Editing for Accuracy

Overview

Lesson 13 of 16 in Labels, Facts and Sentences. Pupils build on their earlier fact writing by rereading for meaning and editing key features: factual accuracy, spelling of key words, capital letters, spaces and full stops. The lesson follows an “I do, we do, you do” sequence and supports both Year 1 and Year 2 writers.

Learning intentions

• WALT reread our writing to check that it makes sense.
• WALT edit facts, spelling and punctuation.
• WALT use a checklist to improve our own writing.
• WALT talk with a partner about changes we could make.

Success criteria

• I can check that my facts are correct.
• I can check the spelling of important topic words.
• I can use capital letters, spaces and full stops.
• I can make a helpful change to my writing.

Curriculum links

• Writing – vocabulary, grammar and punctuation: leaving spaces between words.
• Writing – vocabulary, grammar and punctuation: learning and applying Year 1 grammar.
• Writing – composition: proofreading to check spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Lower key stage 2 writing composition: proofreading for spelling and punctuation errors, supporting Year 2 pupils who are ready for this expectation.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–10 min · I do: model editing. Teacher displays a short fact page, such as “Hedgehogs”, with deliberate errors: “hedghogs are small animals they sleep in leafs” and an inaccurate picture or fact. Open the editing hook and checklist slides and model reading aloud, checking the meaning, then correcting one feature at a time using a five-colour editing checklist: blue for facts, red for key-word spelling, green for capitals, yellow for spaces and purple for full stops. Pupils watch, explain what the teacher notices and help correct the sentence orally.

2. 10–25 min · We do: guided edit. Teacher shares a short fact page about a familiar animal, for example: “A frog lives in water. It has four legs. Frogs eat flies.” Include one incorrect fact, two misspellings, a missing capital, a missing space and a missing full stop. Display the shared fact-page slides and complete the editing checklist and shared fact page together, reading each sentence aloud and asking, “Does it make sense?”, “Is this fact true?” and “What needs fixing?” Pupils work with a talk partner to spot errors, explain the colour they would use and suggest corrections before the teacher edits the shared version.

3. 25–40 min · You do: independent and paired edit. Teacher distributes the editing checklist and shared fact page or pupils’ own fact pages from the previous lesson, reminding them to read one sentence at a time and use a different colour for each check. Pupils first reread and edit independently, then read their writing aloud to a partner; partners point to the checklist feature being checked rather than rewriting the work. Adults support with paired reading, prompting questions and scribing where needed. Early finishers improve one word and add a relevant missing fact.

4. 40–45 min · Review and exit check. Teacher revisits the review and exit-check slide and invites pupils to share one correction and why it helped the reader. Pupils complete a quick oral or written exit response: “I checked ___ and changed ___.” Collect worksheets or photograph edited pages to identify the next teaching focus.

Resources

• the editing hook, checklist, shared fact page and review deck
• the editing checklist and shared fact page
• Pupils’ fact pages from the previous lesson
• Blue, red, green, yellow and purple pencils or crayons
• Visual editing checklist for each pupil
• Enlarged shared-writing version or interactive whiteboard
• Dictionaries or topic word cards
• Highlighters and pencils
• Visual timer

Assessment

• During modelling, check whether pupils can identify the type of error and explain why a correction is needed.
• During guided and independent editing, listen for accurate use of the prompts “Does it make sense?” and “Can I read it easily?” Note pupils who confuse spelling, punctuation and factual errors.
• Use the edited fact page and exit response to assess capitals, spaces, full stops, key-word spelling and the ability to make a meaningful correction.

Differentiation

• Support pupils with a picture-supported checklist, colour-coded editing marks, enlarged print, paired reading and oral rehearsal. Provide a small bank of correctly spelt key words and sentence frames such as “I checked ___” and “I changed ___”.
• For SEN pupils, reduce the number of sentences or focus on two checklist features at a time. An adult may scribe the pupil’s spoken correction while the pupil identifies the place for a capital, space or full stop.
• For EAL pupils, use clear pictures, gestures and repeated oral reading. Pre-teach the key topic words and allow pupils to discuss the fact in their home language or with a supportive partner before editing.
• Year 2 pupils and confident writers should explain why a change improves meaning, check every sentence independently and add a relevant fact using a more precise word.

Extension

• Improve a general word, such as “small” or “nice”, by choosing a more precise word from a topic word bank.
• Add one relevant fact and reread the whole page to check that the new sentence fits.
• Create an “editor’s note” explaining the most important correction made and how it helps the reader.