HOLLYWOOD CALLING – CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS FOR KEY STAGE 2

Hollywood Calling is a creative writing programme that offers a clear and straightforward structure designed to optimise children’s learning. It is based on my experience as a professional screenwriter, and works particularly well for the shorter stories children usually write.

This programme has already been run successfully with Year 6 pupils at Blenheim Primary School, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

“The use of popular films engaged the children straight away. Their interest and imagination was captured and they were eager to write independently. The final results showed thoughtful creative work.” Rebecca Perman, Deputy Head/Literacy Coordinator, Blenheim Primary School.

Hollywood Calling is based around the essential skills required in Key Stage 2, in particular, the ability to:

· Have an interest in words and their meanings and a growing vocabulary;

· Know, understand and be able to write in a range of genres in fiction and poetry, and understand and be familiar with some of the ways in which narratives are structured through basic literacy ideas of setting, character and plot;

· Plan, draft, revise and edit their own writing;

· Have a suitable technical vocabulary through which to understand and discuss their reading and writing;

· Through reading and writing, develop their powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness.

A series of five, one-hour sessions designed to work with a standard class size (approx. 30 children), at the end of the five sessions children will have both a completed project and a template to use for future projects (More...)