Grammar for Writing: Teaching Narrative Structure · Narrative Structure: Story Spine Once upon a...

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Grammar for Writing: Teaching Narrative Structure Debra Myhill All art is achieved through the exercise of a craft, and every craft has its rudiments that must be taught. Fairfax and Moat (1998

Transcript of Grammar for Writing: Teaching Narrative Structure · Narrative Structure: Story Spine Once upon a...

Page 1: Grammar for Writing: Teaching Narrative Structure · Narrative Structure: Story Spine Once upon a time… there was a boy called Peter who had a pet fox, Pax, that he had looked after

Grammar for Writing:

Teaching Narrative

Structure

Debra Myhill

All art is achieved through the exercise

of a craft, and every craft has its

rudiments that must be taught.

Fairfax and Moat (1998

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INTRODUCTION

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Aims of the Day

Focusing on using grammar to think about narrative structure;

Emphasising the importance of verbalising the grammar-writing link

Beginning to think about clauses;

Developing confidence in planning with grammar in mind;

Building awareness of choosing texts and relevant learning

objectives.

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REFLECTION ON GAP TASK AND

LEAD PLANNING

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Gap Task 1. Revise and use the grammar knowledge we have addressed: nouns and

noun phrases; prepositional phrases; and verbs and verb phrases. Think

about where you still feel ‘wobbly’ about grammar knowledge

2. Plan and teach at least five episodes, preferably in the context of narrative

settings and characterisation, where you use the LEAD principles to draw

young writers’ attention to the link between a grammar choice and its effect

in writing, in . Keep a record of each of these episodes using the LEAD

Planning Template.

3. Focus particularly this time on verbalising the grammar-writing link, sharing

this with children, and helping them understand the effect.

4. Bring the completed planning templates to the next CPD Day (in March) to

use in discussion.

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Grammar Subject Knowledge Noun Phrases:

premodification

postmodification

Prepositional phrases:

adjectival, expanding a noun phrase

adverbial, modifying a verb or sentence

Verbs:

verb phrases

auxiliary and modal verbs

participles

present/past progressive and present/past perfect

finite and non-finite verbs

Can you remember and

think of examples of each

of these?

NB the same example

might work for two or

more categories!

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Grammar Subject Knowledge Noun Phrases:

premodification

the winter; a rubbish dump; some big adventure

postmodification

the real estate agent, Mr. Stone;

the ghostly image of her wings;

the snow-capped Never Cliffs in the west

an old cracked toilet sitting there in the comer behind a plywood screen

Prepositional phrases:

adjectival, expanding a noun phrase

the icebergs in the north;

adverbial, modifying a verb or sentence

I found him in the garage on a Sunday afternoon

The others were inside the house with Doctor Death

And back in the mountains, the young Snow Leopard looked….

Explain this

grammar to each

other. Are there

any that are still

confusing?x

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Grammar Subject Knowledge Verbs:

verb phrases

Stone led us down the garden

Ernie Myers, that had lived here on his own for years

auxiliary and modal verbs

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Ernie couldn't manage the stairs

participles

I couldn’t have been more wrong

present/past progressive and present/past perfect

Ernie Myers, that had lived

He was lying there…

finite and non-finite verbs

The others were inside the house with Doctor Death, worrying about the baby.

an old cracked toilet sitting there in the comer

Explain this

grammar to each

other. Are there

any that are still

confusing?x

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Grammar Subject Knowledge Noun Phrases:

premodification

postmodification

Prepositional phrases:

adjectival, expanding a noun phrase

adverbial, modifying a verb or sentence

Verbs:

verb phrases

auxiliary and modal verbs

participles

present/past progressive and present/past perfect

finite and non-finite verbs

In pairs, using one

of the books you

have brought, try

to find one

example of each

of these grammar

structures

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GAP Task: Planning

In threes, share what you have been teaching since the last session.

Discuss how the children responded and anything you would improve.

Explain how each teaching episode used the LEAD principles

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GAP Task: Planning

What is the AUTHENTIC text being

used? Author and title

What extract of text is the precise focus?

What is the learning focus? (name

clearly the LINK between the grammar

being addressed and the effect of that

choice in the text)

Teaching Activities to address this,

including how EXAMPLES are used and

how DISCUSSION is promoted

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GAP Task: Planning

What is the AUTHENTIC text

being used? Author and title

Skellig by David Almond

What extract of text is the precise

focus?

The opening sentence:

I found him in the garage on a Sunday afternoon

What is the learning focus? (name

clearly the LINK between the

grammar being addressed and the

effect of that choice in the text)

How pronouns can be used instead of nouns to

hook the reader into a story and make them

curious about who characters are and what will

happen.

Who is the ‘I’ of the story; and who is the ‘him’?

Teaching Activities to address this,

including how EXAMPLES are

used and how DISCUSSION is

promoted

In pairs, invite children to replace the two

pronouns with nouns or Proper Nouns.

Discuss the different effects of this choice.

Invite children to play with an opening line for

their story that hooks the reader in through

hiding who the characters are.

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GAP Task: Planning

Choose one of the teaching activities that you have discussed which worked

well and prepare to present it to the rest of the group

Use the presentation sheet to structure your planning (write neatly so it can

read when collected in!)

The presentation should be no more than 3 minutes.

5 minutes planning time

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TEACHING NARRATIVE

STRUCTURE

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Narrative Viewpoint

Use of pronouns – they; we – to signal viewpoint

They made their own houses. We couldn’t understand the

way they talked.

They didn’t live in trees, like we did.

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Narrative Viewpoint

I looked away. I didn't want anything to do with him. All the way round the house

it had been the same. Just see it in your mind's eye. Just imagine what could be

done. All the way round I kept thinking of the old man, Ernie Myers, that had lived

here on his own for years. He'd been dead nearly a week before they found him

under the table in the kitchen. That's what I saw when Stone told us about seeing

with the mind's eye. He even said it when we got to the dining room and there

was an old cracked toilet sitting there in the comer behind a plywood screen. I

just wanted him to shut up, but he whispered that toward the end Ernie couldn't

manage the stairs. His bed was brought in here and a toilet was put in so

everything was easy for him. Stone looked at me like he didn't think I should

know about such things. I wanted to get out, to get back to our old house again,

but Mum and Dad took it all in. They went on like it was going to be some big

adventure. They bought the house. They started cleaning it and scrubbing it and

painting it. Then the baby came too early. And here we were.

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Third Person Narrator

Grandma Poss looked miserable.

‘Don’t worry Grandma,’ said Hush ‘I don’t mind.’

But in her heart of hearts she did.

All-knowing or omniscient

narrator

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Viewpoint

Look at Chapter 1: from whose viewpoint is the narrative opening told?

Ch 1 - Pennypacker is all-knowing narrator (see p5) but she chooses to tell this chapter through Pax’s eyes - we see what Pax is doing and how he is feeling.

Look at chapters 2-33: from whose viewpoint is each chapter told?

The chapters alternate between Peter and Pax (odd numbers Pax, even numbers Peter)

Each chapter signals the viewpoint in the first paragraph by using the character name (to help younger readers?) and by using an image at the start of each chapter

Look at chapter 34: from whose viewpoint is the ending told?

Ch34 is principally from Peter’s perspective, but note the alternation of ‘Peter’ and ‘Pax’ on the final page – we are still seeing two perspectives.

Noticed by a year 5 child

on one of our projects!

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Viewpoint

When did you make the choice to tell the story through alternating points of view?

Were there certain parts of the story that were best told through Peter’s point of view

and others from Pax’s perspective?

In the early drafts, I only had one point of view—the fox’s. Peter’s came later, halfway

into the writing, when I realized how much more light I could shed on the whole story if

I included a human’s understanding. Once I decided that, I next had to figure out which

piece of the story belonged to which character. I made the decisions based on two

factors: who had the most insight to share, and whose view was the most moving. The

hardest to choose were the first and last chapters—I wrote them each out from both

points of view, and only hope I chose the right ones. As a writer, the most rewarding

parts of Pax were the events that were told from both Peter’s and Pax’s

perspectives— they reminded me how differently we all perceive the same thing.

http://www.sarapennypacker.com/pennypacker-pax.htm

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Viewpoint

What can you do with a third person voice that you can’t with first person?

Look at one of the stories that you have brought with you? Try rewriting the

opening paragraph in first person if it is third person, and third person if it is

first person.

Remember this is not simply about changing pronouns: you need to think

about what you would know or be able to see (especially with first person

voice). You can change things and add detail if it seems to fit your

viewpoint.

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Beyond the footsteps of the greatest explorers and up past the reach of the

trustiest maps there lies a kingdom called Erkenwald.

Here, the sun still shines at midnight in the summer, glinting off the icebergs in

the north and slipping between the snow-capped Never Cliffs in the west. But it

does not rise at all in the long, cold winters. Then, the nights bleed on and on

and the darkness is so thick you cannot see your hands in front of your face.

From the opening of Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone

Viewpoint What is the effect

of choosing to

write in the

present tense?

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Viewpoint

Late one evening, in a cave of soft

mosses high in the mountains where

the air was thin and stars sparkled in

sky and snow, the Child took the

great leopard’s head in her hands.

The Snow Leopard licked the Child’s

cold face, rough cat tongue against

soft skin, purring her final spirit song.

And as she licked, Child became

Leopard, thick-furred and wild-eyed,

mottled like shadows, spirit cat.

What happens when you write

a story in the present tense

rather than the past tense?

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Narrative Structure

What might you note about the narrative structure of Pax?

Chapter 1 establishes the close relationship between Peter and Pax and

sets the narrative problem – why is Peter distressed? Why do they leave

Pax in the forest? Why are they separated?

The alternating viewpoints, in alternate chapters, develops two separate but

intertwined narratives – Peter’s story and Pax’s story. These narratives are

both external (plot development) and internal (the emotional story).

The first and last chapter have thematic/verbal links: the setting is the forest

in both; Pax licks away Peter’s tears in both; the toy soldier is thrown for Pax

in both. But the reader is invited to think about what has changed for Pax

and Peter.

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Narrative Structure

Opening: Peter and Pax are together

Close: Peter and Pax are together

Narrative Development:

Peter’s story and Pax’s

stories are separate but

intertwined:

• two journeys;

• new friends;

• new understandings.

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Narrative Structure: Story Spine

Once upon a time… there was a boy called Peter who had a pet fox,

Pax, that he had looked after since he was a cub.

And every day… they grew closer as boy and animal.

Until one day… Peter’s father made him abandon Pax in the forest.

And because of that… Peter ran away from home

And because of that… Pax had to live independently in the forest

And because of that… they made new friends and learned new things

Until finally… they were reunited in the forest, but Peter knew he had to

give Pax his liberty

And every day after that… Peter remembered Pax

And the moral of this story is… … …

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Openings and Endings

Look at the handout with the opening and ending text of ‘Skellig’ and of

‘Croc and Bird’.

How do the writers create story structure by linking their openings and

endings? You might look for:

Themes that are repeated/completed

Words or phrases that are repeated, have synonyms, or antonyms

Characters that are named (Proper Nouns)

Look at the openings and endings of some of the stories you have brought

in – what patterns can you see?

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SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE:

CLAUSES

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Beyond the footsteps of the greatest explorers and up past the reach of the

trustiest maps there lies a kingdom called Erkenwald.

Here, the sun still shines at midnight in the summer, glinting off the icebergs in

the north and slipping between the snow-capped Never Cliffs in the west. But it

does not rise at all in the long, cold winters. Then, the nights bleed on and on

and the darkness is so thick you cannot see your hands in front of your face.

From the opening of Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone

Verbs: Reprise

Where are the verbs in this passage? Are they finite or non-finite? Are they

single verb phrases, or multi-verb phrases?

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Beyond the footsteps of the greatest explorers and up past the reach of the

trustiest maps there lies a kingdom called Erkenwald.

Here, the sun still shines at midnight in the summer, glinting off the icebergs in

the north and slipping between the snow-capped Never Cliffs in the west. But

it does not rise at all in the long, cold winters. Then, the nights bleed on and on

and the darkness is so thick you cannot see your hands in front of your face.

From the opening of Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone

Verbs: Reprise

Finite Non-finite

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Conveying Plot

A year 6 class have been reading Jackie Morris’s

story, The Snow Leopard, and then developing their

own parallel story based on a rainforest animal they

have researched.

The teacher is looking at how to communicate a key

moment of a plot through combining clauses to

create both rhythm and sequences (rather than

using three separate sentences).

The research team realise the class have insufficient

understanding of clauses to grasp the idea. We

work with the teacher to create the next sequence of

slides.

There’s a verb

[phrase] at the heart

of a clause.

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We love verbs!!!

Verbs and Clauses

There is a verb at the heart of a clause

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Let’s Investigate! Creative Clauses

1. Snow Leopard purred richly at the changes.

2. Crisp snow sparkled in icy stars beneath her huge paws and all the

while she sang.

3. And back in the mountains, the young Snow Leopard looked up at

the stars, heard the whisper – and began a new song.

Where are the main (lexical) verbs in each of these sentences?

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Let’s Investigate!

1. Snow Leopard purred richly at the changes.

2. Crisp snow sparkled in icy stars beneath her huge paws and all the

while she sang.

3. And back in the mountains, the young Snow Leopard looked up at the

stars, heard the whisper – and began a new song.

There is a verb at the heart of a clause.

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Let’s Investigate!

1. Snow Leopard purred richly at the changes.

2. Crisp snow sparkled in icy stars beneath her huge paws and all the

while she sang.

3. And back in the mountains, the young Snow Leopard looked up at the

stars, heard the whisper – and began a new song.

How many clauses in each of these sentences?

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Let’s Investigate!

1. Snow Leopard purred richly at the changes.

2. Crisp snow sparkled in icy stars beneath her huge paws and all

the while she sang.

3. And back in the mountains, the young Snow Leopard looked up

at the stars, heard the whisper – and began a new song.

one

clause

two

clauses

three

clauses

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… and the cat stirred, rose and leapt up to the high wild mountains with the

Child clinging tight on her back.

And back in the mountains, the young Snow Leopard looked up at the stars

mirrored in her blue cat’s eyes, heard the whisper – and began a new song.

Mentor Text: The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris

Writing Type: Fictional Narrative

Learning Focus: how the pattern of three co-ordinated clauses (with comma

and ‘and’) can describe a sequence of actions in a narrative event and create

rhythm.

Talk: read these sentences aloud – can you hear the rhythm of the verbs?

Authentic text

Links

Examples

Discussion

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Plot Rhythm – Patterns of Three

Golden Lion Tamarin forced the trees to form a cunning cage to protect the heart of

the forest; the magical, black diamond. She wrapped the trees in loving leaves,

crowded creatures onto the tropical trees and gave the plants the sun and water

they needed.

Year 6 – able writer

At first peak of light, over the ever green mountain, the bald eagle raced to

create the wind, soared through the secret forest to awaken all animals and

squawked over the green ocean canopy to make the mystical mist.

Year 6 – weak writer

… and the cat stirred, rose and leapt up to the high wild mountains with the

Child clinging tight on her back.

And back in the mountains, the young Snow Leopard looked up at the stars

mirrored in her blue cat’s eyes, heard the whisper – and began a new song.

The Snow Leopard – Jackie Morris

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Clauses

And back in the mountains, the young Snow Leopard looked up at the stars

mirrored in her blue cat’s eyes, heard the whisper – and began a new song

And back in the mountains, the young Snow Leopard looked up at the stars

mirrored in her blue cat’s eyes, heard the whisper – and began a new song

Where are the verbs?

How many clauses?

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Clauses

And back in the mountains, the young Snow Leopard looked up at the stars /

mirrored in her blue cat’s eyes,/ heard the whisper –/ and began a new song

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PLANNING WITH TEXTS

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PLENARY

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LEAD Principles PRINCIPLE EXPLANATION RATIONALE

LINKS Make a link between the

grammar being introduced

and how it works in the

writing being taught

To establish a purposeful learning

reason for addressing grammar, and

connect grammar with meaning and

rhetorical effect

EXAMPLES Explain the grammar through

showing examples, not

lengthy explanations

To avoid writing lessons becoming

mini-grammar lessons, and to allow

access to the structure even if the

grammar concept is not fully

understood

AUTHENTIC

TEXTS

Use authentic texts as

models to link writers to the

broader community of writers

To integrate reading and writing and

show how ‘real’ writers make language

choices

DISCUSSION Build in high-quality

discussion about grammar

and its effects

To promote deep metalinguistic

learning about why a particular choice

works, and to develop independence

rather than compliance

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Gap Task Next Meeting: 11 September (a long gap!)

1. Revise and use the grammar knowledge we have addressed: nouns and

noun phrases; prepositional phrases; and verbs, verb phrases and clauses.

Think about where you still feel ‘wobbly’ about grammar knowledge

2. Embed the LEAD principles into your standard teaching of writing and

grammar. Work with your school teams if necessary to do this.

3. Create a list of texts used, the grammar point addressed, and the effect it

creates in the writing. Collate each of these on the Presentation Template

for this as it is very focused. Upload at least two to Padlet, or email to me,

by June 3rd.

4. Focus particularly on verbalising the grammar-writing link, sharing this with

children, and helping them understand the effect.

5. Come to the next CPD Day with planning materials and examples of

children’s writing to use in discussion.

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Further Resources

Resources for Teachers:

http://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/education/research/centres/centreforresear

chinwriting/grammar-teacher-resources/

Cybergrammar: www.cybergrammar.com

No Nonsense Grammar: Babcock LDP Literacy Team, Raintree (2016)

https://babcock-education.co.uk/ldp/grammarandpunctuation

https://babcock-education.co.uk/ldp/textsthatteach

Essential Primary Grammar

http://www.mheducation.co.uk/essential-primary-grammar