17235482- Nicolette Byron.

English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

Winton, T. (1990). Lockie Leonard Legend. Pan by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty
Limited St Martins, Sydney.

Fins
(p. 1-6).

Lockie Leonard shook the spray from his eyes, adjusted himself on the board and kept
paddling as the waves rolled past and collapsed with a bum- tingling thud on the sand
bar. Out of the mist another swell rose all seething and motley-green and shot six
glistening, giggling missiles into the sky. They twisted into the air and came spearing
straight at him. Lockie stopped paddling and starred. As any halfwit knows, of course
this six not such a smart a thing to do when a big horrie wave is bearing down on you
like a cement truck. But the human torpedo couldn’t help himself. Dolphins! Alright!
He watched them stall and turn in perfect formation, cutting white slices through the
skin of water, curving back on themselves the way no human surfer could even hope
Commented [SB1]: Australian Idiom. This highlights
Australian identity aligned with the text.
Commented [SB2]: Seething, Missiles and spearing
foreshadows danger. Hints at the events that are to come.
Commented [SB3]: Australian Idiom. This highlights
Australian identity aligned with the text.
Commented [SB4]: Australian Idiom. This highlights
Australian identity aligned with the text.
Commented [SB5]: Simile- “He hooted as the dolphins
suddenly cartwheeled out the back of the wave”.

to. They romped and skylarked. They arched their backs, pulled in their flooks and
buried themselves deep in the meat of the wave until they were surfing underwater,
riding the inner force of the wave. Now that was desperately cool, no question. Lockie
was stoked. He hooted as the dolphins suddenly cartwheeled out the back of the wave, Commented [SB6]: Australian Idiom. This highlights
Australian identity aligned with the text.
but no one heard him because half a second after he opened his mouth, the whole
motley-green business fell on him with a roar and he went straight to the bottom.
Yodelling all the way.

He bounced along the seabed, his wetsuit filling with sand, seaweed and small marine
creatures, as his board dragged him by his twanging leg rope. Hmm, life as prawn net.
He startled several flathead, overturned a turban shell with the tip of his funny bone
and began to make some sort of effort toward saving his own life. When he finally
found the foaming surface and honked the entire Southern Ocean out of his left nostril Commented [SB7]: Australian Idiom. Also infers the setting
of the text.
he simply couldn’t manage to feel sorry for himself.

The sea went calm. Lockie clawed back out into deep water and lay still. He panted
like a spaniel. All of a sudden a dolphin spouted beside him, then another, and then a
whole whooshing crew of them were around him, whirling and leaping. They
surrounded him mischievously, teasing and skiting like a bunch of little brothers lit up
on red Smarties and Coke. Diving, they disappeared for a second and charged up from Commented [SB8]: Simile.
beneath him to swerve at the very last moment and whack their tales on the surface.
Then, to rub it in a bit more they left in formation right over him again and again,
wagging their heads and giving him the eyeball.

In the end they came back and lazed around, cheeping and clicking so close that he
ran his hands down their slick flanks and began to laugh in amazement. It was just
plain inspiring. There was no other word he could think of to describe it. In a brilliant
glassy swirl, out on his own with a mob of made dolphins. Did it get any better than
this? Commented [SB9]: Rhetorical question. The character
Lockie Leonard is speaking directly to the reader to elicit a
response.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

The past few weeks had been pretty grim for Lockie. His best mate, Egg had left town
because his oldies split up. Lockie missed Egg’s mad jokes and his terrible
complexion; he just missed having him around. Then there was Dot, the girlfriend he
thought he had for a week or two. She was back in the big smoke, pigtails and all, and
so his love life was down the toilet. As if this wasn’t enough to put a dent in your day,
his little brother Phillip had turned 11 and started wetting the bed again, poor mutt.
Lockie was back to sharing a bedroom with someone else’s damp patch.

Still it was pretty hard to keep feeling sorry for yourself with half a dozen buzzed-up
dolphins using you for hurdles practice. All Lockie’s glumness, all his lonliness
evaporated. I tell you, you have to be a hard case not to dig dolphins. Commented [SB10]: Author intrusion- A technique used to
disorient the reader through the author doing something
unexpected, engaged the responder.
Then, in one strange second they all peeled off. Dived and were gone. In the long lull
Australian idiom. This highlights Australian identity aligned with
between sets, Lockie waited, still hopeful that they’d return and stir up some more the text.
fun. But nothing happened. With all the excitement gone he suddenly felt his aching
Commented [SB11]:
body. He’d been surfing for hours and even his pains had pains and his rashes had Truncated sentence “But nothing happened”- rising tension.
rashes. He could feel the end of his nose shriveling under its coating of zinc cream.
What a shame they took off, he thought. I could of handled an hour of that.

Just as he was thinking it, he saw a shadow turning in a swell. Yes! And as a small set
rose in the distance, Lockie saw the dolphins fin pop from the crest of the first wave.

Then he stopped paddling. Commented [SB12]: Starts with conjunction.

Paragraphing with effect to create tension.

Lockie sat up. He stared again. Hard. His heart went small and cold as a left over
rissole inside his RipCurl vest. Because, you see, as any grommet knows, there are
fins and there are FINS! Commented [SB13]:

Truncated sentences.
There it was again. Simile.
Author intrusion.
Capitals for effect- highlighting tension.
Hooly-dooly, that was no dolphin. Lockie Leonard was no brain surgeon. But he
Commented [SB14]: Paragraph for effect. Indicates a change
knew the difference between ‘Flipper ‘ and ‘Jaws III’. It was a Noah’s Arch. A man in in pace for the narrative. Also highlights the action occurring
a grey flannel suit. The fish was a tax collectors smile. A swimming layer. Five rows within the text.

of teeth with a tale, an appetite and a seriously bad attitude. In short, it was a
cartilaginous fish characterized by a pointed snout extending forward and over a
crescentic mouth set with sharp triangular teeth, a creature quite necessary to the fine
balance of the marine environment but not particularly welcomed by hairy young
persons floating on tiny pieces of fiber glass in the middle of cold, lonely ocean. It
was, in fact a SSSHHHHAAAAAARK!
Commented [SB15]: INTEREXTUALITY- Makes connections
between the protagonist experience and the understanding of
the reader: ‘It was a Noah’s Arch’ is a metaphor.
Commented [SB16]: Metaphors.
Commented [SB17]: Punctuation for effect. Show his state of
mind.

The fin turned Lockie’s way. A little bow wave peeled off it as it accelerated. Lockie
could feel every taste on his tongue. His solitary pimple throbbed on his chin. The fin
came steaming in and Lockie felt adrenaline rip down his arms into the tips of his
fingers. He began to wish that he brought a brown wet suit. Commented [SB18]: Humor- appeals to the teen audience.

The shark closed in on him and, without even thinking, Lockie pulled his feet out of
the water and tried to wrap them around his neck. He tried to make himself the size of Commented [SB19]: Hyperbole- indicates the characters
state of mind.
a cashew nut but the effort was too much and he over-balanced and fell straight into
the water right where the shark flash under him. For a moment he layed stunned on

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

the water, expecting to see his gizzards drifting around him and one of his legs
floating by like driftwood but he felt no pain, nothing at all.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the fin break the surface again, turning for another
run. Ayayayayayayiii! Commented [SB20]: Non-sensical word to highlight the
protagonist screaming.

Lockie pulled himself onto his board, aimed himself at dry land and tried not to think
about life with a wooden leg. Or worse: life with only one buttock. Lockie Leonard,
half bum. No, it didn’t exactly ring in his ears like music. He stopped thinking all Commented [SB21]: Humor
together and went like hell fire.

He was still paddling when he hit the dunes. Lockie Leonard, human torpedo. Alive.
On dry land. With both legs and all of his very small and water logged butt end.

Please note: The comments written on this document were written by me (Nicolette Byron) despite that the author of the
comments is stated as Sharon Byron. This is due to that fact that My laptop is owned by my mother- Sharon.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

Lesson Plan: 1

Syllabus Outcomes

EN41-A A student responds to and composes texts for understanding,

interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure.

o Recognise and analyse the ways that characterisations, events and settings are
combined in narratives and discuss the purposes and appeal of different
approaches.

What is being taught in this lesson?

This lesson is designed to introduce the class to a fiction novel, Lockie Leonard,

Human Torpedo. In this lesson students will look at how the cover of the text and the

blurb represents the ideas and characters presented within the text. Students will learn

the significance of using writing techniques such as idioms for the development of an

authentic voice, which leads to a compelling beginning.

Why am I teaching it?

This lesson is designed to address the opening chapter of the text. Through the

analysis of visual elements found on the cover of the text, students learn to creatively

and imaginatively; interpret information and ideas to respond and compose a

compelling beginning to writing a narrative. This will help students develop an

understanding of how a compelling beginning to writing a narrative is critical.

Additionally students will be introduced to Australian Idioms through the beginning

of the narrative, to demonstrate to students how the use of idioms help in the

development of authentic voice and compel the reader to continue reading . In later

lessons, students will attempt to utilise these techniques in their own creative writing

piece.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

How am I teaching it?

This lesson will combine both teacher and student directed activities. The teacher

directed activities are needed to build the context, content and concepts that students

will be independently and in groups be working on during the mini-lessons. Emphasis

will be placed on providing students opportunities to use prior knowledge and

connection to a new learning experience via class and small group discussion.

Literacy skill development will be used in the form of a Think Pair Share activity.

How does it relate to my reading in this unit?

This lesson plan was created with the aim of teaching students the importance of

writing a compelling beginning to an imaginative narrative. Students at the beginning

of this lesson work as a class to analyse and discuss the visual components found on

the cover of the novel Lockie Leonard and the blurb, in order to orientate the

responder and provide a microcosm of the text. This lesson was modelled around

Atwell’s (1998) construction of Mini-lessons. Correspondingly, Baxter’s model of

small group work in the classroom, as found within Chapter 20 of Charged with

meaning (2009, p. 200) is also utilised.

Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities

15 Teacher: Class settles in. Teacher marks the roll.
min Introduction of the
novel. Teacher introduces set text: Lockie Leonard.
Class based discussion Students are guided by the teacher to make connections
of the cover and its between themselves and the piece via analysis of the visual
connection to representation on the cover. (For this lesson the students
characters which may will be issued the cover and pages as individual handouts)
be found in the novel. What might the text be about? Look at front cover of the
book and consider the following: How do you know what
this book is about? (Teen, surfboard, alternative lifestyle,
fist pump). This serves to set the scene for the text by
orientating the reader/responder (codes and conventions)
prediction.

Teacher reads to class: Teacher then explores the beginning of the text Lockie
chapter 1 of text Leonard by reading the first two pages (handout) out loud

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

to the class, whilst the students follow on with their own

copies.
Teacher asks students to consider the following questions
after analysis of the first two pages: Were the first few
pages what you expected after analysing the cover? Do
you think the Lockie character has any similarities with you
as a person? Do you want to keep reading? Why? Students
are to answer these questions, individually in their
workbooks or BYOD- ICT device.

Activity: Class Mind This activity is used so that students are able to interpret
map their own understanding of the character of Lockie
Leonard.
Mind map activity- Teacher asks students to create a mind
map that details their answers to the above questions.
15 Teacher: Read the blurb (handout) as a class- to deepen student
mins Lead discussion of the understanding of the text.
language

Activity: Think pair Teacher introduces the Think, pair, share- (PBL Activity).
share Teacher/ students build class discussion of the content,
language and how it connects to the image on the front of
the text Lockie Leonard.
Teacher discusses with students the idea of reinforcing
assumptions. E.g. Informal language – links to teen speak.
E.g. Lino-munching, not a pretty sight, Ouch! As
highlighted throughout the beginning of the text.
20 Teacher: Australian idioms/ Definition- Teacher discusses the
min Lead discussion of definition of Idiom to the class and the purpose Australian
Idioms idioms play in the text Lockie Leonard.
Activity sheet: Match Idioms and their definitions
This activity is used to demonstrate how idioms can create
an authentic voice and engage a reader.

Mini Lesson (Atwell, Creating an authentic voice– (narrative) authentic voice.

1998): Creating an Group Activity: Teacher places students into small groups.
authentic voice. Each group is given basic character information.
Students are asked to create a character that is authentic in
terms of their brief. E.g. teenager, an elderly person.
Students are guided by the teacher and asked to consider:
How would they speak? How would they look?

Creative Writing Task Students are to create a one minute monologue where the
character describes himself/ herself. Students are to then
present their monologue to the persons in their group.

Teacher concludes lesson and reflects on teaching.

Students are dismissed.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

Lesson Plan: 2

Syllabus Outcome

EN4- 5C- A student thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically

about information ideas and arguments to respond to and compose text.

o Compose texts, using alternatively, creative and imaginative ways of

expressing ideas recognising, valuing and celebrating originality and
inventiveness.

What is being taught in this lesson?

This lesson expressly is concerned with demonstrating to students the importance of

building tension and the role that the writing technique of foreshadowing plays within

a compelling beginning to a narrative.

Why am I teaching it?

This lesson has been crafted to develop students’ knowledge of the importance and

understanding of engaging an audience with a minor complication, hence creating

tension and a complication that needs to be solved and how this technique is critical

to the writing of a high quality narrative beginning. This lesson is designed to address

outcome EN4- 5C.

How am I teaching it?

This lesson will use a basic numeracy activity of graphing the first half of the text,

highlighting how tension increases to engage readers. This lesson uses direct

instruction for student learning, which ensures that information is clearly scaffolded.

Using this pedagogy during this lesson facilitates both literacy and numeracy

strategies.

How does it relate to my reading in this unit?

This lesson plan considers how aspects of texts, including characterisation, setting,

situations, issues, ideas, tone and point of view can evoke the development of an

authentic voice within a narrative.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

This lesson follows Atwell (1998) style of mini-lessons. The content being taught in

this lesson presents students with the technique of narrative voice and foreshadowing.

Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities

15 Teacher directed Class settles in. Teacher marks roll.

mins learning: Teacher Teacher poses the question to students “What are some of
begins class with the ways can we develop an authentic voice?” Students
discussion of last are to write their answers on a post-it note for the teacher to
lesson- tapping into collect at the end of the lesson.
student’s prior
knowledge.

20 Mini lesson: Creating In addition to creating an authentic voice, students must

mins tension in a narrative understand the importance of engaging an audience with a
(Atwell, 1998). minor complication.

Teacher directed Teacher discusses the importance of creating tension when

writing a compelling beginning to a narrative–complication
that needs to be solved.
Teacher discusses with the class how to graph a text to
interpret tension / events- using an axis to plot the events/
climax/ resolution.

Student centered Activity: Students are asked to read the first four pages of
chapter 1(up to “Then he stopped paddling”)
individually.(this is given to students as a handout)

Teacher directed Teacher then demonstrates on the whiteboard how the

reading author uses language techniques to heighten the tension in
the story to a climax. This is plotted on a simple graph.
Axis A- Tension, Axis- B Event.

Teacher leads class discussion on the language being used

in the text to heighten tension. And discusses with class
why this is an effective way to engage the responder. These
techniques are recorded on the whiteboard and students
write them into their workbooks/ ICT device (laptop).

Student collaboration Students work in pairs to annotate tension building

(group work) language used by the author on pages 3 and 4.

Students are given A4 photocopies to complete this task.

Teacher conferences with each group to assess their level
of understanding of the language techniques.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

20 Mini Lesson: Foreshadowing - (narrative) teacher explains the role of

mins Foreshadowing foreshadowing in narrative writing and asks students to
(Atwell, 1998). copy a definition of the technique into their workbooks.

Class discusses leading questions including: What might

happen next? How do you know? What indications can you
find to suggest what event may be coming?

Activity: Think Pair Students are to use these questions to ‘Think pair share’
Share their ideas and write their answers in their workbooks/
BYOD- ICT device (laptop).

Creative Writing Task: Students are asked to write a paragraph outlining what
might happen next for Lockie Leonard. Teacher to
supervise and be available for questions and advice.

Teacher concludes lesson and reflects on lesson. Students

are dismissed. Teacher collects student post-it notes off
students’ desks (informal assessment).

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

Lesson Plan: 3

Syllabus Outcome

EN4-3B- A student uses and describes language forms features and structures of
text appropriate to a range of purposes audiences and contexts.

o Interpret and analyse language choices including sentence patterns, dialogue,

imagery and other language features in short stories literary essays and plays.

EN4-4B- A student makes effective language choices to creatively shape meaning

with accuracy, clarity and coherence.

o Experiment with text structures and language features to refine and clarity
ideas to improve the effectiveness of students own text.

What is being taught in this lesson?

This lesson is designed to teach students about the importance of language techniques

used to write a compelling beginning to a narrative. Students are introduced to writing

techniques/ skills including: paragraphing, 1st and 3rd person narration, author

intrusion and tense, as highlighted within the first chapter of the text Lockie Leonard.

Why am I teaching it?

This lesson is designed to address outcomes EN4-3B and EN4-4B. The focus of this

lesson requires students to consider the ways in which language techniques generate a

compelling introduction. By exploring the language techniques of narrative writing

students are engaged with the context of the text and as such are able to understand

the importance of the language forms and structures shown throughout the first

chapter of Lockie Leonard. In this lesson students learn about 1st and 3rd person

narration. Author intrusion is the focus of the second part of this lesson and scaffolds

to students the importance of making predictions at the beginning of a text. By

teaching this to students, an understanding of what may unfold during later events

within the body of the narrative can be better understood.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

How am I teaching it?

This lesson is useful in re-creating the atmosphere and shaping the setting of the text

Lockie Leonard. It is highly engaging as it presents students with notions of why

language techniques within the beginning of a narrative are fundamental to narrative

structure. The group work activity as facilitated by the teacher in this lesson, involves

students sharing their own ideas through personal experience so that students are able

to relate to the context of this lesson. This collaborative learning environment

provides students with an opportunity to gain a deeper consideration of how the

beginning of the narrative Lockie Leonard is compelling to its readers.

How does it relate to my reading in this unit?

The language techniques taught throughout this lesson, including techniques such as:

paragraphing, author intrusion and 1st and 3rd person narration have been presented to

the students to relay the impact that authentic voice plays within the beginning of the

narrative. This lesson plan concurs with Atwell (1998) whom suggests that “the

difference between first and third person and the need to keep a consistent voice” is

critical for students to understand when writing the beginning to a narrative. This

lesson also demonstrates to students the need to keep a consistent tense, past or

present when writing a compelling beginning to a narrative.

Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities

15 Teacher directed Class settles in. Teacher marks roll.
mins Discussion of last lesson and learning activities- teacher
reads through some of the students work.

Teacher revisits what was taught last lesson via class

discussion and poses the following questions to students:
How can we create tension in the beginning of a novel, so the
reader will want to read on? How does foreshadowing help to
create tension? Students discuss these questions as a class
and write their responses on the white board, to then be
copied into their workbooks or laptop.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

As a class students read the rest of chapter 1- (pages 5-7)

(this is given as a handout)

Students then graph the rest of the chapter on the Axis- as

taught in previous lesson. (A4 paper provided for this)
20 Mini Lesson: point of Teacher introduces students to: First/third person narrative /
mins view (Atwell, 1998). author intrusion and constructs definitions to these language
techniques and places them on the whiteboard for students to
copy.

Class is then given examples from within the text Lockie

Leonard in order to scaffold meaning for students.

Small group work where students find examples of their

focus from within chapter one of the text.
Group One: Advantages of 1st person
Group Two: Disadvantages of 1st person
Group Three: Advantages of 3rd person
Group Four: Disadvantages of 3rd person.
Group Five: Advantages of author intrusion
Group Six: Disadvantages of author intrusion

Class discussion of findings – and their effects within the

text.
20 Mini Lesson Teacher redirects student learning by beginning a class
mins Paragraphing for discussion and informs students that another way to engage
effect an audience within a narrative is through effective
paragraphing – (codes and conventions).

Students then identify examples of effective paragraphs in

Chapter One (Fins) and discuss the effect of using different
types of paragraphs throughout the beginning of the text
Lockie Leonard in order to develop ‘effect’ and compel the
reader.

Creative Writing Task Students are then asked to select a ‘scary’ or ‘tense’ event
from their lives and experiment writing about that event
using paragraphs for effect in order to develop their skills in
creative/ narrative writing.

Peer marking and editing is conducted with the person next

to each student- student must check for correct punctuation,
syntax and appropriate use of language. Teacher is available
for students that require help during the writing phase.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

Homework In the last 5 minutes of the lesson, teacher sets homework

task as follows: Students are asked to work on editing their
short story for homework. Students must have their work
edited and finished by next lesson in order to be presented to
the teacher for marking and feedback.

Teacher concludes lesson and reflects on teaching. Students

are dismissed.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

Rationale

For the development of my three lesson plans I focused on the aspect of writing a

compelling beginning to a narrative within a Unit on Creative Writing. I designed my

lessons for a Stage 4 Year 8 English class in a comprehensive High school. The lesson

plans are based on the set text: Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo. I have endeavored

to design lessons that are structured to the learning outcomes of the NSW Syllabus for

the Australian Curriculum, Vol. 2: English Years 7-10. I have developed 3

sequential lessons that are aligned with Atwell’s (1998) chapter ‘In the middle- Mini-

Lessons. For the purpose of this assignment, each lesson builds on the previous

lesson, with reading and writing activities that scaffold the skills required for student

learning for the development of creative writing.

Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo (1990) is an appropriate text to connect the teaching

of writing a compelling beginning to a narrative. It is a text that can be read, analyzed

and interpreted in a myriad of ways. The construction of the text in the first chapter

presents readers with an authentic narrative voice, which identifies the protagonist as

a character that epitomizes true Australian culture. This contextual analysis positions

the text as relative to the stage of the learners. Students via close study of the first

chapter of this text are provided the opportunity to draw on their knowledge of texts

and language features to clarify meaning that is relative to their own lives.

To develop my lesson plans and learning activities I referred to the Stage 4 Outcomes

for English in the NSW English Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum K-10 (2013).

When designing my lesson plans I selected syllabus outcomes that I believed were

achievable in a unit of Creative writing. The lessons are divided into smaller sections

of learning activities in accordance with a fifty-minute time frame.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

Each lesson involves variation of pedagogy, which includes teacher-guided

discussions, class discussions, as well as individual learning and group based learning

activities. My lessons have a strong group-based activity focus, as learning scaffolded

in this way is fundamental for encouraging students to participate in their own

learning. Research signposts this in theory as Problem-Based Learning (PBL), a

pedagogical approach that centers on helping students develop self-directed learning

skills in which the learner actively constructs new knowledge on the basis of current

knowledge. “PBL provides students with the opportunity to develop advanced

cognitive abilities such as creative thinking, problem solving and communication

skills” (Awang & Ramly, 2008, p. 334). This collaborative learning environment

would require myself as the teacher to move among the groups listening to their

progress and offering suggestions to facilitate learning. PBL supports reading and

writing for students and group based activities and fosters student engagement, which

allows educators to explore how students learn best, whilst still explicitly covering

course content and syllabus outcomes.

In conjunction with this, reading and writing workshops facilitate students learning of

creative writing skills. Atwell’s In the Middle develops in great detail her Reading and

Writing Workshops in which she participates fully as ‘teacher as facilitator’ (1998, p.

96). Atwell (1998) discusses the importance of mini-lessons and one-on-one

conferencing, editing and group sharing to improve creative writing. Atwell (1998)

suggests that the mini-lesson allows the teacher to share authority “that will help

writers and readers grow” so that students are able to share “what they know” (1998,

p. 150).

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

Mini-lessons can be used by the teacher as a powerful tool to tap into student’s prior

knowledge and build on their understanding of creative writing. Additionally, this

allows students the opportunity to gain individual predictions of what a text might

involve prior to beginning it.

When teaching creative writing skills, it is fundamental that a teacher develops a

classroom environment that establishes supportive practice. “The act of teaching,

according to Cornu & Peters (2005, p. 135) is being framed as ‘co-constructing

knowledge with students, acting as conceptual change agent, mentoring apprentices

through the zone of proximal development and supporting a community of learners”.

Furthermore, Gannon (2009) claims that in relation to this idea, when teaching the

craft of writing; teachers must “themselves develop more nuanced understandings of

writing processes”. This demonstrates the importance of being able to successfully

model lesson content so that students are able to engage with the outcomes being

taught. Atwell (1998) in her chapter on mini-lessons identifies these processes as a

‘reader and writer’. When designing my learning activities and crafting my lessons on

Lockie Leonard, I considered this very carefully.

Lesson 1

Syllabus Outcomes

EN41-A A student responds to and composes texts for understanding,

interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure.

o Recognise and analyse the ways that characterisations, events and settings are

combined in narratives and discuss the purposes and appeal of different

approaches.

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English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

Lesson One introduces the set text and establishes the focus of creating an authentic

voice in a narrative through a Mini Lesson. Students are immersed in the world of

Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo through the cover and the blurb, and are given the

opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of idioms and how the technique of

idioms are used to develop an authentic voice at the beginning of a narrative.

Lesson 2

Syllabus Outcome

EN4- 5C- A student thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically

about information ideas and arguments to respond to and compose text.

o Compose texts, using alternatively, creative and imaginative ways of

expressing ideas recognising, valuing and celebrating originality and

inventiveness.

Lesson Two builds on prior learning and introduces the concept of creating tension

through a Mini Lesson. The teacher models an example of the activity that the

students need to attempt, utilising the appropriate metalanguage. Students incorporate

a numeracy strategy through graphically demonstrating rising tension before

annotating a section of the chapter, highlighting the elements used to create tension,

and thus help to create a compelling introduction.

Lesson 3

Syllabus Outcome

EN4-3B- A student uses and describes language forms features and structures of

text appropriate to a range of purposes audiences and contexts.

o Interpret and analyse language choices including sentence patterns, dialogue,

imagery and other language features in short stories literary essays and plays.

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17235482- Nicolette Byron.
English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

EN4-4B- A student makes effective language choices to creatively shape meaning

with accuracy, clarity and coherence.

o Experiment with text structures and language features to refine and clarity

ideas to improve the effectiveness of students own text.

Lesson three builds on the prior learning of creating tension as an effective technique

to the third Mini-Lesson on point of view. Students complete practical activities

involved with first and third person narratives and engage with language techniques

such as author intrusion. The second Mini Lesson designed for this lesson teaches

students how to utilise paragraphing as a means for creating tension, and thus a

compelling beginning. In this lesson, students are required to conduct peer marking

and editing. In this way, students are encouraged to correct their use of appropriate

grammar and syntax, as well as practice in co-operation and communication skills.

Upon conclusion, my reading of Atwell (1998) and my lesson plan development,

indicates that writing activities and mini-lessons at point of need in the classroom,

establishes a culture supportive of the importance of creative writing not only to

achieve particular syllabus outcomes but also for a student’s comprehensive language

development.

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17235482- Nicolette Byron.
English Curriculum- Assignment 1- Professional Task Teaching Writing.

References

Atwell, Nancie (1998) In the middle: new understandings about writing, reading and
learning. Boynton/Cook.

Atwell, Nancie (2007) Lessons that change writers Firsthand.

Awang, H., & Ramly, I. (2008). Creative Thinking Skill Approach Through Problem-
Based Learning: Pedagogy and practice in the Engineering Classroom.
International Journal of Social, Behavioural, Educational, Economic, Business
and Industrial Engineering Vol: 2, No:4.

Board of Studies New South Wales. (2012). English Sample Unit: Pictures tell the
story! Retrieved:
https://syllabus.bostes.nsw.edu.au/assets/global/files/english_s2_sampleu1.pdf

Board of Studies New South Wales. (2013). NSW Syllabus for the Australian
Curriculum English K-10 Syllabus.

Cornu, R., & Peters, J. (2005). Towards constructivist classrooms: the role of the
reflective teacher. Journal of Educational Enquiry, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2005.

Gannon, S., Howie, M. and Sawyer, W. (eds) (2009) Charged with meaning. Phoenix
Education.

Winton, T. (1990). Lockie Leonard Legend. Pan by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty
Limited St Martins, 31 Market St, Sydney.

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