Fix it writing - teacher handbook and student workbook

35 reviews

Last updated: 19/03/2024

Contributor: Richard Durant

Main Subject

Key stage

Resource type

Intervention

Structured writing intervention support to improve English students’ writing skills

Fix it writing has been designed to support English teachers, non-specialist teachers and teaching assistants in identifying and ‘fixing’ problems in students’ writing. It's ideal for targeted support and intervention sessions at KS3 for struggling writers. It’s also suitable for upper key stage two.

The photocopiable, downloadable teacher handbook provides a structured sequence of 26 writing intervention teaching sessions and lesson resources, with detailed guidance on how to deliver these sessions to develop learners’ core skills. It includes evidence-based, explicit instruction for teachers alongside chapters on: writing and punctuating sentences; planning, organising and linking ideas and paragraphs and choosing effective words.

Research-based and designed for small group or whole-class sessions, this writing intervention pack helps learners to understand the writing process and text structure. If you are teaching writing skills or sentence writing, these resources will students to feel more confident.

The photocopiable student workbook includes all the classroom activities, graphic organisers, checklists and worksheets to accompany the teacher handbook, enabling students to improve and build on their core English writing skills.

You may also be interested in Fix it reading, a new reading intervention programme for KS3 students designed to build learners’ reading comprehension skills.

What's inside?

Introduction (pages 4-25)

Progression in writing: a framework
Summary of the Fix it writing skill focuses
Making sense of students’ writing
Setting targets and planning sessions
Fix it session structure
Getting the most out of Fix it

Chapter 1: Writing and punctuating sentences (pages 26-36)

Session 1: Capital letters and full stops
Session 2: Ending sentences
Ways to improve

Chapter 2: Using conjunctions (pages 37-49)

Session 1: Varying conjunctions
Session 2: To suit purpose
Ways to improve

Chapter 3: Using commas (pages 50-66)

Session 1: Lists and clarity
Session 2: Clarity and effect
Ways to improve

Chapter 4: Varying sentences (pages 67-82)

Session 1: Sentence starts and word order
Session 2: Varying for effect
Ways to improve

Chapter 5: Expanding sentences (pages 83-97)

Session 1: Adding detail
Session 2: Relative clauses
Ways to improve

Chapter 6: Using verbs (pages 98-108)

Session 1: Identifying verbs
Session 2: The past
Ways to improve

Chapter 7: Generating and sorting ideas (pages 109-120)

Session 1: Non-fiction
Session 2: Fiction
Ways to improve

Chapter 8: Sequencing and organising texts (pages 121-132)

Session 1: Non-fiction
Session 2: Fiction
Ways to improve

Chapter 9: Organising paragraphs (pages 133-144)

Session 1: Topic sentences
Session 2: Writing paragraphs
Ways to improve

Chapter 10: Cohesive devices (pages 145-157)

Session 1: To suit purpose
Session 2: Comparing and contrasting
Ways to improve

Chapter 11: Linking paragraphs (pages 158-171)

Session 1: Adverbs and determiners
Session 2: Making comparisons
Ways to improve

Chapter 12: Writing formally (pages 172-180)

Session 1: Choosing the right words
Session 2: Choosing the right tone
Ways to improve

Chapter 13: Choosing effective words (pages 181-190)

Session 1: Setting and atmosphere
Session 2: Creating atmosphere/characters
Ways to improve

This sample is from the Fix it writing - student workbook:

Ending sentences

Sentences sometimes end with exclamation marks or question marks. Exclamations are used at the end of sentences to show a strong emotion such as surprise, horror or excitement, or which include a command or order. Question marks are used at the end of sentences which ask a question.

There are four sentences below. End each of these with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark.

How much did the ice-cream cost
More and more people arrived
Look out
What an enormous queue

Your own sentences

Now write out some of your own sentences about a fairground. Practise writing a range of sentences, so that you include questions and exclamations too. Use exclamation marks, question marks and full stops to end the sentences.

What have you learned?

Write down two important things you have learned in this session.

Say how you will use that learning before the next session.

All reviews

Fantastic. This pack covers as many bases as possible with writing support. Recommended.

Emily Evans

06/06/2022

This resource is excellent. Thank you so much.

JEET PATEL

18/10/2021

30/03/2021

I am using this resource as remediation for a dyslexic Year 9 student who understands the theory of grammar but whose creative writing is not yet revealing what he knows. Self-esteem is beginning to falter and so I am adapting this resource to build his confidence and with repeated chunks of practice, I am aiming for greater automaticity. The pages in this resource are interesting, varied and joyful making the resource easy to work with.

Amanda Ferguson

20/03/2021

29/07/2020

31/05/2020

Thank you for this resource! I've been looking for something like this for a while now. I teach KS3 in an SEND school and many of our pupils struggle with handwriting. This is really going to help me. And delighted that it's been made free during the pandemic crisis of this year! Again, a huge thank you!

Deirdre Nelson

27/05/2020

The examples are very structured and easy to follow. Awesome resource to help my students during this lock down. Thank you

vijayalakshmi rajesh

14/05/2020

A fabulous range of resources for those who are reluctant learners and for teachers who do not have the time to create exciting and challenging work. This workbook does the trick. It can be drip-fed to each pupil with easily achievable activities. Thank you so much.

Valerie Long

07/05/2020

Totally agree with the previous comment by Julie Burr. English skills are crucial to each and every pupil in order for them to communicate effectively and write clearly and with interest. So these resources are very helpful to me and more so to my pupils. Thank you.

Valerie Long

07/05/2020

Thank you very much for sharing, this is a well presented pack which will be really good and motivating for some of my class during lockdown. Thanks again, very generous to share.

Esther Hanna

28/04/2020

Invaluable help for my Zoom English lessons during Coronavirus lock down. Thank you

Debra Stanton

23/04/2020

excellent resourced, used for students for packs sent home due to the virus.

June Taylor

11/04/2020

27/03/2020

Fix it writing - teacher handbook and student workbook

All reviews

Resources you might like