Teach-Primary-Issue-19.2

3. First person The recount is told in the first person. Examples: We saw…; I couldn’t believe… 4. Adverbials of time: Words like first, next, after that, finally help guide the reader through the sequence. Example: After lunch, we walked to the park. 5. Details and description: Including sensory details (what was seen, heard, or even smelled!) helps to make the recounts more vivid for the reader. Example: The museum’s garden was filled with the scent of lavender, and we could hear the faint hum of bees. 6. Personal voice (optional): For diary-style or personal recounts, the writer’s thoughts and feelings are often included. Example: I couldn’t believe how big the dinosaur skeletons were – it was amazing! 7. Concluding statement: A sentence or two that wraps up the recount, reflecting on the experience. Example: It was one of the best days I’ve ever had, and I’ll never forget it. Bit by bit There are many ways of teaching children to write recounts. One effective approach is to break the process into small, manageable steps. For example, children might: 1. Explore examples Begin by reading different types of recounts as a class. Highlight key features such as time connectives, past tense verbs, and use of descriptive language. 2. Identify key features Work on the whiteboard together, or ask pupils to use highlighters on their individual worksheets to identify recount features in model texts. 3. Decide on a topic This could mean everyone writing about the same shared experience – a pantomime the class have watched at the local theatre, for example. It could be an imaginative scenario, such as exploring a strange planet or life from inside a Victorian workhouse. Or it could involve asking children to choose an experience to write about from their life outside of school (a football tournament, a sibling’s birthday, or a trip to visit family). As noted above, teachers will need to be sensitive and use their knowledge of the class to decide how best to organise this. 4. Plan the recount Planning templates, timelines or graphic organisers might help pupils structure their ideas (see linked resources on the right for worksheets). 5. Draft the recount Focus on writing the recount step-by-step, starting with an engaging introduction, moving through the main events, and ending with a reflective conclusion. 6. Edit and improve Encourage children to review their recounts, both proofreading for elements such as grammar, punctuation, and use of key features, and checking if there any wider opportunities to improve the piece and further engage the reader, perhaps by adding greater detail or including more vivid descriptions to bring the events to life. 7. Share and reflect Provide opportunities for pupils to share their recounts with peers, celebrate their work, and reflect on how they could improve in the future. Encourage your class to experiment with recounts today, and see how they bring their writing to life! TP James Clements is an education writer and researcher. His latest project is FluentZoo, a programme for developing children’s reading fluency. DOWNLOAD RESOURCES AT Download your FREE accompanying resources at tinyurl.com/ tp-Recounts fluentzoo.com www.teachwire.net | 73 T E ACH RE AD I NG & WR I T I NG