In this podcast, literacy expert Sharon Callen and team welcome special guest Grace Cullen, a Foundation/ Reception teacher at Littlehampton Primary School. They discuss the challenges and strategies for teaching early writing to young students. Grace shares her experience transitioning from a structured program to a more student-centred approach to writing.

Grace emphasises the importance of tapping into students' interests to ignite their passion for writing. She found that when children have something they genuinely want to write about, the floodgates of creativity open. She also highlights the significance of valuing and publishing students' work, giving them a real sense of being writers and sharing their creations with an audience.

The conversation touches on the curriculum and how it encourages students to view themselves as writers who can communicate their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. The curriculum aims to help students create short written texts, encouraging them to use words and phrases from their learning and develop foundational writing skills.

Grace and Sharon also discuss the use of mentor texts, anchor charts, and student-created resources in the classroom to support young writers. The side-by-side coaching model is recognised as a valuable tool for helping teachers navigate the transition to student-centred writing instruction.

The speakers emphasise the importance of enabling students to notice, explore, and engage with literature to develop their writing abilities. By using books as tools to introduce new sounds and patterns, they encourage students to become word 'noticers'. Their approach emphasises fostering bravery, resilience, and intentionality in writing, providing young learners with a strong foundation for their future educational journeys. Additionally, they incorporate phonics knowledge and the multi-sound capabilities of letters to support students at various learning levels.

Overall, the podcast underscores the importance of fostering a love of writing by connecting it to students' interests, providing independence through classroom resources, and using the curriculum as a guideline while adapting to students' needs and abilities. The goal is to empower young students to see themselves as capable and enthusiastic writers.

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The Teacher’s Tool Kit For Literacy is the free podcast for motivated teachers and school leaders who want the latest tips, tricks and tools to inspire their students and school community in literacy learning. 

Hear from literacy expert and founder of Cue Learning, Sharon Callen, and special guests.

At Cue Learning, our literacy specialists draw on over 30 years of teaching and international consulting experience to deliver world-class learning solutions. We equip, empower and support teachers to become their authentic selves. 

To find out about upcoming events, and about how Cue can help you and your school, visit the Cue Learning website http://www.cuelearning.com.au/ and sign up to our newsletter https://cuelearning.com.au/contact/

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