Making writing-frames
Text-based activities on the computer, as on paper, are always easier when the child starts with a given text rather than a blank page. Writing frames can support the curriculum in every subject, particularly for those children with Special Needs, supplying the structure and words for the writing task. Within the Literacy Hour, a Writing Frame can put useful boundaries and limits around a piece of writing, allowing it to be completed within the 20 minute time slot available.

A writing frame can be created on any word processor and saved for future use.

One fairly obvious difficulty may have already occurred to you: if I create a frame on screen, and then a child writes in it and saves it, my ‘Writing Frame’ has turned into a child’s piece of work! A lot of time and energy can be saved by creating these frames as templates - documents that can be used again and again and are not accessible to the children. 

Some examples:

• a simple story frame, with a beginning, middle and end;
• a frame for writing up an experiment in Science (What we needed, what we did, what we found out…);
• a collection of words at the top of the screen to be used in an account of Roman houses…

These templates can be copied onto a floppy disc for use in different parts of the school. Encourage the staff to start a collection of useful files such as these which will save time and effort in future planning.