Presentation from this year's Teaching and Learning Takeover at the University of Southampton. Sharing ideas adapted from Penny Langford's building writers plan and also some feedback techniques for ks3 and ks4.

1. Building Writers and
Functional Feedback
Jennifer Ludgate
English Teacher
@MissJLud

2. What do we
mean by gap?
How do we and our
students know what
success looks like?
‘Closing the gap between
where students are and what
success looks like is the most
powerful way we can fast
Why is ‘closing
What does it
forward learning.’
the gap’
mean to ‘fast
Visible Learning for Teachers, John Hattie
powerful?
forward
learning’?

3. Can we develop the
knowledge and skills
necessary to successfully
complete the learning
without wasting time or
moving too quickly?

4. Building Writers at KS3
S
Can we develop the knowledge and skills necessary
to successfully complete the learning without

5. We can build writers and close the gap
in their work through:
Can we develop the knowledge and skills
necessary to successfully complete the

6. What would writers
have to say?
The story
teller
?
?
The blogger
The speech writer
The poet

7. Modelling the process, not just the
finished article
• Write in front of students!
• Talk about our problems as writers
• Model re-reading and writing as part of the process –
avoid spiralling out of control!
• Recognise just how hard the task may be – and how long it
will take!
• Reflect on our own writing so that we can figure out our
own answers to the difficult issues of teaching writing.

8. Share the process with your students
•
•
•
•
Do you ever talk aloud as you write?
Are you aware of talking in your head as you write?
Do you stop mid-sentence and work out what you are going to say next?
So…do you share these experiences with the writers in your class?
Resource
bank: Long
term
memory
Planning
Creating
Reviewing
The
reasons
for
writing:
Context

9. Talk like a
book
Speak aloud
your first line
Talking:
No writing allowed
Correct
mistakes easily
Speaking vs
Writing Voice

10. Pupil Autonomy
“I choose what I write”
For the duration of the project pupils were called
‘writers’. They sat in their writing groups and shared
ideas.
Further lessons included:
research lessons, self
assessment, no pens allowed
and public critique.

11. So can we develop the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully
complete the learning without wasting time or moving too quickly?
Develop – through the use of modelling, talk and pupil autonomy
both knowledge and skills were developed.
Successfully - confidence levels increased, pupils shared ideas
with each other with ease over the two week period, they still talk
about that piece of work now plus their levels increased.
Wasting time/moving too quickly – Time wasn’t wasted it was
used wisely. A two week project (7-8 hours) ensured the gaps
were filled slowly. Students were able to see that moving quickly
does not necessarily equal success.

12. What opportunities do we build
into our lessons and schemes of
work for pupils to choose what
they write?
What topics/schemes/subjects/
circumstances would allow pupils to
improve their writing through talk?
How can pupil
autonomy be used in
my subject/class?
Add your post it notes to the
relevant sheet.
Can any of the ‘building
writers’ ideas be used with a
class/topic you teach?
Teach
Share
Collaborate

13. Building on Feedback
A range of techniques I have used to
engage and encourage feedback in
lessons with KS3 and KS4 pupils.

14. Feedback Findings
Providing effective feedback is challenging.
Research suggests that it should:
•
•
•
•
•
be specific, accurate and clear
compare what a learner is doing right now with what they have done
wrong before
encourage and support further effort (getting a balance between support
and challenge) and be given sparingly so that it is meaningful (as too much
feedback can stop learners working out what they need to do for
themselves).
provide specific guidance on how to improve and not just tell students
when they are wrong.
Wider research suggests the feedback should be about complex or
challenging tasks or goals as this is likely to emphasise the importance of
effort and perseverance as well as be more valued by the pupils. Feedback
can come from other peers as well as adults.
From the Education Endowment Foundation (2012)

15. Functional Feedback at
KS4
Improving Reading: Using quotations effectively
To get higher marks, you need to:
Name:
Improving Reading: Using quotations effectively
To get higher marks, you need to:
Name:
Use quotations as examples in your work.
Use quotations as examples in your work.
Use at least one quotation for every point that you make.
Use at least one quotation for every point that you make.
Use quotation marks to show it is from another text. (‘ and ’ )
Use quotation marks to show it is from another text. (‘ and ’ )
Choose a quotation which fits in with your point – this may mean it shows how
a character says their dialogue. For example: „“I can pass this exam.” Tim said
confidently.‟
Choose a quotation which fits in with your point – this may mean it shows how
a character says their dialogue. For example: „“I can pass this exam.” Tim said
confidently.‟
Rewrite a paragraph and try to improve the quotations you use.
Rewrite a paragraph and try to improve the quotations you use.
Success Criteria (not previously hit)
A section to rewrite using the above
guidance – named by you or pupil
Monitoring response – a confidence
boost or a sign that more input is
needed.
·
Read the paragraph again and check that you have used a quotation.
·
Read the paragraph again and check that you have used a quotation.
·
Check that quotation marks have been used correctly (words within the
quotation marks. All punctuation copied exactly from the text).
·
Check that quotation marks have been used correctly (words within the
quotation marks. All punctuation copied exactly from the text).
Add a sentence opener leading into your quotation: ‘The word ‘…..’ is
effective because…. Or ‘The writer has used the phrase ‘……..’ to imply…’
Add a sentence opener leading into your quotation: ‘The word ‘…..’ is
effective because…. Or ‘The writer has used the phrase ‘……..’ to imply…’

16. • Your targets may feel like
ghosts coming back to haunt
you time and time again!
• One way to make your
ghosts disappear is by
tackling them and showing
them you’re not scared!
• Read through your target
and tackle it until it
disappears!

18. The Results:
Year 9 Pupil responses
to ‘Give your opinion to
the ghostly feedback
sheets:’
‘Makes responding easier’
‘It means you have to do it!’
‘It is quite clear – I like
them when they are cut up.’
‘Bang and the target’s gone’
Forces me to think about my
feedback carefully! How do I
phrase my feedback so that it
doesn’t confuse pupils or
demotivate!
Ie. Think about the difference
between an instruction and a
question

19. Reflective Time
(like Hammer time but with tighter trousers)
Are my expectations for
feedback clear to my
class?
Aside from marking
books and verbal
feedback, what other
forms of functional
feedback could you
introduce?
Do my pupils interact with
their feedback?
Is it developing their learning
or does it merely show they
can read?

20. Jennifer Ludgate
English Teacher
@MissJLud - littlemisslud.wordpress.com/