Warwick Academy Primary School is thrilled to have Lawrence and Jess Wild here this week. They are both experts on Big Writing and Drama and bring with them from the UK a vast wealth of knowledge.

Big Writing is a teaching method, based in the United Kingdom, which was developed by Ros Wilson.

The aim of Big Writing is to advise schools on how to raise a child’s attainment level in speaking, listening and writing.

The method is currently used by numerous schools, primarily in the UK but also overseas. The target audience for Big Writing are Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 students (ie those aged 5 to 11), although a slightly adjusted method is also taught that focuses on Foundation stage pupils and is known as “Big Talk”.

Big Writing has proved to be successful in a number of schools, both with teachers and pupils, as evidenced in several case studies.

With Drama the idea is to use more drama in the classroom whilst including fun, interactive games for speaking and listening skills.

Both of the experts spent the week working with the students from Reception year and all through the Primary School. Dropping into a Year 4 class, they had the students up on their feet doing Kung Foo Punctuation! What better way to learn then having the students totally engaged and physically making punctuation in the air!

At all levels, the students could be heard saying “oh this is so cool, I’ll remember that!”

Talking about his experience here in Bermuda, Lawrence said, “Students at Warwick Academy are incredibly hard working and polite.

“They are keen and interested as individuals which shows great maturity. They are lovely, lovely students and a credit to the Island.”