BBC Radio 2- 500 Word competition
Firstly, we hope that you are keeping safe and well in the current climate and secondly a huge well done to all the Year 2 children whose stories were selected for the BBC Radio 2 500-word competition. You all did an amazing job and it was a pleasure to work with you and read your brilliant final stories, you should all be very proud of yourselves.
The 500-word competition have now selected those stories which are through to the next round of judging. We’re pleased to say that Sofia in Otter Class with her story ‘An orphaned marmoset tale’ has made it through to the next round. The competition received nearly 135,000 entries and only around 5000 go to the Reading Agency for the second round of judging. So well done to Sofia you should be very proud!
The Power of Reading
The Power of Reading is a school development project which engages teachers and children in the literacy curriculum through using high quality books and proven teaching approaches. The project offers multi-layered professional development drawing on Centre for Literacy in Primary Education’s (CLPE’s) highly regarded classroom-based research and experience of working with teachers. The Power of Reading project combines the use of outstanding books for teachers and children with an approach to teaching the English curriculum that is creative, engaging and develops a love of literacy (CLPE).
Best ways to support writing at home
Start a vocabulary notebook.
Teach your child new words each week and encourage her to use them. Make it into a game and give points for using the new words. Your child can keep a vocabulary notebook and get rewarded for the number of new words learned. The words will begin to appear like magic in her oral language and writing.
Ask questions.
Always ask your child questions when he writes. Ask specific questions about your child’s writing such as: “How did that happen?” “How did that make you feel?” “Can you tell me more about that…?” “What are some other words you could use to describe…?”
Provide a place for your child to write.
The area should be an area that is quiet and well lit. Stock the “writing centre” with supplies such as paper, pencils and crayons. You could also gather family photos and magazines in the centre that can be used as story starters.
Read, read, read!
The best activity to improve writing is reading. If your child reads good books, he will be a better writer. Reading exposes students to general vocabulary, word study and content-specific vocabulary. Through reading, students see a variety of authors’ techniques that they can use in their own writing.
Provide authentic writing opportunities for your child.
Have your child write their own thank-you notes, party invitations and letters to family. Get your child to write a shopping list. Finding a pen pal for your child would make writing “real.” Helping children make the connection between writing and the “real” world will increase an interest in writing.
Be a writing role model.
Make sure your child sees you as a writer. Point out times that you use writing to communicate with others. Discuss authentic writing in the community such as articles and letters in the newspaper, on signs or in written advertisements. Discuss the purpose of the writing. When your child writes, you could write. You can schedule a day of the week that you will turn off the television and share your writing.
