Teaching Writing Accuracy by https://padlet.com/alysharumbelow/l8jnkcrecb9r It's about time someone tackled it... en-us 2020-01-30 19:34:41 UTC 2025-10-01 13:58:25 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/270d.png Here we go... alysharumbelow https://padlet.com/alysharumbelow/l8jnkcrecb9r/wish/438420160 I once read there are 27 ways to construct a complex sentence. 27. As an English teacher, I genuinely don't think I could name them and I think my colleagues would struggle too. That's no reflection on them, it's just that most of us are Literature graduates who started teaching because we love books. However, with a change in requirements and every changing specification this last decade, I feel more and more of us are having to tach ourselves how to write and more importantly, how to teach how to write. There's loads out there for purposes, forms, literary devices and ideas. But if you really look for something about teaching accuracy in writing, it's a huge gap.
With literacy levels lower than ever (here in Wales anyway!), surely we are teaching this? I am. And i'm getting better at it too (for a literature graduate who was banned from using the semi colon by her professor). Anyway, the point is there are ways to teach this and there are quick wins and there are things you just have to cover. We aren't expecting our pupils to leave Science as surgeons or to leave Spanish completely fluent. Our learners may not know all 27 complex sentences but we can give them some skills and I plan to tackle and share ideas here.
I'm not perfect and don't claim to be an oracle in grammar here - just a teacher navigating the English language and all its complexities.
Thanks for reading!
Like, comment and share x ]]> 2020-01-30 19:38:53 UTC https://padlet.com/alysharumbelow/l8jnkcrecb9r/wish/438420160 How to teach a semi colon alysharumbelow https://padlet.com/alysharumbelow/l8jnkcrecb9r/wish/438433158 I was once banned from using a semi-colon. I used it to separate long, rambling sentences in my Uni essays. The lecturer told me it was annoying. Wow... talk about scared off... In my school I think it was covered by a tatty classroom poster that I didn't look at!
So here's how I teach it now:

"You can replace because in the middle of a sentence with a semi colon"

Then I provide examples like this:

I went to the shop because I needed bread.
I went to the shop; I needed bread.

One particularly underestimated boy came up with this little beauty:

It's hard to find a goalie because everyone wants to be a striker.
It's hard to find a goalie ; everyone wants to be a striker.

Genius. the kids totally get it, it's an easy one to drill and they feel like they're Charles Dickens. There are very few children who can't use it in this way and get it right, in my experience.
 Is it technically the correct definition of a semi colon? NO. Does it work every single time? NO.
Here's a link to all the uses for a semi-colon if you want to go there. 
Use and abuse !


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