Developmental Writing

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Developmental Writing

The function of writing is that it should be able to be read back and understood. Recording strategies used should enable pupils to look back at their work and still be able to understand it. The strategies selected should therefore reflect the pupils' developmental level of language not their chronological age. Pictorial recording strategies would be used with a KS2 pupil whose level of English is in the early stages of development whereas a KS1 pupil may have progressed to pictorial support.

Using a developmental approach to writing and recording means the structure of a pupil's writing reflects the developmental level of English within live communication (talking/signing). The grammatical structure of written work would not be automatically corrected to the adult form. Only those aspects known to be within the child's spontaneous communication or successfully used within structured English activities would be corrected.

Pictorial Recording

Draw pictures and talk about their ideas

Recording what you wear in the rain in geography

In the early stages of language development use pictures and photos rather than writing. Labels may be used to help others interpret the pictures and/or to help build the pupil's sight vocabulary. Pupils would not be expected to construct sentences.

Using writing frames and tables enables pupils to record knowledge in an accessible way.

Drawing can also be used to assess pupils' reading ability. Even if pupils can say/sign all the words it cannot be assumed that they understand the meaning of the text.

Pictorial Support

Pupils begin by drawing as this helps to clarify their ideas. They then add the writing.

Retelling a story studied in RE

Progress to pupils writing down their live communication (ie what they say and/or sign). Pupils' writing will reflect the word order/level of their primary spoken/signed language and they are likely to miss out lots of English words.

Creative writing in English

Pictorial Cues

Pictures provide a cue to support the understanding and reading back of their work.

News work in the literacy hour

Once they can do this confidently begin with the writing and then draw the pictures.

Label pictures to help pupils read back new vocabulary.

Label parts of the plants to reinforce scientific vocabulary in science
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Incorporate structured English teaching to lessons to enhance pupils' understanding of different English grammatical features. Once pupils can produce a feature within structured activities these aspects can be corrected within their spontaneous writing.