Three word challenge

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Grammar… Understanding Language not

Identifying Features

Lead Secondary English AdviserSecondary NQT Induction Adviser


Three word challenge

e.g. Three word Monday…

•Argentinian hopes dashed•Final week agony•Leaving presents bought•Ofsted call alert

Three word grammar… (What does it do/mean?)


What is…

The most commonly used word in English language?


Hmm


Grammar Needs Context

It’s about meaning and clarity. Clarity unites us.

David Crystal


dear jonI want a man who knows what love is all about you are generous kind thoughtful people who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior you have ruined me for other men i yearn for you i have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart i can be forever happy will you let me beyours

jane


At the start of a relationship…

Dear Jon,

I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy - will you let me be yours?

Jane


At the end…

Dear Jon,

I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be?

Yours,

Jane


Helping students who are not natural readers and writers

• Rules v conventions -‘tell them the rule after they have used it’

• Grammar (sits within ‘writing composition’) but need to be based on reading texts

• Year 6 – Explore reasons behind language (grammar) choice

• Important to see real texts (not texts to teach grammar)


High currency features

• Noun phrases• Conjunctions and adverbs (connectives)• Active and passive• Tenses • Modal verbs


Humpty Dumpty


One day Humpty Dumpty went for a walk. He found a big wall. Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall and had a great fall.

Humpty Dumpty was sitting on Mr Gill’s old, crumbling wall when a gust of wind whipped past. Poor Humpty! What would happen to him?


As the sun rose above the horizon, Humpty Dumpty, who never listened to good advice, sat contentedly on the old, crumbling wall in the middle of Mr Gill’s field. Without warning, a gust of wind – as strong as a hurricane - whipped past.


Noun phrases

Adding to detailed knowledge of noun

All noun phrases can be replaced by pronouns

‘They hesitantly put him together’


Hopper picture


Adverbs – adding colour and shape to writing

Three basic questions

How?

The boy ran swiftly

When?

Yesterday, the boy ran swiftly.

Where?

The boy ran to the edge of the cliff


Hopper picture


Creative prose writing skills.

24 marks are awarded for communication and organisation; 16 marks are awarded for vocabulary, sentence structure, spelling and punctuation.

Write a story which begins: I didn’t know if I had the courage to do this …


Openings

He came into my life in February 1932 and never left it again. More than a quarter of a century has passed since then, more than nine thousand days, desultory and tedious, hollow with the sense of effort or work without hope – days and years, many of them as dead as dry leaves on a dead tree.


Writing to Persuade/Argue

A proposal has been made to hold a motorcycle race on the roads in your area.

You have decided to write an article for your community magazine to share your views on this proposal. You could write in favour or against this proposal.

Write a lively article for the magazine giving your views.


What the examiner will look for

• the writing is fully coherent and controlled (plot and characterisation are developed with detail, originality and imagination)

• the writing is clearly and imaginatively organised (narrative is sophisticated and fully engages the reader’s interest)

• structure and grammatical features are used ambitiously to give the writing cohesion and coherence

• communication is ambitious and consistently conveys precise meaning


Every word a gem

• there is appropriate and effective variation of sentence structures

• virtually all sentence construction is controlled and accurate • a range of punctuation is used confidently and accurately • virtually all spelling, including that of complex irregular

words, is correct • control of tense and agreement is totally secure • a wide range of ambitious, appropriate vocabulary is used

to create effect or convey precise meaning


Mr Smith got up early and ate his b________ in the kitchen.


Although women do not drive b____ they often work as conductoresses.


I go to the m_____ to buy a hat.


F____ me, I’m hot.


Don’t trust atoms; they make up everything!


Don’t be afraid

It’s about meaning and clarity.

Audience and purpose is key.

Three word challenge

Documents