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ASESSMENT 1 – Characterisation as an aspect of creative writing

LESSON 1

Class: 3/9 Time: 60min

Year 7 9:35am

Pre-service teacher’s Objectives

 Timing oneself, and the students, to provide high expectations in activities.
 Providing adequate scaffolding for each activity.

Outcomes
EN4-1A – responds to and composes texts for understanding, interpretation, critical
analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure.
- Explore and appreciate the aesthetic qualities in their own and other texts
and the power of language to communicate information, ideas, feelings
and viewpoints.
EN4-3B – uses and describes language forms, features and structures of texts
appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts.
- Develop a sense of personal style and taste in composition and response.

Materials
Powerpoint including extracts to examine.
ICT availability
Visible digital timer for smartboard
Whiteboard & markers
Student’s writing equipment

Procedures
Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities
5min Teacher: marking the roll, and - Roll marked
preparing ICT. - ICT turned on and ready to go
Students: sitting in seating plan - Students have equipment out and ready to learn
and getting out notebooks and - Learning outcomes: define and apply.
pens quietly.

10min Teacher: Instruct students to New page, ‘characterisation’ as heading, with date.
write ‘characterisation’ heading Class discussion - What is Characterisation?
in notebook with date. How do we do create a character with words?
Facilitating class discussion. Descriptions of a character's appearance, behaviour, interests,
Write bold onto whiteboard as way of speaking, and other mannerisms are all part of
discussion goes that way. characterization. This gives readers a chance to build up an

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Students: Attentive and idea of what this character will and won’t do within the events
collaborative, taking notes as of the story. Use the following outline to describe characters:
desired. P: physical description
A: action
I: inner thoughts
R: reactions
S: speech
These things can be described by the narrator either:
- DIRECT: The author or narrator tells the reader what they
want them to know about the character.
- INDIRECT: The author or narrator shows us things about
the character to help the reader have an understanding of
the character’s personality and effect upon other
characters.
5min Teacher: Under Characterisation through 1st person narration is a direct form:
‘characterisation’ write sub - What is an example of 1st person narration? When the
heading for ‘first person narrator uses ‘I said…”, or “I went…”.
narration as a direct form’. [Ask student to tell us about their morning]
Student: Write heading and sub Teacher’s example: When I woke up this morning, my
heading in notebook. blond hair had fallen out of its braid. I stretched
enthusiastically, and then I went downstairs to make
breakfast. “Good morning” I said to my dog. NOTE:
draw attention to ‘Authenticity’.
10min Teacher: Lecturing, and using Powerpoint slide to show students an example of a text that is
ICT to show models of first written in first person, describing the key character.
person narration used for - Twilight – from Bella Swan’s perspective.
characterisation - Fault in our Stars – from Hazel’s perspective.
Students: Attentive and reading Class discussion: What do we notice about both of these?
the powerpoint slide.
5min Teacher: Transition, write Under ‘characterisation’ heading, students will write sub
heading in book. heading ‘first person narration and authenticity’.
Authenticity: of undisputed origin and not a copy; Real.
15min Teacher: Instruct and partake in Students must address the question of characterisation – How
writing activity. There is no do you provide an insight to your personality/character to
word limit/expectation. Have your readers using only words?
visible timer on smartboard. Teacher provides the following scenario:
Teacher to walk around the You are getting ready for the first day back at school after the
room and ask individual Christmas holidays. It’s the first day of Year 8. You have just
students if they would share finished brushing your teeth, and are looking in the mirror
their writing with the class. above the sink – what do you see? How does your character
Students: Writing their own describe themselves? Students are to respond by writing using
stories. first person narration, and write about how they might be
feeling, what they plan for the day ahead.
Think about the characters’ thoughts and feelings, and also
their movement and dialogue as they interact with other
characters. Remember P.A.I.R.S.

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10min Teacher: Facilitate discussion. Students that have agreed to share their writing will speak.
Feedback is critical. Teacher will build student confidence by facilitating the open
Students: Sharing writing floor. Invite more students to share.
Homework N/A

Evaluation/ Extension
Evaluation: Students will self-assess whether they have achieved the lesson
outcomes of define, identify and apply knowledge learnt this lesson. Teacher will
complete informal formative assessment during student sharing session, through
verbal questioning if students understand the power of language use and imagery.
Students have the opportunity to peer assess writing; following class rules of 2 good
things and then 1 bad thing.

In retrospect
Teacher to introduce more incentive to share in class, students remain shy of sharing.
In addition the timing of the lesson is very tight. If we run overtime in some areas, it
had to come out of the time allocated to the sharing session at the end. Students
who were shy, starting packing up because there was only a few minutes before the
bell.

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Lesson 1 - Powerpoint Slides

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LESSON 2

Class: 4/9 Time: 60min

Year 7 10:40am

Pre-service teacher’s Objectives

 Smooth transition between the two activities today.
 Give adequate feedback to ensure students keep participating and improving.

Outcomes
EN4-4B – makes effective language choices to creatively shape meaning with
accuracy, clarity and coherence.
- Experiment with text structures and language features to refine and clarify
ideas to improve effectiveness of students’ own texts.
EN4-3B – uses and describes language forms, features and structures of texts
appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts.
- Develop a sense of personal style and taste in composition and response.

Materials
Visible digital timer for smartboard
Powerpoint slide on dialogue example
ICT availability
Student writing equipment
Whiteboard & markers

Procedures
Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities
5min Teacher: marking the roll, - Roll marked
and preparing ICT. - ICT turned on and ready to go
Students: sitting in seating - Students have equipment out and ready to learn
plan and getting out - Learning outcomes: define and apply
notebooks and pens.
10min Teacher: Summary of last Last lesson we looked at Authenticity in Characterisation by writing
lesson, then linking to this about the first morning of school with first person narration. You
lesson. Facilitate would have used your family and your pets, and perhaps the layout
discussion. Write bold of your bathroom to write in first person narration. This is
onto whiteboard. considered ‘authentic’ writing. All writers use this; most writers’
first published novels are semi works of autobiography. I want you
to continue using what is familiar to you – I want to workshop the
idea of characterisation through dialogue.

Students to write sub heading, ‘characterisation and dialogue’

under last lessons work. Powerpoint on dialogue that creates/
represents characterisation.

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How does dialogue work to show what a character is like?

1. By using adverbs, we understand how a character says
something > ‘…suggested cruelly’, ‘…whispered
energetically’ etc. [harry potter slide]
2. Things that the character says shows the reader what they
feel about something > ‘I don’t like…’, ‘I love…’.
Discuss the Harry Potter slide and how we could make the
conversation sound if we took away the adverbs that are circled in
red? Would it sound the same? Would we still have the same
characterisation?
10min Teacher: Instruct and Now use what you know. Write a conversation with your best friend
participate. Teacher to about any topic and establish characterisation indirectly through
walk around the room and dialogue. You could write about reuniting after one of you return
ask individual students if from holidays; or it could be a casual phone call.
they would share their
writing with the class.
5min Teacher: Facilitate sharing. Students that have agreed to share their writing will speak. Teacher
Feedback is critical. will build student confidence by facilitating the open floor. Invite
Students: Sharing writing more students to share.
5min Teacher: Transition, Discussion: Did anyone use lots of adverbs and adjectives in
writing with more detail. describing their conversations?
Even without dialogue, the readers will get to know the character,
indirectly through the narration of their actions, thoughts and
feelings, which can be communicated through clever use of adverbs
and adjectives.
Dialogue shows characterisation that the character chooses to
share with other characters. Their inner thoughts better represent
what kind of person your character is, as it’s harder to hide
anything, achieving precise characterisation.
5min Teacher: Workshop on To do this in your writing, you must get into your character’s head.
details in writing. Question Think about their internal monologue. If the house was on fire,
students to ensure what would they be thinking of? How can you show this? What
understood. would be the little things they notice about the fire? [Are the family
Write bold onto photos on the mantel turning grey in their frames as they burn? >
whiteboard. shows sentimentality] What would be the big things they think
Students: Attentive and about when their house is burning? [Where will I live now? > shows
collaborative. Answering lack of sentimentality] There are things that characters think about
questions. Writing that are effective in providing the character’s mood or persona.
headings into notebook. Micro and Macro are tools for narrators to zoom in on character’s
immediate thoughts.
- MICRO – the smallest details.
- MACRO – the bigger concepts.
Get individual students off guard – ask them for examples of each.
Students to write sub heading ‘Indirect characterisation using micro
and macro detail’.

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10min Teacher: Instruct and Writing: Look at what you wrote last lesson – can you write the
participate. Timer visible same story but with more details? Are they micro details or are
on the smartboard. they macro details? You noticed the bed sheets were faded, the sky
Ask students if they will is clear blue, the coffee spell coming from downstairs…
share. Write bold onto the Inspiration: Micro > 5 senses = Smell, Sight, Sounds, Taste, Touch.
whiteboard Macro details are anything outside the frame.
Students: Re-writing Draw attention to the things that your character would notice or
characterisation from last think about, which will help build their personality or character
lesson adding in more for the reader.
detail.
5min Teacher: Facilitate sharing. Students that have agreed to share their writing will speak. Teacher
Feedback is critical. will build student confidence by facilitating the open floor. Invite
Students: Support peers. more students to share.
5min Teacher: Summarising Discussion: What we have done today is build your characters
lesson. indirectly. As readers, we get snippets of information from the
Students: Packing up. characters’ actions, thoughts and feelings, which will help us to
build an image of the character in our minds. It makes reading
more enjoyable because we can contribute to the story with our
imaginations.
Homework: N/A

Evaluation/ Extension
Evaluation: Students can self-assess their knowledge against the lesson outcomes
that are shown at the beginning and the end of class. The revising of last lessons
story invites students to improve their writing style. Teacher will take informal
formative assessment as they walk through the room during writing, and also during
student sharing.
Extension: activities involve writing more widely – outside what teacher has
scaffolded, using what is workshopped prior.

In retrospect
Having two topics within 60 minutes can become confusing and if not linked
successfully. When transitioning, have students stand up and stretch or move one
seat to the left, to get their blood moving.

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Lesson 2 - Powerpoint Slides

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LESSON 3

Class: 5/9 Time: 60min

Year 7 13:40

Pre-service teacher’s Objectives

 Be aware of lesson timing. Don’t forget to use the visible digital timer.
 Give adequate feedback to ensure students keep participating and improving.

Outcomes
EN4-9E – uses, reflects on and assesses their individual and collaborative skills for
learning.
- Articulate and reflect on the pleasure and difficulties, successes and
challenges experienced in their individual and collaborative learning.
EN4-3B – uses and describes language forms, features and structures of texts
appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts.
- Recognise and use appropriate metalanguage in discussing a range of
language forms, features and structures.

Materials
Visible digital timer for smartboard
Powerpoint slide on dialogue example
ICT availability
Student writing equipment
Whiteboard & markers
Extension Activity Worksheet: Lexical groupings (x25)

Procedures
Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities
5min Teacher: marking the roll, - Roll marked
and preparing ICT. - ICT turned on and ready to go
Students: sitting in seating - Students have equipment out and ready to learn
plan and getting out - Learning outcomes: define and apply
notebooks and pens.
10min Teacher: Summary of last Students to write new sub heading ‘Narrator’s voice and
lesson. Students write new characterisation’.
sub-heading. Link last We have established that characters demonstrate their behaviour
lesson to this lesson. Class in P: physical description, A: action, I: inner thoughts, R: reactions,
Discussion on narrator’s S: speech. Yet a great deal of information and detail in a story
voice. Write bold on doesn’t fall neatly within these categories. Setting descriptions,
whiteboard observations, viewpoints, sensory imagery (5 senses), and more
fall in the cracks between action, dialogue, and thoughts. All of
that in-between material gives you your narrative voice.
What is the narrator’s voice?

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It is the feeling or attitude of the narrator. Made up of tone,

subject and vocabulary. This helps translate character
experiences for readers.
20min Teacher: Workshop for Teacher to show powerpoints of below texts and question
students to identify tone, students on the tone, subject and vocabulary. Teacher to subvert
subject and vocab in one of the concepts to aid students in recognising how it is voice.
excerpts provided. Class For example: What if Bella’s subject was different? What if the
discussion on the Dursley’s vocabulary was different? What if Hazel’s tone was
identification of the different? Students to identify the following in the excerpts, and
excerpts. how they contribute to characterisation:
Students: writing down How does the narrator’s voice provide characterisation?
notes as desired. Joining the 1. Tone: The narrator’s attitude towards something. For
class discussion. example: In Twilight, when Bella leaves her mother. The
voice is rational, but also self-sacrificing. This shows that
Bella’s not selfish, which adds to her characterisation.
2. Subject: What is the narrator talking about. For example:
In Philosophers stone, the Dursleys attitude towards Harry.
Their tone changes when talking about Dudley vs Harry.
This shows that the Dursley’s favour their son over Harry,
which adds to their characterisation.
3. Vocabulary: The words the narrator chooses. For
example: In Fault in our stars, when Hazel describes the
Support group circle, she uses language like death, cancer,
odds for survival. This shows the reader, she has had time
to come to terms with her cancer and what it might mean.
The way she says it is with sarcasm so we know she hasn’t
given up exactly.
Powerpoint to provide answers on excerpts
5min Teacher: Transition. The past couple of lessons, we have looked at how to use words
Summary of what we have to build a character in a narrative. Characterisation can be
done on characterisation so described directly by the narrator, or it can be alluded to using
far. dialogue, adverbs and adjectives, thoughts and feelings, and
opinions.
15min Teacher: Using ICT and Use what you know: Collaborative narrative: Teacher provides the
smartboard, teacher asks scenario – and new student creates one line each and then
each student to come to teachers asks the next student.
front and type out creative 1. Write a description of a place you know (prompts: colours,
sentence, and return to seat sights, smells, time of day or night etc).
for next student.

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Students: Collaborating. 2. Write a description of a person walking into this place

(prompts: clothing? Facial expression? Stance? Attitude or
mood and how can you tell? what it he/she carrying?
Where is he/she going etc?
3. Another person comes in to the space and says something
(describe him/her and write the words they speak)
4. What does the other person say back? (create some
conflict or tension between them, they both want
something different.
5. Write more (increase tension).
6. Write the ending (resolve the conflict)
[read what students have written so far and extend using
multiple ups and downs]
Gannon, 2009, p.229
10min Teacher: Question students Conferences: group up and discuss the things you most had
on their pleasures and difficulty with; the things you found easier to grasp; and specify
difficulties of writing. one new thing you have learnt.
5min Teacher: Read collaborative Teacher to read the student’s collaborative narrative out loud.
narrative. Summarise. Students packing up.
Students: listening.
Homework N/A

Evaluation/ Extension
Extension activity: Lexical groups. Groups of words with similar meanings. Have an
excerpt on an A4 page of paper and have students circle similar words that will make
up a ‘lexical group’.
Evaluation: Students can self-assess their knowledge against the lesson outcomes
that are shown at the beginning and the end of class. Teacher will take informal
formative assessment on students’ ability to utilise metalanguage as they walk
through the room during writing, and during student sharing.

In retrospect
Timing was generous for the discussion on narrator voice, as we had already touched
on it slightly in narration in earlier lessons. Students seemed to grasp the concept
very quickly. This left more room for the writing task in the second part of the lesson.
I would add more extension topics for the writing task in future lessons, such as
introducing another character, a crazy plot line or something else that may or may
not fit with their current idea. Students use their skills to bend it and shape it to fit
their story.

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Lesson 3 – Extension Worksheet

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RATIONALE:

In the Australian English syllabus, a student’s ability to compose is a key

outcome throughout the K-12 curriculum. Therefore, teaching writing, whether

persuasive, creative or critical, is a necessary skill for Australian students. My lesson

plans are aimed at teaching characterisation as an aspect of creative writing. By

utilising technique and writing concepts in the heart of each lesson, students will gain

confidence and ability to express themselves, which will transcend creative writing

and influence student’s ability to perform in persuasive and critical writing too.

The sequence for my creative writing unit begins with first, second, and third

person narration and omniscient narration, so that students are able to define and

apply ‘point of view’ to their writing. My three outlined lessons are based on

constructing characterisation, which I will provide the techniques and concepts which

will feed into the following lessons on narrative setting, and world building. At the

end of the unit, there will be a fun summative piece of writing on whatever students

choose. It will be edited by peers and published in the one-off class newspaper,

similar to Atwell’s class magazine (1987, p.223), allowing students to get a real feel

for the process of writing, as recommended by Gannon (2009, p.226). I chose to show

these lessons in depth because ‘characterisation’ offers great teaching opportunities.

Gannon (2009) states that, teachers should be spending more time on creative writing

techniques, because, typically, teachers concentrate on “expository essays and

responses to literary texts” because they are thought to be more valuable to students’

future needs (p.224). I believe these lessons will be useful in teaching students

vocabulary and independence, as well as valuable and transferrable skills, such as the

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deconstruction of semantic and lexical information, which contributes to

characterisation in texts.

I have used Atwell’s recommendations for writing workshops in my lesson

plans. However, I have retained some of my own style, which stems from the zone of

proximal development theory (Vygotsky, 1978), and the Australian Professional

Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2016). In contradiction to Atwell’s student-centred

workshops, my lessons contain more teacher centred procedures. This is due to

‘knowing students and how they learn’ (AITSL, Standard 1). Standard 1.2,

(understand how students learn), requires graduate teachers to “demonstrate

knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications

for teaching” (AITSL, 2016). Research in this area of teacher-centred lessons versus

student-centred lessons align with Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. The

zone of proximal development is “the gap between what adolescents can accomplish

alone and what they are capable of doing if guided by an adult or a more competent

peer” (Arnett, 2014, p.94). This means that students require the teacher to provide

adequate scaffolding before they can undertake a task on their own. The implications

for teaching includes teacher’s knowledge of student progress, what level of

scaffolding is required to achieve the lesson outcomes. In practice, the teacher would

guide students through the content, model examples, provide explicit instructions, and

finally teachers would ask students to use what they know and produce a piece of

writing. The level of teacher-centred activity in my lesson plans is due to the high

quantity of content. I believe I have adequately scaffolded my lessons to skill level of

my theoretical students.

The structure of my lessons is adopted from Atwell’s writing workshop format

(Atwell, 2011). The format of Atwell’s workshops is 5-minute mini-lessons on

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anything procedural, or questions from last lesson, then check if all students are ready

to begin, write and then group share (p. 172-181). My content introduction mimics

Atwell’s mini-lessons on ‘craft’ (Atwell, p.223) as they are techniques specific to

characterisation. The contemporary way to empower student’s learning is to provide

the knowledge, tools and support they need and let them be creative (Crow, 2004,

p.67). Atwell describes a classroom where there is no authoritarian teacher involved in

controlling students’ creativity. Atwell (1987) states that the workshop removes the

strain of ‘being correct’ in writing, and allows more freedom for students to express

themselves (p.217; Kinloch, 2011). Moffatt states (as referenced by Kinloch & Ozier,

2011) that writing should be a tool, not a product (p.98). By removing the traditional

form of a teacher marking a student’s writing, it allows students to concentrate more

on the production of writing, rather than on their possible mistakes (Atwell, 1987).

Teachers can still undertake informal formative assessment of student achievement,

through the class sharing sessions after the writing is completed.

The lack of physical marking of student’s writing may lead to the

reinforcement of student’s inability to correctly use grammar and punctuation.

Kinloch & Ozier (2011) outline the issue in English teaching, where the teachers

disagree on explicitly teaching grammar and punctuation, as it limits student

expression and confidence in writing (p.97). If students receive their writing back

from a teacher covered in red pen, they may begin to doubt themselves and lose their

love of writing. However, if a student that loves writing, and excels at it, cannot spell

or cannot coherently structure sentences, nobody will be able to understand them.

Both grammar and punctuation, and student expression are important, as they

contribute to your students becoming successful adults that can communicate

effectively. Yet, the English syllabus does not explicitly highlight grammar and

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punctuation in the outcomes. It is implied in Stage 4, outcome 4; where a student

“makes effective language choices to creatively shape meaning with accuracy, clarity

and coherence” [my emphasis] (Syllabus, EN4-4B). Therefore, I have built my

lessons on the premise that my students will be achieving the overarching outcomes

for responding and composing, which will transcend stage 4, into their later school

careers.

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REFERENCES:

AITSL. (2014). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Retrieved Mar 31,

2017, from Graduate Teachers: www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-

standards-for-teachers/standards/list?c=graduate

Arnett, J. J. (2014). Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood. England: Pearson.

Atwell, N. (1987). In The Middle: Writing, Reading and Learning with Adolescents.

Heinemann.

Crow, L. (2004). Facilitator Versus Teacher. Journal of College Science Teaching,

34(3), 66-67. Retrieved Aug 6, 2017, from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/42992365

Drumm, A. M., & Klin, C. M. (2011). When Story Characters Communicate: Readers'

Respresentations of Characters' Linguistic Exchanges. Memory and

Cognition, 39(7), 1348-1357. doi:10.3758/s13421-011-0096-x

Gannon, S. (2009). Creative Writing. In S. Gannon, M. Howie, & W. Sawyer (Eds.),

Charged With Meaning: Re-Viewing English (3 ed., pp. 223-230). Putney,

Australia: Phoenix Education.

Kinloch, V. (2011). Innovative Writing Instruction: When It Happens "Across":

Writing as Transformative and Expansive. The English Journal, 100(5), 95-99.

Retrieved Aug 6, 2017, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23047810

Kinloch, V., & Ozier, L. (2011). Innovative Writing Instruction: Practice Makes

Perfect! Realizing Classrooms as "Landscapes of Learning," Not Places of

Perfection. The English Journal, 100(3), 97-101. Retrieved Aug 6, 2017, from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/25790069

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NSW Board of Studies. (2012). NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum.

English: Years 7-10, Volume 2.

NSW DET. (2003). Quality Teaching in NSW Public Schools: A Classroom Practice

Guide.

Rosenfeld, J. (2016). Writing the Intimate Character: Create Unique, Compelling

Characters Through Mastery of Point of View. Ontario, Canada: F+W Media.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological

Processes. Harvard University Press.

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