Wyvern House Big Write builds boys’ skills A key learning area being targeted across the whole school this year is our students’ writing. We have begun implementing the “Big Write” approach to help equip our boys with the skills and knowledge to become even moreconfident writers. Big Write is a natural progression from the “Friday Write” program we have used fora number of years at Wyvern. It includes: •Weekly Big Write sessions in all classes; •“Talk Homework”; ‘In the digital age, •VCOP (Vocabulary, Connectives, it is important Openers, Punctuation) interactive that our boys still walls in each classroom; and Writing goals for boys put pen to paper’ • The Big Write methodology is “if they can’t say it, they can’t write it”. With talk Students from 2S give each other feedback during the Big Write and communication an imperative element of the program, it encompasses into the classroom for the weekly Big Despite the incorporation of technology all writing levels and abilities. Write writing session. Teachers create such as iPads into the classroom, focus Students are encouraged to be ambitious, an atmosphere that is quiet and calm by is still placed on students’ ability to up-level their work ad focus on elen ments either dimming the lights, lighting a write without the help of technology. As of VCOP in their writing. By highlighting candle and/or playing soft music. Boys teachers, we find the physical act of these areas as “goals”, there has been have 10 minutes to plan their writing, writing ignites creative writing. a direct link to improved writing skills. 40 minutes to write and 10 minutes at Since implementing the Big Write, So how does it work? the end to edit and up-level their work. teachers have noticed most In collaboration with their teacher, each improvement in the oral VCOP games Every Thursday, each class across K-6 boy receives a writing goal based on his and activities. These activities provide has a two-hour Big Write session. The Big Write that he works towards the regular opportunities for the boys to first hour is for interactive and engaging practise and develop key aspects of VCOP games and activities. This hour following week. Sometimes these goals are achieved and another goal is given their writing. It helps them understand gets the boys talking, sharing ideas and how to develop their writing by using a consolidating content they have delved or it takes some more practise to broader range of vocabulary, into throughout the week. They talk embed that goal in their writing. connectives, openers and punctuation. about what they’re going to write in the In the digital age, it is important that our The Thursday Big Write sessions have following hour by initiating their “writer boys still put pen to paper. The majority provided students with an opportunity to voice”. This fun and fast element of Big of our assessments are still produce an extended piece of writing Write ensures boys are focused and handwritten, so handwriting serves as a enabling them to develop their ideas absorbed in their learning, before writing. very functional skill to ensure students and demonstrate their skills based on The boys take a break, then come back are able to write legibly and articulately. explicit teaching that week. Year 3 student Gabriel Da Silva Year 4 student Aston Rose 40| NEWS AUTUMN 2018| OPPORTUNITY