in the phrase and the one you’d look up in a dictionary Look at the position of the lexical verb: it is either on its own or last in the verb phrase 55
Teacher Knowledge: Auxiliary Verbs I dance I am dancing I danced I was dancing I had danced I could have danced I might be dancing I should have been dancing The auxiliary verb: It helps to create shades of meaning in the verb phrase and is usually formed with variations of be or have, but sometimes with do or get 56
Teacher Knowledge: Modal Verbs. I dance I am dancing I danced I was dancing I had danced I could have danced I might be dancing I should have been dancing The modal verb: expresses shades of possibility and certainty Modal verbs are also auxiliaries 57
Playing with Verbs Taking the verb ‘waste’, in pairs, how many different versions of the verb can you produce, and you can create verb phrases. Use the pronoun she to start all the variations: Eg You waste [too much]. You are wasting [my time] You should have wasted [less] You can think about variation in tense; and variations which use the verbs be and have before the lexical verb; and/or variations which use could, should, will etc. 58
WRITING LIKE A SCIENTIST 59
The Value of Dual Texts q A dual text conveys the same information in two different ways, and plays with authorial choice and different voices eg the poet and the scientist; q This allows for direct comparisons of how the writer made grammar choices which communicate meaning in an appropriate way for each genre 60
Writing like a Scientist What are the language differences between the poetic text and the scientific text? 61
Writing like a Scientist Poetic text: § main clause delayed with two foregrounded prepositional phrases; § descriptive detail – choice of ‘drowned’ and ‘twisting’ are not literary § lyrical rhythm of sentences Scientific text: § Subject start to sentence = more direct; § precise detail – ‘burrows’, ‘cracks’; § prepositional phrase specifies ‘in the river bed’ 62
Writing like a Scientist Poetic text: q long sentences; q use of metaphor and simile; q expanded noun phrases; emotive engagement with subject ‘worn out’. q More indirect communication – inference needed. Scientific text: q shorter sentence; q subject start; q expanded noun phrase provides scientific detail; q use of scientific vocabulary. q More direct communication – no inference needed. 63
Transforming Texts: Think of an Eel After eighty days’ swimming, not eating, not sleeping, eel’s long, winding body is worn out and wasted. He spills the new life carried deep in his belly, then sinks through the sea like a used silver wrapper. Collaborative Writing in Pairs: Ø Rewrite this extract like a scientist The eel swims for eighty days, with no food or sleep, and his body becomes wasted. When he reaches the Sargasso Sea, the male fertilizes the female’s eggs, and then dies. Talk task: What transformations have you made to alter the lyrical description into a scientific description? Could any other changes be made? 64
Transforming Texts: Think of an Eel After eighty days’ swimming, not eating, not sleeping, eel’s long, winding body is worn out and wasted. He spills the new life carried deep in his belly, then sinks through the sea like a used silver wrapper. Authentic text Collaborative Writing in Pairs: Ø Rewrite this extract like a scientist Examples The eel swims for eighty days, with no food or sleep, and his body becomes wasted. When he reaches the Sargasso Sea, the male fertilizes the female’s eggs, and then dies. Links Talk task: Discussion What transformations have you made to alter the lyrical description into a scientific description? Could any other changes be made? 65
What do you notice about the verb tense? What do you notice about the nouns and noun phrases? Kangaroos are only found in Australia and Papua New Guinea. They are a diverse family, with more than sixty different species, and live in a wide range of habitats from wet rainforests through to dry plains. Kangaroos are marsupials – their young are born undeveloped and then continue to grow in their mothers’ pouches. Their family name ‘macropod’ means ‘big foot’. The biggest of all macropods is the red kangaroo. They live in the hot, dry inland of Australia where food can be scarce and water even more so. From Big Red Kangaroo by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Graham Byrne 66
Kangaroos are only found in Australia and Papua New Guinea. They are a diverse family, with more than sixty different species, and live in a wide range of habitats from wet rainforests through to dry plains. Universal present tense for scientific writing Kangaroos are marsupials – their young are born undeveloped and then continue to grow in their mothers’ pouches. Their family name ‘macropod’ means ‘big foot’. The biggest of all macropods is the red kangaroo. They live in the hot, dry inland of Australia where food can be scarce and water even more so. From Big Red Kangaroo by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Graham Byrne 67
Scientific vocabulary: marsupial; macropod; Proper Nouns provide geographical precision; Extended noun phrases provide informational detail. Kangaroos are only found in Australia and Papua New Guinea. They are a diverse family, with more than sixty different species, and live in a wide range of habitats from wet rainforests through to dry plains. Kangaroos are marsupials – their young are born undeveloped and then continue to grow in their mothers’ pouches. Their family name ‘macropod’ means ‘big foot’. The biggest of all macropods is the red kangaroo. They live in the hot, dry inland of Australia where food can be scarce and water even more so. From Big Red Kangaroo by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Graham Byrne 68
Writing like a Scientist From Big Red Kangaroo by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Graham Byrne 69
WRITING ARGUMENT 70
Writing Argument 71
Writing Argument Question for Teachers: What might you draw attention to grammatically in this text as an example of an argument text? 72
Writing Argument Authentic text Examples 1. Highlight all the formal language in red and all the informal language in blue. What is the effect of this mix of formal and informal language in this argument? Discussion 2. Underline where Green Crayon signals the structure of his argument. 3. Circle where Green Crayon uses an imperative verb to express what he wants as an outcome from his complaint. Links 73
Writing Argument Dear Duncan, As Green Crayon, I am writing for two reasons. One is to say that I like my work – loads of crocodiles, trees, dinosaurs and Frogs. I have no problems and wish to congratulate you on a very successful “colouring things green” career so far. The second reason I write is for my friends, Yellow Crayon and Orange Crayon, who are no longer speaking to each other. Both crayons feel THEY should be the colour of the sun. Please settle this soon because they’re driving the rest of us CRAZY! Your happy friend, Green Crayon. 1. Highlight all the formal language in red and all the informal language in blue. What is the effect of this mix of formal and informal language in this argument? 2. Underline where Green Crayon signals the structure of his argument. 3. Circle where Green Crayon uses an imperative verb to express what he wants as an outcome from his complaint. 74
Writing Argument Dear Duncan, As Green Crayon, I am writing for two reasons. One is to say that I like my work – loads of crocodiles, trees, dinosaurs and Frogs. I have no problems and wish to congratulate you on a very successful “colouring things green” career so far. The second reason I write is for my friends, Yellow Crayon and Orange Crayon, who are no longer speaking to each other. Both crayons feel THEY should be the colour of the sun. Please settle this soon because they’re driving the rest of us CRAZY! Your happy friend, Green Crayon. 1. Highlight all the formal language in red and all the informal language in blue. What is the effect of this mix of formal and informal language in this argument? 2. Underline where Green Crayon signals the structure of his argument. 3. Circle where Green Crayon uses an imperative verb to express what he wants as an outcome from his complaint. 75
Writing Argument Dear Duncan, As Green Crayon, I am writing for two reasons. One is to say that I like my work – loads of crocodiles, trees, dinosaurs and Frogs. I have no problems and wish to congratulate you on a very successful “colouring things green” career so far. The second reason I write is for my friends, Yellow Crayon and Orange Crayon, who are no longer speaking to each other. Both crayons feel THEY should be the colour of the sun. Please settle this soon because they’re driving the rest of us CRAZY! Your happy friend, Green Crayon. 1. Highlight all the formal language in red and all the informal language in blue. What is the effect of this mix of formal and informal language in this argument? 2. Underline where Green Crayon signals the structure of his argument. 3. Circle where Green Crayon uses an imperative verb to express what he wants as an outcome from his complaint. Links 76
Writing Argument Think of a new crayon colour and what the crayon’s complaint might be. In pairs – one pen, two heads! - write a new letter to Duncan outlining your complaint. Think about how to make a strong argument. You could consider: Ø signposting the structure of your argument; Ø using a mix of formal and informal language to create a relationship with your reader Ø using an imperative verb to signal what outcome you want. 77
PLENARY 78
LEAD Principles PRINCIPLE EXPLANATION RATIONALE LINKS Make a link between the grammar being introduced and how it works in the writing being taught To establish a purposeful learning reason for addressing grammar, and connect grammar with meaning and rhetorical effect EXAMPLES Explain the grammar through To avoid writing lessons becoming mini -grammar lessons, and to allow access showing examples, not to the structure even if the grammar lengthy explanations concept is not fully understood AUTHENTIC To integrate reading and writing and Use authentic texts as show ‘real’ writers make language models to link writers to the broader community of writers choices TEXTS DISCUSSION Build in high-quality discussion about grammar and its effects To promote deep metalinguistic learning about why a particular choice works, and to develop independence rather than compliance 79
LEAD Principles PRINCIPLE EXPLANATION CLASSROOM EXAMPLE LINKS Make a link between the grammar being introduced and how it works in the writing being taught Analysing how prepositional phrases are used to establish the setting in one scene in Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White. EXAMPLES Displaying the relevant paragraph Explain the grammar through showing examples, with all the prepositional phrases highlighted in colour. not lengthy explanations AUTHENTIC Use authentic texts as models to link writers to the broader community of writers Using Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White. as the model text and understanding White’s choices. Build in high-quality discussion about grammar and its effects Discussing the effect of the prepositional phrases; the visual detail they provide about the setting. TEXTS DISCUSSION 80
LEAD Planning Template PRINCIPLE IN THE CLASSROOM LINKS How the use of pronouns can to create a sense of mystery/curiosity: I found him in the garage on a Sunday afternoon Make a link between the grammar being introduced and how it works in the writing being taught EXAMPLES Explain the grammar through showing examples, not lengthy explanations AUTHENTIC TEXTS Give out cards with a variety of nouns and pronouns which could be substituted for I and him and invite pairs to play with different versions. Skellig by David Almond Use authentic texts as models to link writers to the broader community of writers DISCUSSION Build in high-quality discussion about grammar and its effects Show the first sentence of the novel: discuss Almond’s choice compared with some of the alternative choices. Discuss how not naming any characters creates a sense of mystery – who are they? What will happen? 81
Gap Task 1. Revise and use the grammar knowledge we have addressed: nouns and noun phrases; and verbs and verb phrases. Think about where you still feel ‘wobbly’ about grammar knowledge 2. Plan and teach at least five episodes, perhaps in the context of narrative settings and characterisation, where you use the LEAD principles to draw young writers’ attention to the link between a grammar choice and its effect in writing. Use the LEAD Planning Template to help you. 3. Focus particularly this time on verbalising the grammar-writing link, sharing this with children, and helping them understand the effect. 4. Bring the completed planning templates to the final CPD Day to use in discussion. 82
Further Resources for Teachers: http: //socialsciences. exeter. ac. uk/education/research/centres/centreforresear chinwriting/grammar-teacher-resources/ Cybergrammar: www. cybergrammar. com No Nonsense Grammar: Babcock LDP Literacy Team, Raintree (2016) https: //babcock-education. co. uk/ldp/grammarandpunctuation https: //babcock-education. co. uk/ldp/textsthatteach Essential Primary Grammar http: //www. mheducation. co. uk/essential-primary-grammar 83
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