Students frequently use letters and symbols to represent words.
These may or may not match the words that they are trying to write.
Most students are expected to achieve
• copy print displayed around the classroom
• contribute ideas to joint class writing activities which label, describe, recount or tell stories
• with assistance, write short texts, using capital letters, full stops and accurate spelling
• develop and practise correct pencil grip and correct letter formation.
Students learn to write more complex sentences.
They become aware that writing can be planned, reviewed and changed.
Most students are expected to achieve
• organise their writing and talk about its purpose
• write simple procedures, recounts of experiences, stories, information reports and basic explanations.
• construct sentences correctly, using capital letters, lower case letters, full stops and question marks
• begin to proofread and edit their own writing and spell common words accurately
• develop handwriting of consistent size and spacing
• use computer software to write texts.
Students further develop their writing and are able to write longer and more complex texts.
They begin to recognise and use many of the structures and grammatical features of a variety of texts.
Most students are expected to achieve
• construct a range of texts for different audiences and purposes on familiar and researched topics
• present written work in a variety of forms, such as projects, letters, diagrams, posters
• use a range of planning and drafting strategies, such as using key words to take notes
• write well-formed sentences, using the appropriate grammatical features and making correct use of punctuation, including direct speech marks and apostrophes for contractions, e.g. aren’t
Students begin to organise their writing to achieve the social purpose of the text being written.
They write well-structured sentences and use a variety of grammatical features effectively.
Most students are expected to achieve
• use their knowledge of grammatical features to write well-planned, cohesive and extended texts
• relate to their audiences through the subtle use of language, such as humour and irony
• use correct punctuation and experiment with punctuation, such as colons and exclamation marks
• apply their knowledge of spelling strategies and conventions to ensure a high level of spelling accuracy
• develop a personal handwriting style that will enhance fluency, speed and legibility
• use a range of computer software and applications to develop and enhance texts, e.g. borders, tables, graphics, word processors and web tools.
Students apply their writing skills and strategies to write in all subject areas, in order to produce more sophisticated texts.
Most students are expected to achieve
• analyse how writing achieves the specialised purposes of writing in different subject areas
• write well-structured and well-presented texts in each subject area
• use grammatical features and writing conventions to shape their writing
• make accurate use of technical and abstract vocabulary
• experiment with a variety of handwriting, layout and computer skills so that these can be adapted to a variety of specialised writing contexts.
Students expand their understanding of the production of written texts in order to become confident, mature, skilled writers in personal, academic and community contexts.
Most students are expected to achieve
• understand how a wide range of personal, academic, technical, workplace and community texts have been structured to achieve their purpose
• produce polished, high-quality writing which achieves specialised or complex purposes
• experiment with and apply skills and strategies used by professional editors and proofreaders
• use a variety of layout and design features to enhance the text when desktop publishing
• demonstrate an awareness of the historical, social and cultural context of a wide range of texts.
