I had the pleasure of observing Lottie’s Year 4 writing lesson from 7-8pm. The session was a well-structured blend of reviewing informative texts and introducing the fundamentals of narrative writing. Lottie’s thoughtful guidance and ability to make the learning process enjoyable stood out as she worked closely with her student.
The lesson began with Lottie marking the student’s homework on informative texts. Her feedback was concise and clear, highlighting strengths while addressing areas for improvement. This efficient approach allowed the student to quickly understand how they could refine their writing, using a ‘show don’t tell approach’. From there, Lottie seamlessly transitioned into narrative writing, inviting the student to become involved in a creative way, as they too then understood how to add depth to their own sentences.
To help the student develop how they construct sentences and their narrative skills, Lottie provided written examples for comparison. These examples illustrated how to transform simple sentences into more vivid and detailed ones. For instance, she expanded a sentence like “The girl walked to school” into “The girl strolled down the bustling street, her backpack bouncing as she hummed a cheerful tune.” Lottie also emphasised the importance of language devices in creative writing. She reminded the student how similes, metaphors, and sensory descriptions could bring their stories to life. To put this into practice, Lottie offered the student a choice of writing prompts, encouraging ownership of the task. The student selected their favourite and began crafting an opening, focusing on setting the scene.
A key highlight of the session was Lottie’s discussion about creating engaging settings. She explained how to use descriptive language to establish atmosphere and draw readers into the story. By asking questions like, “What would your character hear, smell, or feel” she guided the student to think critically about their setting.
Therefore, the student had gained confidence in their narrative writing abilities, leaving with a strong understanding of how to create detailed, engaging stories. Lottie’s encouraging and practical teaching approach ensured the lesson was both productive and enjoyable. Thank you Lottie!
Eleni Nicholas
