Using simple props to support oral language development
Focus: retelling known stories
Please contact us if you have any websites you would like to share.
For teachers
http://www.chompchomp.com/ Grammar Bytes is a great website with downloadable handouts and very funky PowerPoints to teach grammar (English site).
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/writing.html and www.writingfix.com
are both US sites that have lots of good writing resources and ideas.
http://www.shirleyclarke-education.org/ Shirley Clarke – Effective learning through formative assessment. (English site).
www.talk4writing.com Pie Corbett’s website includes forums and ideas for writing. You need to join this site but there is no charge. (English site).
For students
Upstart is a fantastic NZ publication for young writers. Students can write articles and book reviews and see their contributions in a magazine on sale in shops! Visit http://www.upstartmag.co.nz/ for more information.
https://toitoi.nz/ Toitoi is a New Zealand journal of children’s writing, which is published each quarter. Students can submit writing and illustrations.
https://success-for-boys.tki.org.nz/ Teaching-learning-resources/Story-Starters New Zealand celebrities share ideas for writing in video clips.
https://www.cricksoft.com/uk/
Websites with great ideas to motivate writing
https://www.wonderopolis.org/ Answers to questions (wonders) - you can send in your own wonders.
http://thekidshouldseethis.com/ This website has a range of interesting videos which can be used in writing and reading.
www.dogonews.com Articles on a variety of curriculum areas – most include video clips and images.
www.literacyshed.com UK site with a huge range of user-friendly resources and lesson ideas, images, music videos and film clips.
https://www.abc.net.au/btn/ Behind the News (Australian ABC website). Great for current events – some articles have printed transcripts to go with them.
https://ed.ted.com Student version of TED talks.
www.lovereading4kids.co.uk Book selling website where you can download book excerpts.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqhnX4jA0A5paNd1v-zEysw GoPro YouTube channel - excellent motivation for recounts from a different perspective.
https://www.boredpanda.com/happy-children-playing/ Engaging images of kids playing around the world.
https://www.boredpanda.com/dangerous-journey-to-school Great images of the challenging ways some kids get to school.
https://www.boredpanda.com/the-most-overloaded-vehicles-of-all-times/ 37 of the most overloaded vehicles ever.
https://www.pobble.com/ This site shares an image and writing idea every day - you can go back and review posts using the calendar.
https://www.onceuponapicture.co.uk/ This website has collections of images with prompts for discussion and writing.
Recommended books
Here is a list of books we have found useful. A complete reference list can be found on page 214 of The Writing Book.
Everyday Editing, by Jeff Anderson, (2007), Stenhouse, Portland, M.E.
Ten Things Every Writer Needs to Know, by Jeff Anderson, (2011), Stenhouse, Portland, M.E.
Enriching Feedback in the Primary Classroom, by Shirley Clarke, (2003) Hodder Education, U.K.
Unlocking Formative Assessment, by Shirley Clarke, (2001), Hodder & Stoughton, U.K.
Boy Writers: Reclaiming their Voices, by Ralph Fletcher, (2006), Stenhouse, Portland, M.E.
Effective Literacy Practice, Learning Media, (2006), Ministry of Education, Wellington, N.Z.
I’ve Got Something to Say: Leading Young Writers to Authorship, by Gail Loane, Aries Pub. Ltd, N.Z.
Learning to Learn in a Second Language, by Pauline Gibbons, (1991), Primary English Teachers Association, Newtown, N.S.W. Australia.
Effective Practices in Teaching Writing by Dr Shaun Hawthorne, (2011), NZATE, Lyttelton, N.Z.
Write Ways: Modelling Writing Forms by Lesley Wing-Jan, (2008) Oxford University Press, Australia.
Using simple props to support oral language development
Focus: retelling known stories
Includes: a coordinating conjunction card
Focus: to support students to write compound sentences
Includes: a lesson plan and two student exemplars
Focus: writing reviews