Haunted Tales Writing

Overview

This 60-minute lesson is designed for Year 11 EAL students (proficiency codes A and B) studying AQA Step Up to English Silver level. The focus is on developing creative writing skills through ghost stories. The lesson follows the National Curriculum for England’s Key Stage 4 Programme of Study for English, specifically targeting writing skills in imaginative and creative forms. The lesson is scaffolded with sentence starters and visual aids to support language acquisition and creativity.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Writing: Develop creative writing skills to construct a ghost story with a clear structure using appropriate vocabulary and sentence forms (National Curriculum: English KS4, Writing - Composition, NC Appendix 1).
• Vocabulary and Grammar: Use descriptive language and varied sentence structures tailored to narrative writing (NC English KS4 Writing - Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation).
• Spoken language: Participate in collaborative discussions to plan and develop ideas for creative writing (NC English KS4 Spoken Language).
• EAL Support: Use provided sentence starters and scaffolding prompts to support writing fluency and confidence.

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National Curriculum Links

• English - Writing:
  Pupils should be taught to:

  • Plan, draft, edit and proofread imaginative writing (NC KS4 Writing - Composition).
  • Select appropriate vocabulary and grammar to create effect (NC KS4 Writing - Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation).
  • Use narrative techniques, such as setting, characterisation, plot and atmosphere (NC KS4 Writing - Composition).

• English - Spoken Language:
  Pupils should be able to:

  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates (NC KS4 Spoken Language).

• English EAL Adaptation Reference (Department for Education guidance on EAL):
  Scaffolding techniques such as sentence starters, visual aids, and collaborative work stages promote language acquisition for EAL students at beginner to intermediate levels.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed scaffolded ghost story planner sheets with sentence starters
• Visual prompt cards depicting spooky settings and characters
• Word banks (adjectives, verbs, phrases related to ghost stories)
• Examples of short ghost story excerpts (simplified for EAL)
• Writing journals or exercise books

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Lesson Breakdown

0-10 mins: Introduction and Context Setting

• Activity: Teacher introduces the lesson purpose: to write a ghost story using imagination and description.
• Show images of haunted houses, shadows, and mysterious mist (visual prompts).
• Engage students with a brief group discussion:
  • "What makes a good ghost story?"
  • "Have you read or heard any ghost stories before? What did you find scary or interesting?"
• Use sentence starters on the board to support participation:
  • “A ghost story often has... ”
  • “In a haunted house, you might find...”
• Assessment: Teacher listens and notes EAL students’ usage of new vocabulary and sentence structures.

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10-25 mins: Planning and Scaffolding Writing

• Provide each student with a ghost story planner sheet including sentence starters in sections:

  1. Setting: "The story took place in a _______."
  2. Characters: "The main character was a _______ named _______."
  3. Problem: "One night, something strange happened when _______."
  4. Resolution: "In the end, _______."

• Present word banks: haunted, eerie, shadow, whisper, creak, chilling, mysterious, vanish.

• Students collaboratively brainstorm ideas in pairs using sentence starters.

• Teacher models a short paragraph on the board using simple sentences and scaffolded prompts.

• Encourage students to use the planner to orally rehearse their story with their partner before writing.

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25-50 mins: Writing the Ghost Story

• Students write their first draft using their planner sheets and sentence starters.
• Scaffolded writing frames provided:
  • “It was a dark and _______ night.”
  • “Suddenly, I heard a _______ sound coming from the _______.”
  • “I felt _______ because _______.”
• Teacher circulates, offering one-to-one language support and feedback.
• Encourage use of descriptive adjectives and verbs from word banks to build atmosphere.

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50-60 mins: Peer Sharing and Reflecting

• Students read short parts of their stories aloud in pairs or to the group (depending on confidence).
• Use guided questions for peer feedback:
  • “What did you like about the story?”
  • “Which word or sentence made the story scary?”
• End with a reflective prompt:
  • “Next time, I want to add more _______ to my story.”
• Teacher collects writing as formative assessment of each student’s ability to apply creative writing skills with EAL support.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative: Observation during oral discussions and brainstorming to assess vocabulary usage and participation.
• Writing output: Assess student drafts for structure, vocabulary use, and sentence variety aligned with AQA Step Up to English Silver criteria and NC KS4 descriptors.
• Provide targeted, constructive feedback focusing on language accuracy and creative content development.
• Use assessment outcomes to tailor further scaffolded support in future sessions.

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Differentiation & EAL Adaptations

• Sentence starters and writing frames reduce linguistic complexity and increase confidence.
• Pair and group work enhances language practice via oral rehearsal.
• Visual prompts and word banks stimulate imagination while supporting vocabulary learning.
• Teacher repetition and modelling help embed language structures.
• Use of clear, slow speech and checking comprehension throughout.

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Extension Ideas (if time allows)

• Create a story map or comic strip to visualise the narrative sequence.
• Introduce simple literary devices such as similes or onomatopoeia with guided examples.
• Invite students to orally perform their stories in a “ghost tale” circle for drama integration.

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By integrating scaffolded creative writing activities based on ghost stories, this lesson directly meets the National Curriculum’s requirements for writing composition and spoken language while supporting EAL learners’ language development needs in a highly accessible and engaging way.