The aim of the PD was to familiarise the participants with the Writing Process.
I started by showing the video
The Brave Turtle.
Participants had to note the background details, such as the colour of
the flowers and birds, and list these down.
Subsequently, participants were asked to make play dough from the flour,
water, salt and food colouring provided.
They were asked to recreate a scene from the story, which they were then
to describe. In order to make the
experience a multi-sensory one, some of the play dough was dipped in sand to
represent rough stone, or else dipped in essential oils, to give-off the smell
of flowers. Nature sounds were played in the background, to facilitate the filling-in of the pre-writing senses
web.
A writing tool kit presented the participants with sentence
starters, nouns and adjectives which they were encouraged to use in their
writing. The writing tool kit is an
alternative form of word bank, that provides struggling writers with major
support. Participants were shown how to utilize the writing tool kit
and were also provided with a model for writing, before attempting their own
description.
Journaling was also discussed during the workshop, and the
importance of the writing model discussed.
This should not be copied in class, and in order to eliminate this
possibility, it is to be removed soon after the framework is presented. The workshop ended with an emphasis on the
importance of providing enough structure to make writing possible, yet allowing
enough space for the students’ creativity.
I started by showing the video The Brave Turtle.
Participants had to note the background details, such as the colour of
the flowers and birds, and list these down.
Subsequently, participants were asked to make play dough from the flour,
water, salt and food colouring provided.
They were asked to recreate a scene from the story, which they were then
to describe. In order to make the
experience a multi-sensory one, some of the play dough was dipped in sand to
represent rough stone, or else dipped in essential oils, to give-off the smell
of flowers. Nature sounds were played in the background, to facilitate the filling-in of the pre-writing senses
web. 
Journaling was also discussed during the workshop, and the
importance of the writing model discussed.
This should not be copied in class, and in order to eliminate this
possibility, it is to be removed soon after the framework is presented. The workshop ended with an emphasis on the
importance of providing enough structure to make writing possible, yet allowing
enough space for the students’ creativity.
