You and your school may already use shared writing, but is it being used in the most effective way possible? This session looks at best practice in shared writing, starting from the very basics such as how long a piece of shared writing should be to how you can stop children copying your shared writing. At the heart of this method is the gradual release into independence model, where children are guided towards being able to use each new skill independently. Chris and Lynsay provide a step-by-step process for how this should work and then move on to assessment and differentiation, looking at three strategies teachers can use to support children who are progressing at different rates.
Chris and Lindsay’s collaborative composition sessions begin with playing with the language (VGP) focus, before moving into shared writing - where the language focus is applied - and finishing with the children writing their own version of the same story.
The transition from shared to independent writing can be difficult, so this session looks at how this can be managed, allowing children to apply the skills they have learned.
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Christine Chen and Lindsay Pickton
Christine and Lindsay are experienced English specialists based in Kingston upon Thames. They support numerous primary schools, alliances and federations. Both have worked in schools as senior literacy teachers and helped to launch and run school improvement programmes across their borough, and written for publishers including OUP, Pearson and Collins.