Do your pupils struggle to structure their recount writing?
A range of recount planning templates are included in this to support pupils when planning independent writing tasks; suitable for use when writing diary entries, recounts of school trips or historical events. Teachers can choose the planning template most suitable for their pupils, choosing from timelines, sequencing circles or blocks, or more traditional table planning sheets.
What is a recount?
A recount is written in the past tense about events that have happened. Examples of texts that are recounts include: diaries. an account of a school event or trip out, an historical account of events, letters and postcards, newspaper articles and re-telling well-known stories.
Features of a recount
- Events that take place are written in chronological order, with the exception of when flashbacks may be used.
- These are usually written in the past tense with opportunities to use the past perfect or past progressive verb forms.
- Conjunctions, adverbs and prepositions are used to show time (then, next, afterwards, at last, before, when, after, until)
- In personal recounts, the first person is used.
- Third person is used when recounting events of a group.
- Different levels of formality are used depending on the text type. A diary may be informal whereas a newspaper article recounting an event will be more formal in style.
What is included in this resource?
Four different recount planning templates are provided.
- Recount planning sheet version 1 – sequencing circles
A template where pupils can record an event in each circle and note extra details around each one to add description. This template can support pupils when organising their ideas into paragraphs.
- Recount planning sheet version 2 – timeline
A template where pupils can record an events on a timeline, recording times or days as needed.
- Recount planning sheet version 3 – sequencing blocks
A series of blocks where pupils can sequence events, drawing or noting words to describe the events in the order that they happened. This template can support pupils when organising their ideas into paragraphs.
- Recount planning sheet version 4 – table
A more traditional planning sheet arranged as a table, with column to record events and another to note details or descriptions before writing. This template can support pupils when organising their ideas into paragraphs.
Teacher notes with guidance on how the resources could be used in the classroom are also included.
How can these resources be used?
The recount planning sheets can be used to teach how recounts are planned. Teachers can model their use before pupils use the chosen planning template to organise and note their own ideas before writing.
National Curriculum English programme of Study
Writing - composition
Year 2
Pupils should be taught to consider what they are going to write before beginning by:
- planning or saying out loud what they are going to write about
- writing down ideas and /or key words, including new vocabulary
Year 3 /4
Pupils should be taught to plan their writing by:
- discussing and recording ideas
Year 5 /6
Pupils should be taught to plan their writing by:
- noting and developing initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary