Transcript

KS2 Literacy: The Grammar Dance

0001 10:00:00:17 10:00:03:18

Yeah, let's make it,
"A huge bear roaring loudly".

0002 10:00:03:18 10:00:07:08

One, two, three, four,

0003 10:00:07:08 10:00:10:15

five, six, seven, eight.

0004 10:00:15:13 10:00:19:03

Right back at the...
in fact, it was at half term,

0005 10:00:19:03 10:00:24:12

we had an inset in dance
at a neighbouring primary school.

0006 10:00:24:12 10:00:29:02

I liked the idea of incorporating
dance into the classroom.

0007 10:00:29:02 10:00:31:04

We just learned the basic structures

0008 10:00:31:04 10:00:35:09

according to the National Curriculum
- travel, turning, jumping.

0009 10:00:35:09 10:00:38:22

And it just so happened
to coincide with my aim

0010 10:00:38:22 10:00:41:24

of covering adverbs and verbs
this half term,

0011 10:00:41:24 10:00:44:12

and adjectives and nouns
and all the rest.

0012 10:00:44:12 10:00:47:13

I thought, "Well,
why not see if there's a link

0013 10:00:47:13 10:00:51:09

between something like movement
and dance and grammar?"

0014 10:00:51:09 10:00:55:03

I thought maybe that is my way in
to turn it into something

0015 10:00:55:03 10:00:59:11

that children
actually feel excited about.

0016 10:00:59:11 10:01:03:20

At the same time, they will maybe
remember it a bit better than I did

0017 10:01:03:20 10:01:05:24

from my own schooling.

0018 10:01:06:24 10:01:10:10

(narrator) After seven years
as a secondary geography teacher,

0019 10:01:10:10 10:01:14:01

Aidan O'Kelley
moved into primary teaching.

0020 10:01:14:01 10:01:18:03

He did not relish the idea
of tackling grammar.

0021 10:01:18:03 10:01:21:06

The idea of teaching grammar,

0022 10:01:21:06 10:01:24:10

when I began teaching
four terms ago,

0023 10:01:24:10 10:01:26:10

I wouldn't say it was terrifying,

0024 10:01:26:10 10:01:31:08

but it filled me with a sense
of, sort of, boredom, really.

0025 10:01:31:08 10:01:33:13

I have to be really frank
and say that.

0026 10:01:33:13 10:01:35:23

So to teach something like grammar

0027 10:01:35:23 10:01:38:22

when you suddenly realised
as an adult:

0028 10:01:38:22 10:01:42:02

"I don't really know
if I remember much of this",

0029 10:01:42:02 10:01:45:21

it made me think, "Why didn't I
remember very much of this?"

0030 10:01:45:21 10:01:49:20

And it wasn't something that
I remembered feeling excited about

0031 10:01:49:20 10:01:52:18

or thrilled about
when I was at school, grammar.

0032 10:01:52:18 10:01:55:00

And I really felt challenged
last year,

0033 10:01:55:00 10:01:57:17

in my first year of teaching
at primary, thinking:

0034 10:01:57:17 10:02:01:17

"How can I make grammar
something very, very exciting,

0035 10:02:01:17 10:02:04:06

partly for me,
so that I want to teach it?"

0036 10:02:04:06 10:02:07:17

I thought, "If I want to teach it
then the children will respond."

0037 10:02:07:17 10:02:09:10

I just knew that they would.

0038 10:02:10:18 10:02:14:07

(narrator) Aidan's lesson plan
covers four stages -

0039 10:02:14:07 10:02:16:13

shared writing as a whole group,

0040 10:02:16:13 10:02:18:21

collaborative writing in pairs,

0041 10:02:18:21 10:02:21:16

the development of ideas in groups,

0042 10:02:21:16 10:02:25:11

and finally,
performance and appreciation.

0043 10:02:32:21 10:02:35:09

So if we're trying
to put together a sentence

0044 10:02:35:09 10:02:38:16

which is action-packed
with adjectives and adverbs,

0045 10:02:38:16 10:02:42:15

and if you have difficulty trying to
think of all those different words,

0046 10:02:42:15 10:02:47:04

which one of these words
would you start with?

0047 10:02:47:04 10:02:49:02

George.

0048 10:02:50:02 10:02:53:11

- The noun?
- Yes. I'd start with the noun.

0049 10:02:53:11 10:02:55:23

What I have found
with something like grammar,

0050 10:02:55:23 10:03:01:14

that in just covering adjectives
and adverbs and nouns and verbs,

0051 10:03:01:14 10:03:07:02

in fact we have touched on
imaginative story writing.

0052 10:03:07:02 10:03:08:11

Joyfully.

0053 10:03:10:17 10:03:13:11

- Cheetah.
- (Aidan) Cheetah.

0054 10:03:13:11 10:03:15:11

Running.

0055 10:03:16:06 10:03:18:09

So the cheetah is running.

0056 10:03:18:09 10:03:22:10

In terms of meeting the government
criteria and making it rigorous,

0057 10:03:22:10 10:03:26:21

well, I feel with some children
it has been necessary

0058 10:03:26:21 10:03:33:02

to go off on what could be called
a more imaginative digression.

0059 10:03:33:02 10:03:35:13

But in fact
it's not really a digression at all

0060 10:03:35:13 10:03:38:07

because it's brought them
back to where they should be.

0061 10:03:38:07 10:03:41:20

(narrator) Aidan uses the word
classes and their allocated colours

0062 10:03:41:20 10:03:44:16

to generate
a provocative opening sentence.

0063 10:03:44:16 10:03:46:22

The opening line is going to be:

0064 10:03:46:22 10:03:49:18

"When I visited

0065 10:03:49:18 10:03:52:10

the freakish school,

0066 10:03:52:10 10:03:54:08

this is

0067 10:03:54:08 10:03:57:19

what I saw."

0068 10:03:57:19 10:04:00:11

Right, this is what I saw
at the freakish school.

0069 10:04:00:11 10:04:03:14

Joseph,
could you give us a noun, please?

0070 10:04:03:14 10:04:06:08

- Dinner lady.
- (Aidan) Dinner lady.

0071 10:04:06:08 10:04:08:24

Can someone tell us
what the dinner lady was doing

0072 10:04:08:24 10:04:10:19

in the freakish school?

0073 10:04:10:19 10:04:11:21

Cooking.

0074 10:04:11:21 10:04:13:16

If it's a freakish school,

0075 10:04:13:16 10:04:18:05

the adjective and adverb bring it
to life and tell us something more.

0076 10:04:18:05 10:04:20:03

Let's have Alice.

0077 10:04:20:03 10:04:23:21

Could it be
foul-smelling dinner lady?

0078 10:04:24:24 10:04:28:23

So I want you to tell us about
your visit to the freakish school,

0079 10:04:28:23 10:04:32:18

and you can be as wild
and as outrageous as possible,

0080 10:04:32:18 10:04:35:19

and bring all
of the characters to life

0081 10:04:35:19 10:04:38:20

with your adjectives
and your adverbs.

0082 10:04:38:20 10:04:42:08

(narrator) Aidan strikes a balance
between a structured approach

0083 10:04:42:08 10:04:43:24

and the freedom to experiment.

0084 10:04:43:24 10:04:49:15

I find it easier to just do it
all in the right order

0085 10:04:49:15 10:04:53:07

instead of noun, verb, adjectives.

0086 10:04:53:07 10:04:55:10

- You mean in this order?
- (girl) Yeah.

0087 10:04:55:10 10:04:57:04

Oh, that's absolutely fine.

0088 10:04:57:04 10:04:59:21

If you start off
with the same first letter,

0089 10:04:59:21 10:05:02:03

so, for example,

0090 10:05:02:03 10:05:06:18

if the adjective, noun, verb,
and adverb all have the same letter,

0091 10:05:06:18 10:05:11:01

what do you actually call that, when
they all start with the same letter?

0092 10:05:11:01 10:05:14:02

Because some of you
have been doing this anyway.

0093 10:05:14:02 10:05:17:14

You have been doing it anyway
without actually realising it.

0094 10:05:17:14 10:05:19:19

- Mischa.
- Onomatopoeia. No.

0095 10:05:19:19 10:05:21:14

- No. Michaela.
- Alliteration.

0096 10:05:21:14 10:05:25:10

Excellent.
If you could quickly and quietly

0097 10:05:25:10 10:05:27:24

go to your away places, please.

0098 10:05:35:09 10:05:38:06

I think the collaborative
approach to work,

0099 10:05:38:06 10:05:40:20

I began to see last year,
in particular,

0100 10:05:40:20 10:05:43:00

was increasingly important.

0101 10:05:43:00 10:05:46:08

I really like the idea
of children...

0102 10:05:46:08 10:05:50:19

bouncing ideas backwards
and forwards and discussing things.

0103 10:05:51:15 10:05:54:10

Then two colons, like that.

0104 10:05:54:10 10:05:58:01

And when I visited
the butcher's...

0105 10:05:58:01 10:06:01:16

- I saw...
- I saw some smelly fish.

0106 10:06:01:16 10:06:05:05

Yeah, go on.
No, Billy, take off the colons.

0107 10:06:08:16 10:06:11:12

(Aidan) I still have the concern
at the end of the day

0108 10:06:11:12 10:06:14:22

that they'll be overdependent
one on the other, for example,

0109 10:06:14:22 10:06:18:03

or that their work will be
identical, but I should know better

0110 10:06:18:03 10:06:20:09

because it never is identical.

0111 10:06:20:09 10:06:22:14

They will always go off on tangents.

0112 10:06:22:14 10:06:26:06

They will always have their own
ideas, but sharing at the same time.

0113 10:06:26:06 10:06:30:15

But what is interesting is that when
they're listening to each other,

0114 10:06:30:15 10:06:33:02

they can actually
be very, very supportive.

0115 10:06:33:02 10:06:35:00

Not always.
They're not perfect.

0116 10:06:35:00 10:06:36:19

But they can actually be

0117 10:06:36:19 10:06:40:01

if they're listening to each other
read their work.

0118 10:06:40:01 10:06:43:03

I want you to hear
what people on blue table have done

0119 10:06:43:03 10:06:46:19

because Alice has decided not to
stick with the freakish school,

0120 10:06:46:19 10:06:51:00

but has completely - this is what
I absolutely get so excited about -

0121 10:06:51:00 10:06:53:16

you have completely
gone off on your own tangent

0122 10:06:53:16 10:06:57:02

and created something
very interesting. Go ahead.

0123 10:06:57:02 10:07:01:09

"The antique dressing table proudly
held 30 fashionable perfumes,

0124 10:07:01:09 10:07:05:02

70 frilly pink knickers,
100 odd pongy socks,

0125 10:07:05:02 10:07:07:16

170 Barbie picture boxes,

0126 10:07:07:16 10:07:11:14

one large triangular mirror
carved around the edge,

0127 10:07:11:14 10:07:13:23

130 fake silver bracelets,

0128 10:07:13:23 10:07:15:09

600 forged pounds,

0129 10:07:15:09 10:07:18:21

and 600 sly socks swaying silently.

0130 10:07:18:21 10:07:21:11

Excellent.
Very, very interesting indeed.

0131 10:07:21:11 10:07:25:10

It really strikes me
when I hear people like Alice

0132 10:07:25:10 10:07:28:10

reading about her dressing table,

0133 10:07:28:10 10:07:31:14

and the quirkiness
and the oddness of that.

0134 10:07:31:14 10:07:35:14

I'm thinking, "Oh, my God.
There is such a story there."

0135 10:07:35:14 10:07:39:05

So, in a way, the grammar is...
I thought it would be a foundation,

0136 10:07:39:05 10:07:45:12

but in fact it has already, I feel,
given rise to some exciting stories.

0137 10:07:50:16 10:07:54:16

So you're going to have to come up,
as a group, with a sentence,

0138 10:07:54:16 10:07:58:18

which you are going to put together
as a little dance or performance.

0139 10:07:58:18 10:08:02:17

And then we're going to have
one group after another,

0140 10:08:02:17 10:08:07:05

passing by like it's this wonderful,
outrageous circus parade.

0141 10:08:07:05 10:08:11:18

But could we just have one quick
example off the top of your head?

0142 10:08:11:18 10:08:14:13

What might you see
passing by in a circus parade?

0143 10:08:14:13 10:08:18:06

And make it outrageous
and wild and exciting

0144 10:08:18:06 10:08:22:05

because, remember,
you are going to be acting it out.

0145 10:08:23:05 10:08:25:04

- Billy.
- Um...

0146 10:08:25:04 10:08:27:22

- A cheetah.
- (children giggle)

0147 10:08:29:09 10:08:33:02

A cheetah.
What is the cheetah doing, Billy?

0148 10:08:35:01 10:08:37:11

- Walking slowly.
- Shh.

0149 10:08:37:11 10:08:40:03

Mm. OK. Walking...

0150 10:08:41:03 10:08:43:04

slowly.

0151 10:08:43:04 10:08:45:06

And... Shh. Don't.

0152 10:08:45:06 10:08:47:17

- What kind of a cheetah is it?
- Extraordinary.

0153 10:08:47:17 10:08:49:13

An extraordinary cheetah.

0154 10:08:49:13 10:08:52:13

Now, that's quite a challenging one
to actually act out.

0155 10:08:52:13 10:08:55:13

OK. What you're going to do
in your groups,

0156 10:08:55:13 10:08:59:03

and we've discussed what groups
you'll be in for this afternoon,

0157 10:08:59:03 10:09:03:03

you're going to have to come up,
as a group, with a sentence,

0158 10:09:03:03 10:09:07:01

which you are going to put together
as a little dance or performance.

0159 10:09:07:01 10:09:10:13

And you'll have some time
in the hall to practise that.

0160 10:09:13:24 10:09:17:19

"Jumping dwarves
pirouetting slowly."

0161 10:09:18:09 10:09:20:21

- Have you checked your spelling?
- (girl) No.

0162 10:09:20:21 10:09:23:23

I didn't think so. Dictionary.

0163 10:09:25:23 10:09:28:23

I'll give you a hint.
"P-i" is what it starts with.

0164 10:09:28:23 10:09:30:23

So look up under "p-i".

0165 10:09:30:23 10:09:33:05

Pir-ou-etting.

0166 10:09:33:05 10:09:35:02

Pirouetting.

0167 10:09:39:12 10:09:41:14

Tiger echoing,

0168 10:09:41:14 10:09:43:14

swaying slowly.

0169 10:09:43:14 10:09:45:07

Five, four,

0170 10:09:45:07 10:09:47:17

three, two, one.

0171 10:09:47:17 10:09:49:23

One, two,

0172 10:09:49:23 10:09:52:03

three, four,

0173 10:09:52:03 10:09:55:09

five, six, seven, eight.

0174 10:09:55:09 10:09:57:19

And sway, two,

0175 10:09:57:19 10:09:59:13

three, four,

0176 10:09:59:13 10:10:02:23

five, six, seven, eight.

0177 10:10:02:23 10:10:05:11

Slowly, two,

0178 10:10:05:11 10:10:07:11

three, four,

0179 10:10:07:11 10:10:10:16

five, six, seven, eight.

0180 10:10:10:16 10:10:12:23

Keep going, two,

0181 10:10:12:23 10:10:14:19

three, four,

0182 10:10:14:19 10:10:17:21

five, six, seven, eight.

0183 10:10:17:21 10:10:20:11

- Excellent.
- (all clap)

0184 10:10:20:11 10:10:22:06

(Aidan) OK, once more.

0185 10:10:22:06 10:10:25:20

Posing penguins wobbling evilly.

0186 10:10:25:20 10:10:28:13

(Aidan) One, two, three.

0187 10:10:28:13 10:10:31:03

And one, two...

0188 10:10:31:03 10:10:34:14

I just feel, at this stage, we have
the space and the opportunity

0189 10:10:34:14 10:10:37:11

to explore
different ways of learning.

0190 10:10:38:11 10:10:42:06

I just felt it was really important
that we would approach topics

0191 10:10:42:06 10:10:44:12

in a whole variety of ways.

0192 10:10:44:12 10:10:48:04

So some of the time, yes,
is the mundane, sitting down,

0193 10:10:48:04 10:10:51:22

doing your spelling test, writing
things in your book, for example.

0194 10:10:51:22 10:10:55:02

But other times it's creating,
it's visualising.

0195 10:10:55:02 10:10:58:03

And, increasingly,
it's the kinaesthetic approach -

0196 10:10:58:03 10:11:00:00

acting out, performing.

0197 10:11:00:00 10:11:04:00

But if the children are having
that variety of experiences,

0198 10:11:04:00 10:11:06:18

it makes it exciting.

0199 10:11:16:18 10:11:20:10

(Aidan) The circus parade came
to town and this is what I saw.

0200 10:11:20:10 10:11:23:05

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen,
boys and girls,

0201 10:11:23:05 10:11:25:11

to our circus of madness.

0202 10:11:25:11 10:11:27:11

(Aidan) Five, six,

0203 10:11:27:11 10:11:29:11

seven, eight.

0204 10:11:29:11 10:11:32:15

And one, two, three, four,

0205 10:11:32:15 10:11:34:17

five, six, seven, eight.

0206 10:11:34:17 10:11:38:16

We're the jumping dwarves
pirouetting slowly.

0207 10:11:40:20 10:11:42:21

(Aidan) Turn, two, three, four,

0208 10:11:42:21 10:11:45:16

five, six, seven, eight.

0209 10:11:47:15 10:11:50:17

Three slithering snakes
smiling evilly.

0210 10:11:50:17 10:11:53:17

(Aidan) ..four, five,
six, seven, eight.

0211 10:11:57:07 10:12:00:02

Four loopy fleas gnawing ruthlessly.

0212 10:12:00:02 10:12:02:12

(Aidan) ..five, six, seven, eight.

0213 10:12:02:12 10:12:04:08

Gnaw, two, three, four,

0214 10:12:04:08 10:12:07:01

five, six, seven, eight.

0215 10:12:09:17 10:12:12:16

We are dangerous rhinos

0216 10:12:12:16 10:12:14:21

charging rapidly.

0217 10:12:16:11 10:12:19:15

(Aidan) ..six, seven, eight.
One, two, three...

0218 10:12:22:21 10:12:26:14

I am a mad monkey dancing madly.

0219 10:12:26:14 10:12:29:04

(Aidan) ..four, five,
six, seven, eight.

0220 10:12:32:03 10:12:35:12

I'm a Turkish lady
dancing cheerfully.

0221 10:12:35:12 10:12:38:12

(Aidan) ..five, six, seven, eight.

0222 10:12:40:18 10:12:43:03

I guess, at the end of the day,

0223 10:12:43:03 10:12:47:13

the aim is to make people really
enthusiastic readers and writers.

0224 10:12:47:13 10:12:50:14

And, I feel, by enthusing children

0225 10:12:50:14 10:12:54:01

through drama or dance
or whatever, then...

0226 10:12:54:01 10:12:57:22

For me, I think that is the key -
making them enthusiastic -

0227 10:12:57:22 10:13:00:12

so they come to
their literacy lesson thinking:

0228 10:13:00:12 10:13:03:09

"Oh, literacy.
Fantastic. I'm so excited",

0229 10:13:03:09 10:13:08:22

which I think is such an essential
part of reading and writing.

0230 10:13:08:22 10:13:11:02

One, two, three, four,

0231 10:13:11:02 10:13:14:09

five, six, seven, and bow.

0232 10:13:18:23 10:13:22:18

Visiontext Subtitles: Jo Clarke
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