Service Description

Phase 1: It is a 1-to-4 class. Narrative writing These lessons are designed to build the students’ confidence with narrative writing, while also incorporating a continued focus on vocabulary building. Vocabulary building sessions will be built into every lesson in order to allow students to use ambitious language in their own writing. They will also work with passages from notable works of literature, analysing and answering questions on a range of classic texts. Lesson 1: Intro – Why clear, engaging and believable stories are important, and what makes a story believable. We will gain a clearer sense of the type of stories the students enjoy or have been exposed to. They will have a chance to share some thoughts about their favourite stories, and what they like and dislike in stories. We will look at an example of a strong 300-400 word story and talk about what makes it effective. Lesson 2: Figurative writing with a focus on simile and metaphor. We will discuss why they are effective and how they can make a story more immersive. We will also explore the role of personification, creating examples based on familiar inanimate objects. Lesson 3: How to plan a great narrative. We will use the Story Mountain technique to plan and devise a five-paragraph story. Lesson 4: The “hook”. How can we engage the reader in the first sentence or paragraph. We will explore a range of techniques, from onomatopoeia to flashbacks and dramatic tension. We will also talk about how to create a sense of setting. Lesson 5: The dilemma! We will discuss how good stories require a problem that has to be solved. Using a range of example scenarios and characters, students will create problems and solutions. Lesson 6: How to craft the perfect ending. We will discuss how to structure and create a satisfying ending, and not rely too heavily on cliffhangers. We will look at some example endings from classic stories. Lesson 7: Dynamic verbs! We will explore how verb choices can inject our stories with energy and excitement. We will also talk about sentence structure can vary pace and direction. Lesson 8: Dialogue. Students will learn how to format dialogue accurately and correctly, and how to use it in narratives to advance the plot and create strong characters. Lesson 9: Mood. We will explore how tone can affect stories, and how different genres demand different tones and moods. Lesson 10: Final assessment and feedback session.