1. Guided Writing

2. What is guided writing?
• It is a component of a balanced writing
curriculum;
• Provides an additional supported step towards
independent writing;
• It contributes to the teaching sequence for
writing;
• It should be carefully targeted towards groups of
children with similar specific needs;
• The aim is to teach a specific skill to lead to
independence in writing.

3. Guided Writing v Guided
Reading
Variable Flexible Need

4. What are the benefits of
guided writing?
• Enables the teacher to tailor the teaching to the
needs of the group;
• Although it is a group activity it allows the
teacher to observe and respond to the needs of
individuals;
• Encourages the children to discuss writing;
• Builds confidence;
• Allows immediate feedback on success and
further areas for improvement.

5. 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.

6. Assess prior learning
Decide on appropriate learning
objectives for text type and
Enjoy and explore text learning needs of the class
Decide on approximate timings
Develop comprehension for each learning phase
skills
Identify elements that
may support later
writing
Develop success criteria evaluate progress against
for writing learning outcomes for first
phase
Adjust planning to meet
learning needs of the pupils
Develop and collect
ideas
Shape ideas for writing,
orally and/or on paper
Clarify and refine ideas •evaluate progress against
using planning models learning outcomes for second
phase
•Adjust planning to meet
learning needs of the pupils
Build on planning to
produce a final written
outcome
Work on different
aspects of the writing •evaluate progress against
learning outcomes for writing
process: drafting, process
revising, editing and •Adjust planning to meet
presenting learning needs of the pupils
•assess final outcome against
class success criteria

7. Before writing-to support children’s planning
and drafting of their work
• Supporting children as they formulate their
ideas-this 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.

8. 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.

9. After writing-feedback session.
• After children have worked independently there
should be opportunities to assess their own
writing-the 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.

10. Case Study Year 3 – the
literacy session
Whole-class session
• The teacher shares the objectives with the class;
• To use more powerful verbs and adverbs;
• To improve how we start sentences for the
reader;
• Parallel classes have videoed various sentences;
• Recap on previous work;
• Children improve their sentences in pairs on
whiteboards.

11. Guided writing session
• The teacher explains the purpose of the session;
the children need to improve their sentences,
particularly looking at sentence openers;
• The teacher uses sentences from the children’s
work;
• Children work in pairs to discuss;
• The improvements are applied and shared;
• The teacher sums up and expects the children to
apply this learning independently.

12. Points from the DVD
• The learning environment.
• The teacher’s emphasis on writing for the reader.
• The teacher’s use of technical language.
• The structure and clear focus of the guided
session.
• In the guided session the children are applying
the learning to their work.

13. • The effective work with boys in the group.
• The group are fully engaged and motivated.
• The teacher sets writing targets for the groups
but there is flexibility across the groups
reflecting need and ongoing assessment.
• Teaching takes place during the session to
intervene to improve the children’s writing
performance.

14. Action Points