Context

The role play into writing project arose during an extended writing workshop project with children at Key Stage 2 in Hackney schools.  From this project it emerged that inexperience in oral communication was preventing children from achieving success with their writing. It was realised that there was a need to focus on oracy with younger children so that this foundation could be built on in the later primary years. The role play into writing project was developed in Year 1 where workshops were developed based on ideas from Nigel Hall’s work into role-play and writing.

Principles

The key features of the project included:

• Supporting transition from Year R to Year 1
• Writing for audience and purpose
• Developing role play opportunities including role play areas
• Selecting quality texts for the classroom
• Planning to ensure access to the curriculum for bi-lingual learners

Summary

The aims of the project were

• to raise the standard of writing in Year 1
• to develop an understanding of how oral language (including first language for EAL learners) impacts on reading and writing
• to develop an understanding of how structured role play facilitates oral and written language development
• to develop good teaching and learning practice which plans for oracy to support children’s writing

The project was initiated with an extended writing workshop plan for year 1, Term 1, based around the text Whatever Next by Jill Murphy. JPEG attached. The workshop comprised 6 one hour sessions during which children were able to engage with the text through exploratory talk and role play. The materials were trialled in schools, mainly in the London Borough of Newham but also in Barking and Dagenham, where advisory teachers worked with Y1 teachers to develop the materials.

Alongside the work in schools a training day was mounted to support teachers in examining the role of oracy in children’s development as writers. The training included the importance of oracy for writing and learning, and criteria for selecting quality texts. A range of strategies and techniques for developing drama and role-play were presented:

Consideration was given to access for bilingual learners.

Partnerships

Local Authority Advisory Teachers

Sally Elborn, Advisory Teacher for Primary English, Barking and Dagenham
Jane Bednall, EMA Advisory Teacher, London Borough of Newham
Sharon Fell, EMA Advisory Teacher, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham,
Teachers working in Y1
Y1 pupils

In Practice

A writing workshop approach was developed in Y1 with an emphasis on the development of oracy through role play including the use of role play areas. A series of pictures is attached showing the progress of the project:

A stimulus display was set up to generate interest. This included artefacts that could be recognised as relating to the book and a copy of the text. The book was available for children to read or to look at the pictures and talk with other children about it.

Reading and rereading the story developed familiarity with the text

A role play area was set up in the classroom incorporating book related objects and artefacts in order to engage the pupils and aid spontaneous role play. Playing out scenes from the story in this informal way functions as oral rehearsal for children’s writing

Guided role play initiated by the teacher to help the pupils inhabit the story. This included activities such as ’hotseating’ characters from the story.

Having rehearsed the story through a range of talk and drama activities the children were invited to write in role. Characteristically they employed the first person for this writing which was more lively and engaged than the work they had produced prior to the project. Pupils demonstrated increased confidence in writing.

Workshop plans were trialled in school. Advisory teachers worked alongside teachers to help them:

• Analyse pupils’ writing
• Adapt the unit plans to their own contexts
• Plan and set up a role play area
• Support the teaching of the plans The Unit plan for this work is attached.
• Disseminate practice

Production of a training package to support the development of teacher subject knowledge particularly with regards to the importance of talk and role play for writing

Outcomes

Samples of writing - We have two samples of writing showing before and after the role-play and drama activities.

Resources

These resources would be useful for teachers wanting to set up a similar project in their school:

Nigel Hall & Anne Robinson (2003) Exploring Writing and Play in the Early Years David Fulton

Anne Roberts et al (2001) The Little Book of Prop Boxes for Role Play Featherstone Education