Process writing at Waiouru School

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 5, 25 June 1985, Page 20

Process writing at Waiouru School

Teachers at Waiouru Primary School are devoting at least half an hour each day to 'process writing' — a teaching method whereby children can write on any topic they wish without worrying about spelling or mistakes.

Teachers at the school were given further training in the subject at a teachers only day several weeks ago when two Wanganui-based rural school advisors came to Waiouru to talk about the process writing method. Children are encouraged to guess at spellings they are unsure about, circle the word and then check it after the work is completed.

This enables continuity of thought by removing the initial pressure for correct spelling. The method encourages a better flow of ideas and also relieves the pressure on poorer spellers. After the children have written their work, a conference is held between teacher and pupil on a one-to-one basis.

I James and the Vampire James the skeleton lived in a haunted house by the beach. He always had many skeleton friends to play with. But one of his friends was not a skeleton. It was a vampire. He never liked to play with James. All he liked to do was go round town killing ladies. Sometimes he scared the little boys and girls and if they saw James, they would run to James because they knew James was kind and that the vampire didn't like James. One day James had a fight with the vampire. The vampire was stronger than James. But James won the fight and the vampire died. Some of James' friends thought the vampire 's spirit would not come out. For three weeks the spirit did not come. The very next day the vampire 's spirit appeared. It made some children faint.

Lewis

Tahere

(7)

The Princess' Palace One day in a great big palace lived a beautiful princess. She was very pretty and one day the princess wanted to be married to a prince. She asked if she could. "No," said her father in a very angry voice. "No, you will not be married."

The princess was very unhdppy. She went upstairs and cried herself to sleep. But at that moment a prince came through the window. The prince said, "Come with me, and come and get married. We will live happily ever after." "O.K." said the princess, "but if my father finds out, watch out or else we'll both be put in the dungeon together."

"Good," said the prince. "I want to live with you for all my life." "Your life won't be for very long." "Is there a window in the dungeon?" "Of course there is and six of them too." "Good. What we do is, try to let your father see us." "You're crazy," said the princess. " I am not," said the prince.

They were fighting for a little while and then stopped. "Why are you doing such a silly thing9" "I don't know, shush," said the prince. The king saw that his daughter was seeing the prince. "Grrrr," said the king. "To the dungeon with you." So two guards took them to the dungeon.

Rose-lee

Kimi

(7)