Big Writing isn't a scheme it is an approach to writing used by many schools (mine included) that is intended to make the process of writing special so Big as important not as in size. Really it's just everyday common sense teaching methods that build up to a special extended writing session when the classroom is changed with soft music scented candles and dimmed lights . The children where I teach love it and we have found it to be very successful in motivating children as writers and readers.
"Big Writing' is a strategy for raising standards in writing developed by Ros Wilson, that has been implemented in thousands of primary schools throughout the United Kingdom and around the world. The method relates to the English language only.
Ros Wilson developed her Criterion Scale to standardise the assessment of over twenty thousand pieces of children's writing between October 1999 and October 2002. As an associated project setting short-term targets for children, it became evident that there were 'Four Generic Targets' for writing, Vocabulary, Connectives, Openers and Punctuation or V.C.O.P.. This was true regardless of the age or level of writing skill of all pupils writing within Level 2 and above. Further work and assessment led to the realisation that the Four Generic Targets that 'grow' as the pupil's writing skill grows.
Wilson was able to refine her method during a period working in Qatar, whilst helping to establish an English speaking school near the city of Doha. All of the staff were trained to employ her method for teaching writing across the school and the results were remarkable. Upon her return to the U.K., she published her first book with Kirklees LEA and subsequent titles documenting the method with Andrell Education Ltd.
'Big Writing' is the development of the 'writing voice' through fast, fun, lively and predominantly oral activities. Pupils talk the 'writing voice', which becomes known as 'Posh Talk' in a dedicated 'Big Writing' session & at other points in a week. Schools introducing 'Big Writing' are advised to make it special, designating a session of one and a half hours per week split across morning break, with daily 'stocking fillers' (5 minutes at the end of other lessons).
'Big Writing' is based on the premises:Creating a positive ethos for writing is crucial.If a child can't say it, they can't write it!. 'Big Writing' and its associated strategies stress the importance of talk and that 'boys love to talk and what is good for the boys is good for the girls!'.Sharing the secret garden of assessment with pupils, and explaining exactly targeted assessment and measuring of progress, empowers and excites them.Most pupils can succeed as writers far beyond levels usually expected for their age when taught the skills of writing scientifically. If pupils do not use their writing skills regularly they will lose them.
As Ros Wilson said:
Ask yourself;
"Do all the children in your class feel excited and empowered about writing?"
Remember;
You make the difference! Keep it lively, engaging and exciting for those pupils in your classes!
Creating a positive environment for writing will help to embed learning, to raise the status of writing as an activity in the classroom and to motivate pupils. Changing the environment by:
- Introducing soft, classical music
- Dimming or changing the lighting, possibly introducing a lava lamp or candles
- Creating displays celebrating successes and targets
- Making water freely available for writing sessions
- Ensuring that examples of work, guidelines, any written work is of good quality and clear. The care that you take and example set give a sub-conscious message about the importance of writing.
Through 'Big Writing' pupils are encouraged to be ambitious, to up-level their work and pay attention to their use of V.C.O.P., which with The Punctuation Pyramid, becomes a toolkit for writing at a higher level. Stealing and borrowing are encouraged when pupils see elements of V.C.O.P. in peers' work that they like. The concept is simple, that children do not need to understand the educationalist terminology to use the skills in their work. "