Five Myths about Modelled Writing
Modelled writing should help to improve the pupil’s understanding and knowledge. If it doesn’t do this, then it is a very visual distraction at best, and busyness at worst — where the students are occupied but not actually learning much. Below are some myths that may lurk and float around your school corridors. How many do you recognise?
You must use your student’s suggestions in your modelled writing
Whoever said this? While there are times and opportunities when this is perfectly valid, I believe that this should be the exception rather than the rule. Planning what you are about to model, rather than hoping that your students will deliver all of the goods 100% is a far more sensible and preventative measure. It can be helpful at first to draft out what you are trying to model first in either long hand or short form, as a prop when you are actually modelling it.
Modelled writing must feature in every lesson
This is patently not a good practice either. Some lessons require you to ascertain exactly what the students can produce under their own steam. At times, this can be prepared using a modelled write, but otherwise, it is good practice to see what they can manage to produce on a task without prompting, as this will then give you a very good baseline for what they are able to achieve independently.
Modelled writing should have mistakes in it
There is enough of an opportunity to make a mistake in modelled writing by itself! Again, some lessons require you to make deliberate mistakes, and some teacher prefer to lead modelled writing using this at a trait, but again, this should be the exception rather than the rule. Mistakes are recognised by students, but better prose is more ambitious and ultimately, more rewarding.
Modelled writing has to be created in front of the students
Plenty of effective modelled writing can be offered partially finished, or with gaps,. Yet more examples of modelled writing is when the writing is complete, but it needs great improvement. If your focus is on sentence structures, it may be wise for example to create some modelled writing using some simple sentences, and spend the modelled write focussing on improving those sentences. If you are adding word, changing sentence structures, even adjusting tense or vocabulary within a text, it’s a modelled write.
Every good observed lesson has a modelled write in it
Untrue. Every good observed lesson has great teaching in it. Modelled writing may feature, but it isn’t, nor should it be, compulsory.
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This is an extract from “How to teach Modelled Writing,” which hopes to transform your use of this key teaching skill in under an hour.
