Persuasive Writing Topics

This holidays you may like to practise your persuasive writing!

Here is a list of possible topics to choose from:
- Too much money is a bad thing.
- People should go to jail when they abandon their pets.
- Kids should get paid for good exam results.
- Kids should have less homework.
- Handwriting is important.
- We should teach good manners in schools.
- Short hair is better than long hair.
- I'm old enough to babysit!
- Children should be required to read more.
- Mobile phones should never be used while driving.
- Parents of bullies should have to pay a fine.
- Children should be able to choose their bedtime.
- We should allow pets in school.
- I'm old enough to stay at home alone.
- We should all grow our own vegetables.
- Video games can be educational.
- Aliens probably exist.
- School should take place in the evenings.
- Country life is better than city life.
- Teachers should be paid more.
- People should live on the moon.

Don't forget to use the structure we have been learning in class and I will be happy to look at anyone's extra work after the holidays!

Please remember that BTN is great to watch over the break for ideas!

For Teachers: English Modules

NSW BOS English Modules K-6 by

For Teachers: Teaching Vocabulary

In a previous life I qualified as a Cambridge CELTA Teacher. Recently I welcomed a new-arrival ESL Student to my class and it inspired me to think once more about effective teaching of vocabulary.

This presentation below is excellent; infact I recommend it to all Teachers!



Using appropriate questioning techniques can certainly help a teacher to gain confidence and cater to the needs of all their students.

Narrative Writing

In writing we have been looking at the Narrative text Type.
Here is a stimulus we have been using in class:

Some fun story starters are here.

A simple but effective story starter website has over 2 billion options! There is also another story starter website specifically for kids, visit it here.

Scholasic has its own Story Starter generator. I think our class will give it a try in computer time!

A good slideshow to introduce elements of narrative Writing to students is available here.

A simple narrative planner (shared from here):

Another interesting Narrative planner:

English: Writing Sentences

Now is the time for our class to take another look at correct punctuation and writing extended sentences.

BBC Bitesize has an excellent online activity about types of sentences.

There is also excellent background infomation available on different types of sentences.

A good commas game is here.

Using apostrophes online lesson from BBC Kids, and an online presentation from draggeneric explains apostrophes for possession and contraction.

'Match the contraction' game would be great to play between lessons.

The classroom activity we used to test our knowledge was from BBC Skillswise.

Fisnish your lesson with a fun online game called 'fly by contractions.'

Premier's Spelling Bee

Our school is taking part in the 2012 Premier's Spelling Bee.
You can read a guide about the Bee here.

A really fun film you can watch about 'Spelling Bees' is the 2002 film 'Spellbound.' You can find out some more about it here.

The film's trailer:


Another fun excerpt:

Helping your child with reading

Our school is blessed with a helpful population of parents and friends and I always look forward to further supporting our families and community, especially when it is going to help our learning in the classroom!

This NSW Department of Education and Communities web article covers how to help your child when reading at home.

Home reading is a vital part of the Stage 2 program and this article is full of simple and useful tips to assist with your child's development in reading fluency and comprehension.

English: Using Joining Words, Vocabulary, Paragraphs

We are always looking for ways to extend our sentences... this fun BBC Bitesize game looks at extending sentences.

The BBC Bitesize Big Babies Gonch is also an excellent tool to highlight the importance of vocabulary in writing.

Finally, a fun paragraph game.

English: Mapping Out Persuasive Writing

Today we have been making lists of arguments to assist with the structure of our persuasive writing.

A great online 'map generator' is available here.

English: Spelling Bee

Sydney's Daily Telegraph newpaper has an excellent online Spelling Bee practice test! So if you LOVE spelling, or would just like to get some more training, you can have a go here.

Our school will also be participating in the '2012 Premier's Spelling Bee' so let's all aim keep our spelling up to date and perfect!

English: Spelling

Learning to spell is a big an important part of Primary Education.

This morning I have been marking spelling tests and have been thinking about what resource I can offer to target specific areas of spelling in my students.

This website looks excellent. The website has been developed by an experienced English Teacher and examiner and has loads of targeted, printable worksheets for learners. It also has English and American resources available, very thoughtful!

English: Lexile Reading Program

At our school we use the Lexile Reading Program.
This mini-poster is a more simple verion of the huge one I was given when I went to Lexile training the other day, it's good to have on hand and also to use in parent interviews.

You can find out more about Lexile Reading at www.mylexile.com.au

Lexile Reading Level Poster

Learn to Type

It's amazing to consider that my current class of year 3s will (most probably) be completing their HSC on computer!

So hand in hand with handwriting comes typing. I think it's important to note that students must first learn to type, and typing games can then compliment and develop these skills. Like with handwriting, we all eventually develop our own style with how to approach typing.

BBC Dancemat Typing is excellent, however it requires sound. This is not always appropriate for a classroom!

This online learning games for kids website has a good series of leveled typing lessons for kids.

keybr is an excellent tool for learning to type full words, and also demonstrates finger placement on the keyboard, a helpful reminder for everybody, adults included.

I think we all agree learning to type is vital, I hope these websites help.

English: Persuasive Writing Rubric

Persuasive Writing Sample Marking Sheet Naplan

In 2011 I participated in ACER's NAPLAN Writing course to gain marking certification. Upon completing the course, I developed this marking rubric to assist me when approaching student writing samples.

I forgot I had it, until half an hour ago! This is a good place to keep it and share with other Teachers around the place.

Good luck with NAPLAN 2012 everyone!

Handwriting

NSW Handwriting GOLD! I believe this document is from 1983 (the very year I was in Kindergarten!) but it still holds its own today. BELIEVE!

Handwriting

The Joy of Books