I found Sue Ellis' lecture today really interesting. I'm pretty sure none of us had thought of karate chops as a way of getting the children to practice letter formation. I am also almost positive most us all will give it a try in the future... for the giggles alone.
It was a bit of an eye-opener when she said that in her opinion 'two stars and a wish' isn't the most effective form of feedback as it doesn't help children understand the purpose of their writing or demonstrate to them what readers would enjoy reading or want to know.This was a thought-provoking insight as it is a feedback I used when I was on placement. I employed it as a feedback method when marking the children's draft stories and in hindsight some comments were not very beneficial to the children. However, I did try to ask the children questions as the wish part. As a form of feedback I do think it has its place if used correctly. Perhaps, in my case, imaginative writing was not the best forum for it. I am now aware that children need much more constructive, thought-probing feedback. Food for thought.
I hope everyone is having a great week! :)
