Boys' writing: Year 2 significant children's authors

Date of issue: Sep. 2004

Theme: Raising boys' achievement

Audience: Key Stage 1 teachers

LEA: Medway

School context
Halling Primary is a village school and the research was based on Year 2 children. The project was carried out with a group of 25 children several of whom were operating at levels lower than the national average. The overriding problem was speaking and listening skills. I began by asking myself: Could drama influence and impact upon boys' writing and their approach to writing in general?

Reasons for choosing focus children
The children chosen were underachieving. They tended to lack interest and concentration and didn't participate freely. The challenge was how to get them away from leaning against the table leg or staring out of the window, to become active participants. Initial perceptions about writing ranged from 'because I don't understand what to write', 'I enjoy stories but I don't like it' when my writing gets messy', to 'I get the ideas but I can't spell properly'. It was evident that the boys needed to move away from the technical aspects of writing to be able to express themselves more freely.

Reasons for choosing focus objectives, text types and outcomes
For the first three-week unit I used humorous stories and for the second stories by significant children's authors. I chose to look at Dyan Sheldon and Gary Blythe (The Whale's Song and The Garden) and Ronda and David Armitage (The Lighthouse Keeper's Rescue). The unit planning 'circles' helped me decide where I would use drama activities to capture ideas and support the process of writing. Detailed plans for the second literacy unit are included in the appendix, but this is the story of a pupil called Bailey

A wide range of drama techniques were used. Thought-tracking was particularly successful as was decision alley, as no-one felt self-conscious and it stirred some really good discussions between the children. Role on the wall enabled the children to express an opinion while allowing the less confident to build upon their own ideas. The second unit was far more successful than the first. Even Bailey decided to leave the table leg and join in! The change was immense. Bailey was a bright but a rather indifferent learner, rarely participating in class lessons, and this was reflected in his writing. He had always been embarrassed in any drama activity, retreating to the back of the group, yet all of a sudden he was volunteering to walk down decision alley, had clear beliefs about his contribution to role on the wall activities and was choosing to explain why. He became more interested in the texts we read, picking up on the descriptive language and developing it, which allowed him to contribute his own ideas, e.g. 'water gently splashing against the rocks' and 'trail of clouds'.

sample of child's writing

Jenny cautiously opened the flap of the tent she spotted 4 red Indians around the enormous fire. One was cooking and the other one was crouching.

Impact on children and their writing bailey writing using ICT
The final piece of writing was to write a poem based on the images in the book. Bailey had suddenly found confidence and a belief in his own ability (often to his own amazement) as he said 'I can do it! I have got lots of 5 star words!' From this point his confidence grew and he helped the others with their writing, suggesting images and that they 'extend their sentences' (Bailey's words!).

Bailey's final perceptions highlight his change of attitude, 'Now I'll have a go at anything', 'I enjoy it because I have more ideas'. Interestingly, when asked what helped him, he referred to drama techniques, plans, collecting ideas from other books but also writing as a group of boys. This last activity is something I had never tried with pupils before, but having listened to Bailey, I will use it again.

Appendix 1:Sample of Bailey's writing

Dream world

In the distance I vaguely heard wolves howling.

The buffaloes raced across the beautiful plain and flew in the midnight sky.

The river flows like a slithering and coiling snake weaving though the grass.

Indians crouching around the gleaming fire like a tiger ready to pounce.

by Bailey