With such a huge emphasis on extended writing, as educational leaders, it is crucial that we meet the needs of each and every student that we teach. As we all know, each class comes with a mixture of abilities, so some students will require more support than others. For students who find extended writing a challenge, they will need a lot more guidance, support and building of confidence. Literacy mats and differentiated writing frames can have a huge impact if used consistently and effectively. Be sure to celebrate and acknowledge all levels of progress made. It can be a lengthy process, however, once students become more resilient, over time they will independently start to form more complex sentences and tackle the higher order questions more confidently.

 

For your more able students, they need to understand the process, especially how to structure an answer to meet the requirements of the exam question. Once at the mastery level, students will need to be supported in thinking more independently and critically about their answers by reflecting about how they can improve and implement new strategies to develop a more sophisticated and creative response.

 

 

Example of how to set a differentiated extended writing task when teaching students how to explain that can easily be adapted to meet the needs of each subject. This approach can be highly effective if used consistently.

 

Question: Explain why Hitler was able to create a dictatorship in the period February 1933 to August 1934

You may use the following in your answer: • the Reichstag Fire • the Night of the Long Knives      (12 marks) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you find this CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT - Just include step 1, step 2 and try to include at least one connective from step 3. Remember you are picking one argument and it needs to be explained. You also need to make sure you answer the question properly.

If you find this EASY  –Include Steps 1 & 2 and from step 3, try to include 3 / 4 connectives. Remember you are picking one argument and it needs to be explained. You also need to make sure you answer the question properly.

 

If you are at MASTERY level - Now you know how to structure your answer, start thinking and reflecting about how you can do it in a way that flows. Make sure that your argument demonstrates a range of accurate and detailed knowledge and understanding that is relevant to the question.