Teach Primary Issue 18.5

How many times have you heard pupils say “I don’t know what to write. How do I start?” or “I don’t have any ideas!”? When it comes to writing, so many children are afraid of getting it wrong, because writing requires a certain level of confidence that they may not have built up yet. But confidence grows from comfort, so focusing on making pupils comfortable with writing is a good place to start. One of the best ways to do this is by eliminating pressures from tasks, turning them into games, and making the whole process of writing fun. If you were to ask pupils to ‘write a story in five clear paragraphs, including a cast of characters, exciting dilemmas and strong resolutions’, nine out of ten pupils would probably struggle. Instead, the guidance in this lesson plan leads them through the planning process quickly and easily – and they should have fun doing it, too! Depending on time constraints and the age/ability of your class, you might want to complete this lesson plan in one session, or stretch it over a few. Writing should always be flexible in this way; we never know when inspiration is going to strike, and we have to allow ourselves (and pupils) the freedom to alter the storytelling process to get the best results. 1 | THE WORLD-CROSSING MOMENT To start, ask pupils “How would you feel if you woke up this morning and you weren’t in your bed at home – you were actually on a magical island?”. Display the following three questions on the board and ask the children to write down all the ideas that they have… • What are the first things you’d see? (Remind them there’s no such thing as a ‘wrong idea’. Pupils can be as wacky and creative as they like, and they can use their spider diagram ideas to help them. Examples: they might see a floating library, a lion with the head of a rubber duck, or a castle flying in the sky. They might also want to describe START HERE MAIN LESSON WHAT THEY’LL LEARN l How to write with confidence l How to overcome the fear of ‘getting it wrong’ l How to tap into the power of their own imaginations l How to think originally and creatively l How to create their own fictional worlds English Ask pupils, “If you found yourself on a magical island that comes to life when you use your imagination, what would you imagine?” Remind them that nothing is impossible, nothing is too silly or strange, and nothing is off-limits. For example, they might want to imagine a forest made from gold, the world’s fastest Lamborghini, or a never-ending chocolate waterfall. Give pupils five minutes to create a spider diagram of all their ideas. Shout out extra questions like “What would you eat if you could make any dish just by imaginining it?” or “How would you get around if you could imagine any transportation?”. Create your own Imagination Island Use this inspiring lesson plan from Mel Taylor-Bessent to help children write creatively with confidence KS2 LESSON PLAN meltaylorbessent meltaylorbessent.com @MelTBessent 72 | www.teachwire.net