Level 3 writing?

[goldentime]

Last years teacher said DD ended the year at 3c for writing. The written work that came home or I saw at parent's evening was rarely finished and I was a bit after reading other posts here.

Dd's written one thing over the holidays and I'd like to know if it looks like a good fit for that level?

It was a golden afternoon. The beautiful birds were singing in the blossoming trees. Pearl was strolling through the wood with sapphire blue bells at her feet. Pearl was 4 and she had blue eyes and brown hair.

Pearl didn’t have any pets, but she wanted one. What she wanted was a siberian tiger! Meanwhile, Sniffy the siberian tiger was sniffing around he smelled food!

Meanwhile, Bert was huffing and puffing around his house. Bert was 13, had black hair and green eyes (he was a rober)! He wanted to steal something precious because he wanted to be rich.

Just then Pearl remembered that you could buy animals from the zoo! She ran through the woods so excited. Soon she ran out into the sunshine and she saw the zoo ahead and she rushed in. She looked around and saw: monkeys, seals, dolphins, snakes and tarantellas.

Meanwhile, Bert thought … could he go to the zoo and steal something? Bert put on his brand new coat and set off. Silently, he crept down to the zoo through the lurking shadows. When Bert got to the zoo it was time to feed Sniffy. Bert had an idea, he crept to the front of the crowd and carefully he unlocked the ring of keys from the zoo keepers belt.

Suddenly Pearl heard a cross growl. Following the sound, Pearl found a man with a cage in his hand and in the cage a Siberian tiger. Pearl felt so scared she screamed “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa” and the policeman heard her and came running to find her.

“Are you OK?” said the policeman “and what are you doing?” He looked at Bert and Berts cheeks turned pink.

“You are going to go into prison” said the policeman angrily. So Bert was dragged to a dungeon and felt very sad for himself.

Pearl and Sniffy were happy together but then she remembered she had to pay and she did. Sniffy cost £1000! So they lived happily ever after.

It's really good. What year is she?

My DD is meant to be 3c too. To be honest what you have transcribed is waaaaay better than she would manage. She might manage the language, but your DD got all the spelling right and mine definitely wouldn't!

I was a primary TA for twenty years, but didn't get involved in 'levels' much; the teachers were paid for that, TAs weren't.

But I just copied this off a web site:

Year 1: 1b
Year 2: 2b
Year 3: 2a/ 3c
Year 4: 3b
Year 5: 3a/4c
Year 6: 4b

So it looks like 3c is good for end Yr3.

Assuming you haven't corrected too much spelling, punctuation etc, I would rate this excellent for Yr3, if she is in fact Yr3. It is interesting and imaginative, and seems to contain all the technical aspects that seem to be required these days (and set to increase I think, but I'm retired now so only do bits on MN!) Or maybe she is in Yr7?!

And did she REALLY have the colon before the list, and the ellipsis ( . . . ) ?

Are you sure you haven't 'doctored' it? I think I was writing around that level when I started grammar school (in 1950)!

It's not possible to assess a child's writing based on one piece- I'd want to see a range of examples of fiction and non-fiction.

However, that piece is not level 3c, it's a high level 3. If it's typical of what she's capable of across different genres, I'd expect her to be writing at a 4c by Christmas.

also remember that levels no longer exist

God I thought the teacher had become confused between pupil. Actually I don't think it is representative because school work I saw wasn't finished and only last bits I saw had paragraphs.

I did help with some of the spellings because she asked me but less than 10. The punctuation is all her own, and honestly not doctored. While I was getting lunch ready she said can I put the two dots before a list and as I knew what she meant I said of course you can. Unless that is doctoring of course?

She was taught ellipsis in reception! I only know because I used to help out, the teacher said to make their writing exciting the children could put ... for a big pause or to add drama. I thought it was odd given how basic their writing was but some did use it.

Ferguson - my DS was correcting using an ellipsis and colon in his writing in year 2 along with correctly using brackets as well.

I teach year 3 and I would level that as a 3b at least and at a glance that definitely shows elements of a 3a

Just read your post properly and if that was all her own unaided punctuation then it is easily a 3a and if this is how she writes across genres, I would be looking a level 4 criteria for her over the next term.

Is she year 3 OP?

I agree, 3c or 3b depending on handwriting and spelling.

I don't think it is a 3a or higher because of the underdeveloped story. I have read bit longer and more proficient stories at 3c but that are let down by spelling, punctuation and handwriting. Those do make a difference but even with all those three elements in place that is still a secure level 3 piece of writing.

Infant teacher of 7 years, including Year 2.

My DD uses ellipses correctly and has done since the middle of Reception (She has just started Y1)

She nearly uses speechmarks correctly and will use full stops when she feels like it, question marks and exclamation marks.

I think children like using them once taught.