Overview

This detailed 3-week plan supports Year 8-9 students with autism working below age-related expectations in English writing. The focus is on building independence through manageable, scaffolded descriptive and narrative writing tasks combined with handwriting practice.
The plan follows the National Curriculum for England for Key Stage 3 (English), specifically targeting:

• Writing (Composition) objectives:
  • Select appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning
  • Plan, draft, and write imaginative and simple narrative texts
• Handwriting and Presentation objectives:
  • Use a consistent and legible style with correct letter formation and spacing
  • Use capital letters and full stops effectively

The lessons employ multisensory teaching approaches, visual scaffolds, and repeated practice designed to increase engagement and confidence for autistic learners with emerging writing skills.

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Week 1: Descriptive Writing + Handwriting Fundamentals

Lesson 1: Introduction to Descriptive Writing + Letter Formation

Objective:

• Understand what descriptive writing is and practise neat letter formation focusing on lowercase letters.
• Begin independent writing with 2-3 simple descriptive sentences.

National Curriculum Links:

• Writing: Use of descriptive vocabulary to create meaning (KS3 Writing L2)
• Handwriting: Form lowercase letters correctly and consistently (Handwriting development KS3)

Activities:

1. Sensory Warm-up: Explore 3 objects (e.g., soft fabric, smooth stone, scented flower). Use tactile and olfactory senses to generate vocabulary.
2. Class Discussion + Modelled Writing: Show descriptive sentences about one object, highlighting adjectives and simple sentence structure. Display visual highlighting (e.g., adjective colour-coded).
3. Handwriting Mini-Lesson: Demonstrate neat lowercase letter formation with a handwriting chart. Students practise letter patterns on handwriting paper.
4. Guided Writing: Using a scaffolded worksheet with sentence starters (e.g., “The [object] is…”, “It feels…”), students independently write 2-3 descriptive sentences about the objects explored.

Materials:

• Objects for sensory exploration
• Visuals: adjective word bank, handwriting letter formation chart
• Scaffolded writing sheets with sentence starters and dotted handwriting lines

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Lesson 2: Descriptive Writing with Senses + Capital Letters

Objective:

• Use sight, touch, and smell vocabulary to describe objects.
• Practise correct capital letter use at sentence start and for proper nouns.

NC Links:

• Writing: Capital letters and full stops (KS3 Writing L1 and L2)
• Handwriting: Correct letter case and neat spacing

Activities:

1. Review: Revisit previous handwriting formation and sentence examples.
2. Sensory Stations: Rotate between three sensory prompts with pictures (e.g., a bright fruit, rough bark, a flower). Write one descriptive sentence per station.
3. Capital Letter Mini-Lesson: Use visual chart showing how to form capital letters. Practice capital letters on handwriting sheets.
4. Independent Writing: Using scaffolded sentence frames emphasising capital letters, write 3-4 descriptive sentences for objects.

Materials:

• Visual charts for capitals and sentence punctuation
• Sensory objects with accompanying pictures
• Handwriting sheets with dotted lines and space for letters

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Lesson 3: Descriptive Writing - Places

Objective:

• Describe a familiar place using simple adjectives and neat handwriting.
• Include correct capitalisation of place names.

NC Links:

• Composition: Describe settings with vocabulary choices (KS3 Writing L2)
• Handwriting and Capitalisation

Activities:

1. Mini-Lesson: Show photos of familiar locations (e.g., park, school, garden).
2. Modelled Shared Writing: Write descriptive sentences about a park (e.g., “The green grass is soft.”), highlighting adjectives and capital letters for the place name.
3. Handwriting Practice: Practise key adjectives introduced in the model text. Focus on neat, correctly sized letters.
4. Independent Writing: Using scaffolds, write 3-4 descriptive sentences about a place they know, focusing on neat handwriting and accurate capitals.

Materials:

• Photos of various places
• Word bank of adjectives for place description
• Handwriting sheets

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Lesson 4: Narrative Writing Introduction + Handwriting Review

Objective:

• Introduce simple narratives: beginning, middle, end.
• Practise handwriting and correct use of capital letters and full stops.

NC Links:

• Writing: Structure narrative texts with simple events (KS3 Writing L2)
• Handwriting and Punctuation (KS3)

Activities:

1. Narrative Structure Visual: Use a story mountain picture to explain beginning, middle, and end.
2. Guided Oral Storytelling: Use a sequence of 3 pictures to orally compose a simple story. Record key sentences with highlighted capitals/full stops.
3. Handwriting Mini-Review: Practise sentences from the oral story focusing on neatness and punctuation.
4. Independent Writing: Write 3 sentences about the story using a scaffold with sentence starters.

Materials:

• Story mountain visual
• Picture sequence cards
• Handwriting sheets with sentence scaffold

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Lesson 5: Narrative Writing - Character Description

Objective:

• Write simple sentences describing a story character, incorporating descriptive words and correct letter formation.

NC Links:

• Writing: Use adjectives to develop characters (KS3 Writing L2)
• Handwriting: Accurate letter formation and spacing

Activities:

1. Character Visual Aid: Introduce a character with a clear picture and short oral description.
2. Adjective Bank: Brainstorm adjectives that describe the character’s appearance and personality. Use visuals and symbol-supported word cards.
3. Handwriting Practice: Copy adjectives focusing on neatness and letter formation.
4. Independent Writing: Write 3-4 simple descriptive sentences about the character using scaffolds.

Materials:

• Character picture
• Adjective visuals/cards
• Handwriting sheets with guide lines

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Week 2: Narrative Writing + Handwriting Focus

(Structure Week 2 similarly, alternating descriptive and narrative writing with carefully scaffolded tasks. Continue to integrate spaced handwriting lessons targeting neatness, letter formation, and capitals. Include sensory prompts and multisensory activities tailored to student needs to maintain engagement.)

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Week 3: Independent Writing Consolidation

(Focus on combining skills: writing short pieces with increasing independence. Provide personalised scaffolds adapted to needs, encouraging confidence-building through self-correction and peer sharing where possible.)

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Assessment & Feedback

• Ongoing formative assessment through observation of handwriting, use of capitals/full stops, and sentence construction during independent phases.
• Provide simple, positive written or verbal feedback highlighting progress in neatness, vocabulary use, and sentence structure.
• Use checklists based on NC writing and handwriting criteria for self-assessment supported by visuals (e.g., tick boxes for capitals, full stops, neat letters).

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Additional Notes

• Visual supports are essential: word banks, sentence frames, and story maps.
• Use assistive technology (e.g., word processors with spellcheck) later in the programme to support independence as appropriate.
• Sensory breaks and flexible pacing should be embedded to accommodate learners’ needs.
• Collaboration with speech and language therapists is recommended to reinforce oral vocabulary linked to writing.

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This tailored approach not only develops students' writing and handwriting skills according to the National Curriculum but ensures engagement and growing independence through sensory connection, visual scaffolding, and small achievable writing goals.