Writing Inquiry Week One

As I embark on my first inquiry I have decided to record my findings here as I know that questions, queries and uncertainties can be answered. I am not sure how to approach this inquiry and what is the best way to record all the evidence, information and findings I come across so any advice will be appreciated.

The four students I have chosen are students are writing below the National Standards for their age. All but one is a year three student.

My year four student is writing at a level 1A (OTJ- Overall Teacher Judgment)  but it is not always consistent

All my year threes are writing at a 1P  (OTJ) depending on the day.

According to National Standards  in year 3 my students need to be doing this;

Students will independently write texts that are clearly directed to a particular audience. They will organise their texts according to a basic structure that meets their purpose for writing (for example, a story with a beginning, middle, and an end). These texts will include, when appropriate:

·         content, mostly relevant, that conveys several experiences, items of information, and/or ideas relating to a curriculum topic and that sometimes includes detail and/or comment

·         mainly simple and compound sentences that vary in their beginnings and lengths and in the simple conjunctions used

·         attempts at some complex sentences

·         some specific vocabulary that is appropriate to the content of the text.

By the end of year 4 they need to be able to;

Students will independently write texts, using language and a simple text structure that suit their audience and purpose (for example, when recounting, describing, narrating, reporting, or explaining). These texts will include, when appropriate:

·         content that is mostly relevant to the curriculum task, covers a range of ideas, experiences, or items of information, and often includes detail and/or comment supporting the main points

·         mainly simple and compound sentences that vary in their beginnings structures, and lengths and are mostly correct grammatically

·         attempts at complex sentences

·         words and phrases, in particular, nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, that clearly convey ideas, experiences, or information.

Below is the unaided piece of writing I gave my students last week.

Year 4

Year 3

Year 3

Year 3