Why ‘Less is More’ in Genre instruction
Being a writer has been a lifelong dream of mine. From a young age, I’d tell Mum and Dad I was going to be an author, an illustrator and a …
Writing
Perfect poems to celebrate World Poetry Day
Happy World Poetry Day! Today is a wonderful day for me as I’ve always loved reading and writing poetry. I can’t remember exactly where this love started but I do …
Strategies for supporting reluctant writers
Lots of teachers ask me how to engage their reluctant writers. It’s like they know my secret when they ask me. The secret that my family know only too well: …
3 Common Misconceptions About The 6+1 Traits of writing
It’s no surprise that I get a lot of questions about the 6+1 traits of writing. I do, after all, bang on about them ALL. THE. TIME. Why? Because even …
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Should You Teach Genre or the 6 + 1 Traits?
I get asked this question quite a lot. And it excites me. Why? Because it’s generally asked after a teacher has had their eyes opened to the 6+1 traits of …
4 books to spark start-of-year notebook writing
Notebook writing is the perfect start-of-year activity for your literacy classroom- it builds community and teaches students timely strategies for generating ideas for writing. Now that’s a win-win right there. …
A crucial first step in improving writing instruction
I love a good inspirational quote. My childhood gymnastics coach, Mr Palmer, introduced them to me. You couldn’t even go to the bathroom in his gym without facing uplifting words …
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How to Plan for Effective Genre Instruction
I’m in the middle of running the Writing Traits Masterclass at the moment (and LOVING it!) and I’ve had lots of questions about planning for genre instruction. So, here’s my …
Writers and their notebooks: Jodi Toering
Jodi Toering is a Victorian author and primary school teacher who last year released her stunning debut book, Mallee Sky. As soon as I read this book, I fell in …
Writers and their notebooks: Claire Saxby
Claire Saxby is a Victorian writer who has written almost 40 children’s books. She writes beautiful fiction and non-fiction texts as well as poetry and has won many awards for …