GUIDED WRITING

What is Guided Writing?

Guided Writing is the name given to a range of ways in which teachers support developing writers.
Formal Guided Writing involves a small group of pupils sitting with the teacher, rehearsing,questioning,clarifying and revising as each produces an individual piece of writing.

Informal/Supported Guided Writing describes all the ways in which teachers scaffold an independent writing task for pupils. Teachers My provide detailed plans, note making and writing frameworks, frequent conferences and peer assistance as they seek to guide pupils in their writing.

Why use Guided Writing?

Familiarises pupils with the management of the writing process Enables pupils to be active participants in writing conferences Encourages pupils to be analytical and reflective about writing Provides a forum for pupils to discuss what makes effective writing Supports pupils confronted with the demands of written English

What are the benefits for pupils?

Guided writing enables pupils to:

make decisions, compose and revise their own writing;

become familiar with the management of the writing process; be active participants in a writing conference;

be analytical and reflective about writing;

gain confidence; discuss what makes effective writing; build up a language to talk about writing.

What are the benefits for teachers?

Guided writing enables teachers to:

focus on a specific, challenging aspect of writing;

support and challenge children in planning and drafting their writing and in revising, editing and evaluating work

provide explicit feedback and point the way for forward for particular children;

model how to give and accept constructive criticism;

provide focused and targeted support at the point of composition (extension, consolidation, simplification);

assess the childrens understanding, knowledge and skills.

Guided Writing in the Teaching Sequence

Familiarisation with the genre / text type

Before writing
Capturing ideas

Teacher demonstration

Teacher scribing Supported writing Guided writing

During writing

Independent writing

After writing

Planning and organisation

Effective teaching of writing begins with assessment and the identification of learning needs; Children are grouped with similar needs; The number of groups will vary in any one class; The number of children in a group will vary, usually six to eight; The groups should be flexible; Groups can be revisited over consecutive days.

Before writing-to support childrens planning and drafting of their work

Supporting children as they formulate their ideasthis may include drama and role play; Reviewing objectives and targets; Teacher modelling of planning and drafting; Developing sentence construction and punctuation; Retelling a story; Planning using planning frames; Oral rehearsal.

At the point of writing. Support can be given as they begin to write, have begun the writing process or are writing independently.
Write the next few sentences or paragraph for the chosen genre; Reread for clarity and purpose; Use greater precision-choice of phrases, or types of sentences; Greater cohesion-use of connectives, tense, time and so on; Check against key objectives and success criteria.

After writing-feedback session.

After children have worked independently there should be opportunities to assess their own writingthe use of peer support is useful; Checking writing against success criteria, edit, proofread and reflect on the impact on the reader; Review progress and targets; Discuss next steps in writing and set new targets.

The Advantages of Guided Writing

It provides the bridge between shared and independent work The teaching focus and teachers intervention can be tailored in response to particular needs Its flexibility allows for individual, paired or collaborative group work

The teacher works with groups or pairs of children who have similar needs. Children are given opportunity to practise writing in a supported group context. Children learn to share and problem solve aspects of writing with others

Improving writing with a focus on guided writing

Clarify messages about assessment, planning and teaching writing Strengthen the focus on teaching strategies for writing especially guided writing Illustrate effective practice