Enjoy and may the Force be with you!
"Stefan completely revolutionised my teaching of writing - not an understatement!"
Sarah, Deputy Head & Literacy Leader, Leeds
"I believe I have seen a genuine correlation between children involved in the ARTiculate workshops and target children making Age Related Expectation (ARE)...Every child benefited with progress, clearly evident in their school books."
Simon, Y4 Teacher, Leeds
Simon, Y4 Teacher, Leeds
"Very inspirational and creative - lots of new ideas to improve writing and unlock children's imaginations."
Nadia, Year 4 teacher

Wednesday, 28 June 2017
Check out the trailer for our Star Wars film: Return of the Shadow Saber!
Courtesy of the media wizards at Leeds Trinity University's Trinity Vision, this is the first teaser trailer for the Star Wars film scripted, designed and starring twelve fantastic primary school children from two of my Leeds writing groups.
Enjoy and may the Force be with you!
Enjoy and may the Force be with you!
Friday, 23 June 2017
From scribe to Force master - story writing with purpose
How do you craft a story for an audience? How can you encourage children to begin to think of themselves as authors rather than children in a literacy lesson? Key questions for teaching creative writing in primary schools and this week I discussed these ideas with a group of Year 5 children as we wrote the openings to our Star Wars stories.
The children agreed that a quick pace was important to writing and adventure story. Short sentences, using powerful verbs, limited descriptions - all things that help absorb the reader in a whirlwind of action.

For example: "The young pilot gripped the controls with all her strength." - we learn our character is a pilot, a female, possibly a child and perhaps in trouble.
This approach can only really be taught by providing children for the opportunity to write for a real audience: someone other than their teacher. Publishing a book, sharing online, developing into an audio recording or film - all strategies I use and all real reasons to write. A writer can only really develop their craft when writing for strangers. Only then can the transition from scribe - one who simply writes - to a Force wielding Jedi who conjures and manipulates a narrative really begin.
Friday, 16 June 2017
Filthy wretch or poor thing? Rethinking the Island, KS2, Week 1

This week, we got to grips with the facts, possibilities and mysteries of the story. What do we know about the story so far? (we only ever read up to page 6 to leave it on a knife edge...) What doesn't this story tell us and what could we infer or predict?
We looked at the crowd of islanders who 'welcome' the stranger's arrival. As in every class, country or community, no group ever sees the world the same way and we discussed how the islanders might react differently to the man. Is he a poor thing who needs to be rescued? Is he a curiosity? Is he a threat?

Adopting personas to act, talk and write through is an excellent way to allow children to personalise their learning, to draw on their experiences and to ensure that all their writing is different! See the pictures to see how we got on.
Tuesday, 13 June 2017
The mystery of the lost temple.... STAR WARS creative writing workshop, Year 5

This is the context for a Star Wars writing workshop that began this week with a class of Year 5 children. Drawing on their ability to think creatively, their understanding of how to craft an exciting adventure story and the Force (obvs), this week the children began to draw out story maps outlining how their adventure will unfold.
First we jotted down key questions to be answered: is the warrior a hero or a villain? what will they discover? what will stand in their way? What will they learn about themselves on the journey?
Some of their ideas have been terrific - especially the understanding that a great adventure story needs to have thrills and spills, a gripping opening scene and (mild) peril!
Star Wars is such an excellent vehicle for engaging reluctant writers in the classroom. They all want to shape a well known story that they love, there is lots of material to work with (characters, settings, tropes) and you cannot fail to write something exciting. For a group who in class seem to struggle to generate ideas, this writing workshop is working a treat!
Next week... drafting an introduction.
Happy Chinese Dragon Boat Festival! 端午節快乐! Art with Year 1

Art class - Year 1 (age 5-6)
Signalling the start of summer, Dragon Boat festival is a Chinese festival of colour, flavour, sound and action. An event that takes place all across China, other parts of the world also celebrate the festival with a boat race - including our fine city of Leeds which hosts a boat race on 24th June 2017.

With my Year 1 class this half term we are exploring the sights and sounds of the festival starting with the beautiful Dragon Boat Flags that decorate towns and villages in the build up to the race before being awarded to the competing racers.

Next week... we start to make floating Dragon Boats!

Friday, 9 June 2017
SALE! Buy my teaching resources for free!

Visit my shop at www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/articulate_education or click here and follow the link.
Small print...
- voucher is worth £3 ($3.97) as are most of my resources
- first time buyers only
- see www.tes.com for full details
Monday, 5 June 2017
May the Force be with us - Star Wars film making project at Leeds Trinity University!
A few weeks ago, in a university not far away 12 primary school
children teamed up with Trinity Vision media department at Leeds Trinity
University for an epic film making project. The task: to write, script
and film a new Star Wars film in four days. No pressure.
After devising several brilliant ideas for an exciting story plot, the children settled on an adventure quest to find a lost legend (no spoilers, sorry....) featuring merciless bounty hunters, an army of wicked Sith lords as well as heroes of the lightside, the brave Jedi Knights.
The children made costumes, masks, lightsabers and even robot armour with the help of the university students and staff.
After choreographing the epic battles, perfecting the script and rehearsing their lines, it was off to the woods to film it under the expert guidance of the Council of Elders at Trinity Vision.
The project was an excellent success. The children's
fantastic hard work and enthusiasm was matched by the expertise of the
university staff (and with a bit of help from me too!). It was an
excellent advert for effective partnerships between schools and
universities and a demonstration of how creative writing projects with
real purpose can impact positively on children's learning.
The film is due for release in July 2017 - more to follow!
After devising several brilliant ideas for an exciting story plot, the children settled on an adventure quest to find a lost legend (no spoilers, sorry....) featuring merciless bounty hunters, an army of wicked Sith lords as well as heroes of the lightside, the brave Jedi Knights.
The children made costumes, masks, lightsabers and even robot armour with the help of the university students and staff.
After choreographing the epic battles, perfecting the script and rehearsing their lines, it was off to the woods to film it under the expert guidance of the Council of Elders at Trinity Vision.
![]() |
The children arrive for filming! |
The film is due for release in July 2017 - more to follow!
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