From the Leader of Learning and Curriculum

From little things, BIG things grow!

Our Key Learning Area Coordinators have been deep diving into a range of data about our Year 10 students and examining areas that require attention in preparing Year 10 students for senior studies. Interestingly, there appears to be a trend emerging that also matches some of the feedback from Year 12 teachers currently marking Trial HSC examinations. The area to develop is writing and attention to spelling, grammar and punctuation.

A term appearing in the top marking range on marking criteria is ‘cohesion’. The NSW Educational Standards Authority says that cohesion is “that quality in a text determined by its parts being related and contributing to its overall unity. Cohesion is achieved through shaping the form, creating a structure that the responder can recognise and use to navigate the text, and using features of language that link the various parts of the text into a complete whole”.

The starting point for cohesion is grammar, spelling and punctuation!

Grammar, spelling and punctuation are the most basic components of good writing. Grammatically correct texts are easier to read and transfer meaning to readers with clarity. A firm understanding of grammar and punctuation also makes the writing process flow.

Focusing on grammar is unpleasant for some writers because they prefer to focus on the creative side of writing or the ‘big idea’. But developing good self-editing habits, while painstaking, enriches the experience for everyone involved—from the writer to the reader—and is the jump-start to better academic performance.

How can parents and carers assist?

Reviewing your daughter’s homework and drafts of assessment tasks, and challenging basic errors and carelessness, is beneficial. Reinforcing that grammar, spelling and punctuation are important (and not just something for English) will add value.

As the adage goes, by focusing on the little things in writing, BIG things will grow!

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