PENOLA Primary School is continuing to revolutionise the teaching and learning of writing in an effort to develop future writers by applying real life tasks to the students’ day to day learning.
Literacy consultant Lisa Burman has assisted this transition by closely supporting the new shift in teaching and learning within the primary school to ensure students have the skills to pursue their writing dreams.
Penola Primary School teacher Olivia Thomas said through the introduction of the program Writing Workshop, students were taught specific skills and noticed ways published writers wrote.
“We have developed whole school agreements, offered targeted professional learning and supported teachers through one on one coaching,” Ms Thomas said.
Students are taught as a whole group and then practice their skills while writing about their chosen topic.
“When students are able to choose the topic, we have found engagement has been much higher, even with our most reluctant writers,” Ms Thomas said.
“While our young writers are taught the same ‘big’ ideas, writing about something they care about is key.”
The school’s younger writers are telling their stories and sharing their ideas by creating books while older writers use a Writers Notebook to record their entries.
Penola Primary School teacher Nicole Lear said since introducing Writers Workshop, engagement levels of the students were higher as they had more control over their choice and direction.
“Students now have higher control over their own learning as they are able to take ownership of their work and apply it to real world situations such as letter writing,” Ms Lear said.
Penola Primary School Year 7 student Mia said she enjoyed creating her notebook as she had a passion for writing.
Penola Primary School principal Paul Harmer said the workshops displayed more consistency in the writing of students.
“In the past teaching writing was strict and many students lacked interest,” Mr Harmer said.
He said the program has engaged students significantly more and they were now displaying an interest in writing.
“Students are now involved with the entire writing process, including editing their own work,” Mr Harmer said.
“It is more about the process rather than the product.”
