5 ways to use Read in to Writing in a blended way

4 minute read

Blended learning represents an opportunity to personalise learning, but teachers need resources that are easily adaptable to meet the needs of all children.  Series Editor Maddy Barnes explains how flexible reading and writing series Read in to Writing, can be used in a blended way.

1. Digital resources: High-quality texts are at the heart of the Read in to Writing (RitW) approach to teaching. Texts are carefully chosen so that well-loved classics and more modern newly-published stories can be used as a stimulus to engage readers and inspire writers from EYFS to year 6. Reading and writing skills are carefully woven through the units and resources are published as PDF documents; word documents and PowerPoints. Once a school has purchased these units, they are immediately available as digital resources that the teacher can then ‘make their own.’ Therefore, schools can use the RitW units as part of their English curriculum or part of their remote learning offer.

2. Mirroring the school’s approach: Using RitW units is essentially using a high-quality text as the stimulus to teach a chosen number of reading and writing learning objectives. This approach to teaching English ensures that all of the learning objectives are taught in a context meaning that children (and their teachers) can maximise connections and make real and purposeful links. If schools have used a RitW unit as part of their English unit in school, and then mirror the approach as their remote learning offer, children will recognise the style of teaching and very little if any time will be wasted.

“Lesson plans were great. I utilised them in almost every lesson, editing them as I went to adapt to differentiation needs”. Year 5 NQT teacher Daniel Bray, Griffin Park Primary School

3. Ready to roll immediately: The RitW units are made up from a precise yet concise unit overview; detailed planning documents; a powerpoint of teaching resources and a bank of pupil resources. The unit overview offers teachers the ‘trailer for the movie’ as each week’s learning is streamlined, ranging from 2 weeks at EYFS up to 6 weeks for the KS2 units, and could be copied and pasted as a quick checklist for parents if being used for blended or remote learning. Most writing tasks are presented with a clear purpose and audience (supported by success criteria; writing frames and resources) to support the blended approach to teaching writing.

“It created an interest in reading and writing. The children responded to activities with interest and excitement. It made the learning more meaningful”. Reception Teacher Suzi Aspinall, used the Little Whale unit with her class. Griffin Park Primary School

4. Being ahead of the game: Some schools may choose to purchase some units and then share the texts in school ahead of the blended learning. This may be more straight-forward for the EYFS and KS1 units where picture books or shorter chapter books are used. However, most of the KS2 year groups include a shorter text too. The uncertainty of ‘not knowing’ when a remote unit may be needed is unnerving for the organised and busy teacher. However, choosing a unit that will be used for remote learning and reading/sharing the chosen text with the pupils face-to-face may help to be ahead of the game.

5. Here’s one I prepared earlier: In the current climate where times are unsettling, it is refreshing and encouraging to be aware of the RitW units.

• Units using high-quality authors such as Sue Hendra; Steve Antony; Anne Fine; Beatrix Potter; Roald Dahl; Kes Grey; Lisa Thompson; Shaun Tan; David Almond are at your finger-tips.

• Learning opportunities are embedded throughout the units.

• Consistent approaches to teaching the skills needed for the reading and writing journey.

• Opportunities to practise and apply learning in different ways.

Visit Read in to Writing.

View the full Read in to Writing resource list.

Watch the webinar on raising the achievement of pupils' reading and writing. 

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