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Script Writing Planning Resource
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Reflections
These lessons were created as a series to be completed over several sessions. Their purpose was to introduce scripts to the students, the components of scripts and how to format and structure them when writing. I planned the lessons using a very scaffolded approach, by first exposing students to a script and explicitly showing how to read each component. From there they got to practice reading in collaborative groups, to build on skills they would require in the next lessons. Students were then grouped into 3’s to then begin planning their own scripts. They were provided a resource to work through in their groups, while I facilitated, instructed and demonstrated each part. The resource provided them with opportunities to identify script components to identifying characters, practice writing, and direct them on computer formatting. By the end of the lesson sequence, students will have produced a script telling the story of the HAKA, from which one will be selected to be performed. Just before the first lesson I decided to label on 1 of each animal cards the letter ‘C’. This was to randomly select a captain for each group once formed. I decided to do this so that one person could take charge, make sure that all were involved and staying on task. However, in future I need to explain the role of the captain more clearly to avoid having to explain it during the activity when each captain came to ask me what they had to do. Changes were also made to time allocations as the lessons prior always went over time and cut my allotted time short. Therefore, activities such as acting out the play for the class had to be cut off the lesson to be possibly revisited later. Despite the time restrictions I still tried to include a reflection activity at the end so that I could gather a quick assessment of the students learning and progress, but this was very rushed due to time. As it was the first and second week of the year, this was the first set of lessons students were working in groups, and there were issues and interesting moments. Most took on the challenge and worked well, and all were making good progress by the end. Some script writing groups needed extra pushing to get them to work, as I deliberately grouped them in mixed gender groups which was clearly uncomfortable for some to begin with. I made it clear that I expected they work all together including each other in the process despite the gender mixes. Students loved the freedom they had to adapt the story into a play however they wanted and there ended up being some very different ideas emerge which was fantastic. In the future, there are a few things I would do differently. As it was the beginning of the year, students had no routine and were still getting used to the structures, processes and expectations in a year six classroom. Therefore, I would make sure I spend more time explaining my expectations, and if needed having students repeat actions such as leaving the classroom quietly, if that is how I asked them to do it. I think I was so worried about time as the lessons were only 40 minutes, that I was too focused on the content that I didn’t emphasise the processes that are so important to reinforce at the beginning of the year. This was difficult for me to do, but something I aim to work on.