Talk to Write 2: Hear, Map, Step Speak

As part of its 'Talk to Write' programme, a primary school in Oxford focuses on verbalising before writing for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, in partnership with the Story Museum.

Headteacher, Gill Hudson, at Pegasus Primary School in Oxford places emphasis on storytelling, story mapping and verbalising before asking their pupils to sit down and write.

Pegasus School devotes a whole day, several times a year, to storytelling. Here, story teller Chris Smith from The Story Museum, Oxford, visits Year 2 to tell them a story.

Chris uses techniques developed by writer and former teacher, Pie Corbett. The children listen to the story initially, then story map it and then retell the story in pairs, physically taking a step at key points in the plot.

Teacher, Nannette Stormont, helps them with key words and the pupils finally get down to writing, either producing an accurate rendition of the story or adding their own twists.

Since the programme was introduced in 2008, the approach has lead to great improvements in writing.