Writing – general

1. Before they start writing:

• Always talk first.
• Does your mentee know WHAT they are writing and WHO it is for?
• Discuss the key vocabulary they need.
• Help with ideas – use YouTube, pictures, your own examples.
• Record ideas as bullet points or in a brainstorm:
• – Spider grams are useful.
• – Go for 5 main points and then brainstorm details for each point, interesting vocabulary and language features.
• – Each point can make up one paragraph.
• – Depending on your mentee’s level, you might scribe this, or get them to do it.

2. Writing:

• First draft – just start, if worried in rough, and then edit it later!
• You can provide sentence starters if this is needed.
• Language needs: possibly identify key grammar at this point (worksheet or your own examples)
• You may want to get your mentee to write the first paragraph with you and set the rest for homework.
• Alternatively, write your own piece containing deliberate errors for your mentee to correct, while they are writing theirs.

3. Editing:

• Identify mistakes (choose one or two areas to focus on which will help them to progress). Never use a red pen!
• Use notes like p for punctuation, sp for spelling, ww – wrong word, or underline, to then get your mentee to say what they think is wrong.
• Self-correction – after pointing out one area, e.g. full stops, ask them to find the rest themselves. Never try to correct everything in a piece of work – it is too demoralising!
• Editing and redrafting (possibly for homework) – this is often a useful exercise as schools do not have time for it.

4. Final version:

• PRAISE and reflect on what your mentee has learnt for next time.