WRITING , GRAMMAR, LANGUAGE.
See Also: Speaking and Listening

     Writing and Language Prompts 

Sentence  building  rods

Verb tenses

Language board games

Crazy Fables "consequences" flip-book

This versatile Writers Directory can be used to develop writing skills in a variety of ways. Before starting their writing students can use the directory to help them choose events and characters. During writing students can use the cleverly designed index system to quickly find an appropriate adjective. When editing, the directory can be used to check spelling and find alternatives for overused words.

Age: 7+

Capture the excitement of a big-city newspaper while reinforcing your child's grammar skills. This unique proofreading game focuses on spelling, word usage, capitalization and punctuation. Players try to create a complete newspaper by moving from department to department finding and correcting errors in the headlines. The first player to return to the boss’s office and say, “Go to press!” wins. Game cards are self-checking with language rules printed at the bottom of each card. For 2 to 6 players.

Age: 7-12

£18.70 +VAT

How to Write Like a Writer
Writing Skills for reluctant writers (Narrative, Description and Dialogue)

(With extracts from "The Third Tribe",  a new novel by Rob Chidley: for more information visit www.robchidley.com)

Most children who don’t like writing feel that way because they find the activity boring, and the reason they find it boring is because they (quite correctly!) perceive that their work is boring to read- which just serves to reinforce their sense of inadequacy with the written word. Consequently their writing skills remain undeveloped.

This book starts with the most basic principles of sentence structure, and attempts to demonstrate that effective writing can only be achieved by using the right raw material (the details that make up any subject matter) with the right tools (use of correct punctuation and an understanding of grammar). The  twin premise of this book is that teaching punctuation and grammar without firing the imagination is dull; while to try and fire the imagination without enabling children at the same time to structure what they have created is likely to end in failure. 

A multisensory resource including games and oral activities and full of engaging visual prompts, some of which can also be used as punctuation posters, “How to Write Like a Writer”  provides reluctant writers - and willing ones - with a refreshing alternative that will give them the keys to producing work that has the hallmarks of being written “by a writer”.

For Secondary and older Primary Students. 122 pp, photocopiable, supplied with CD for printing pages as required.

See below for contents details.

Section One: Writing sentences.
The Full Stop 
The subject of the sentence 
Thumbnail Sketch 
Adjectives 
The Comma 
More Adjectives 
Phrases as Adjectives 
Verbs 
The Past Tense (Narrative)

Section Two: Writing in Paragraphs
Weaving the strands together 
Prepositions 
What was he doing as he ran? Starting sentences with ... ing words 
Adverbs 
Narrative sentences 
Similes 
What is the Setting (Description) 
Describing the scene and adding the action 
Dialogue 
Opening Paragraphs 
Paragraphs and Dialogue 
Details and Dialogue 
Setting Scenes 
New Scene, New Paragraph 
Create a Narrative

Section Three: Advanced Punctuation and Writing Style
The semi-colon 
Style: How to make what you are writing fit what you’re writing about. 
Narrative style 
The Colon 
Punctuation recap 
Descriptive Style 
Time of Day 
More about Similes 
Dialogue and Character 
The Language of Speaking 
Characters in Action 

Proper grammar—easy as pie! “Chefs” follow recipes to make complete sentences by gathering and correctly identifying parts of speech. Draw a Free Ingredient Card, and add the funny word of your choice to the mix. Read complete sentences aloud for giggles and spoken grammar practice. Parts of Speech Cards feature color-coded backs for self-checking. Includes 19" square game board, 150 Parts of Speech Cards, 4 double-sided Sentence Recipe Cards, pawns and spinner. For 2-4 players

Age: 6+

£14.49 +VAT

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Colour-coding helps students differentiate the eight most common parts of speech. Students also practice connecting rods to build sentences, identifying subjects and predicates, and using appropriate punctuation. Convenient storage bucket contains 156 rods, including nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs, pronouns, conjunctions, articles, interjections and punctuation.

Over 1 kg
This is a heavy item incurring higher postage costs

Sentence Builder Flip Book
Identifying parts of speech and building sentences Age: 6+

Double-sided 420 x 100mm flip book with different themes and sentence structure on each side, colour-coded parts of speech and illustrated nouns.
Great grammar and “silly sentence” potential!

Speed Grammar Bingo
Identifying parts of speech  Age: 8+

This fast-paced game will have students racing to find parts of speech on their game cards! The bingo-style game quickly builds grammar and reading skills as students find nouns, adjectives, verbs and prepositions that match the colours on the shaker and their game cards. Includes three shakers for three levels of play, 12 double sided cards and 50 markers. For 2-4 players.
Over 1 kg
This is a heavy item incurring higher postage costs

Age: 8-11

Reach in and grab a card to inspire creative writing! Includes over 150 engaging story-writing ideas. Features over 80 double-sided prompt cards colour-coded by subject (language, maths, science or social studies) with real-life photographs on front and writing prompts on reverse. Also includes 14 blank, write-on/wipe-off prompt cards. Prompts elicit responses to who, what, when, where, why and how questions and encourage different types of writing (creative, instructive, explanatory, descriptive and persuasive). Sturdy cardboard cube measures 12.5cm.

£11.99 + VAT

Writing Prompt Cubes

Age: 6+

One day I went to visit...when I was at the zoo I saw...  A healthy diet includes...

Students can use these quiet foam cubes in both creative storytelling and non-fiction writing and language activities. The cubes feature different writing prompts on every side - 36 prompts in total. Activity guide included. cubes measure 4 cm.

£8.95 + VAT

Creative Writing Flipchart
Age: 6+

£9.99 + VAT

Great as a prompt for writing ideas and language work at any level, this double sided flipchart features real-life photography with writing prompt phrases on the reverse of the flipover cards. Grouped in  four categories - who, what, where and when. Includes 60 cards on flipchart easel with activity guide. Chart measures 36 cm x 12.5 cm.

Sentence Substitution

This fun and engaging activity provides children with practice in reading words in sentences. Pupils are invited to substitute words to change the meaning of the sentence. Each sentence and the matching substitute words are colour-coded for easy sorting. A 'silly' substitute word is also included in ensure children follow the meaning of the sentence, and also allows them to have extra fun along the way! These games contain 10 illustrated sentence strips (220 x 40mm) and 40 matching substitution cards For ages 7+    

Phase 3, 4, 5 and 5a available.
See chart for details of teaching phases.

Reception Year

Year 1
Phase 5

Year 1
Phase 6

 

Six Language Board Games
	These 6 games will help children expand their vocabulary and become confident with different parts of speech. Each game covers a different area: nouns, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, adverbs, verbs, tenses and sentence building. Bright illustrations keep pupils interested and engaged. Instructions are printed on the board for ease of use. Suitable for pupils aged 7-11 and older children with special needs. They can also be helpful for use with children learning English as a second language. Each boxed set contains 6 durable playing boards and playing pieces.
		£14.95 + VAT
Verbs at Work
(This is a heavy item containing a lot of magnetic parts. UK Postage is £5.00)	An excellent way to teach the various ways a verb is changed to express an action in the past, present or future. The game contains examples of regular verbs (e.g. kick, kicked) and irregular verbs (e.g. sing, sang). Includes examples of common nouns (e.g. turtle), and the pronouns I, we, you, he, she and they. This tactile resource contains 40 A4 resource pages for written and auditory learning, 5 magnetic boards (165 x 240mm), 30 reversible magnetic sentence strips, 10 magnetic pictures and 10 magnetic root words. Each magnetic sentence strip is self-correcting - use the black side to build the sentence and then flip the strip over to make sure it is correct with the colour side.  £19.99 + VAT
Crazy Fables
	This double-sided flip book allows children to build their favourite fables and nursery rhymes as well as create their own funny adaptations by mixing different stories together. The book is structured around who, what, where, when and why with pages (and phrases) under each section. Can be used for reading, story-telling and writing. Measures 440 x 110mm.    £9.99 + VAT
Story Starter Photo Cards
	These beautiful, thought provoking A6 size colour photographic cards will spark the imagination, and the two story starter sentences and list of interest words on the reverse can give children the inspiration needed to start writing. The mixture of pictures and photographs support a wide range of writing genres- from real-life situations to futuristic adventures. Ideal for use in creative brainstorming sessions, offering a variety of ideas for individual or groupwork and a useful resource for children who struggle to start a piece of writing without adult support. Contains 72 Non fiction / fiction cards. £12.95 + VAT
		Story Starter Cubes The doctor finds a dog in the desert... roll the cubes, combine character, action, and situation, and start a story. 6 x 40mm soft cubes. £8.95 + VAT
		Story Starter Photo Cubes Beautiful soft foam phototgaphic cubes featuring situation and character encourage vocabulary and oral language development during oral and written work. Activity Guide included. 4 x 40 mm cubes. £8.95 + VAT
		Story Starter Picture Cubes Improve oral language skills and support young writers with these fun-to-use, colour-coded, durable foam cubes. Includes two blue character cubes, two orange setting cubes and two green situation cubes. After rolling the dice students have all the elements they need to start a story. Contains 6 cubes (40 x 40 x 40mm) and an instruction booklet. £8.95 + VAT

Sequencing Materials
Storyboards
STORYBOARDS 1: (Contents not illustrated) Factual recounting: Supports structuring narrative around “Real life” locations and events. Storyboards 1		STORYBOARDS 2: (Contents illustrated above) Imaginative storytelling: Introduces fantasy locations and suggests activities and outcomes to encourage children to understand how to develop imaginative writing. Storyboards 2 (M27/STRB2) £41.99
£41.99 + VAT		£41.99 + VAT
Using game boards and colourful picture cards, StoryBoards helps children to visualise and practise telling a story through identifying and sequencing the essential elements, and providing a basic vocabulary. Each story element is colour-coded for ease of identification. The activity is presented at two levels - a simple picture framework excluding the concept of time, and a higher-level activity that includes time. By picking story cards from the different sets, stories can be silly or sensible and children can either stick with their choices or negotiate for a change, which encourages discussion and reasoning. For example, if a child is going to the zoo, would they travel there in a submarine? Hugely flexible, other activities include: Throwing a story; Lotto; Vocabulary ladders; and Asking questions. 'StoryBoards' will develop basic vocabulary and encourage active listening, turn-taking, topic maintenance and inferential reasoning. It will help children to contribute at 'News time' and to describe what happens on their school trips or holidays. Ideal for use with individuals or groups by teachers, therapists and teaching assistants. Relates directly to the English National Curriculum Key Stage 1 and 2. Contents: 8 StoryBoards, 2 story cards boards, 90 story cards, 6 lotto boards, 1 double-sided photocopiable story planner, 1 colour-coded die 56pp manual, boxed. Story elements include location, time, transport, object, feeling and weather.
Storycards
		Narrative Storycards Four stories to focus on developing narrative, with a photocopiable tool on the reverse of each card to help students create their own stories from the characters and situations. Contents: 48 double-sided A5 cards with a 60-page A5 booklet and four felt finger puppets.
		£41.99 + VAT
		Sequencing Storycards (Illustrated) This card set encourages students to say what happens 'first', 'next' and 'last' in a story. The twelve sequences vary in length from three to five cards, with four stories for each level, to help students develop their sequencing skills in stages. contents: 48 double-sided A5 cards with a 60-page A5 booklet and four felt finger puppets.
		£41.99 + VAT

Vocabulary Choices Game to Download:

	VOCABULARY SENTENCE RUMMY GAME  Age 8+ Reading / language game  by Bob Hext  only £2.95+VAT A rummy game of sentence structure and parts of speech , reinforcing alternative choices for a selection of common nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs.  The first player to collect a complete set of alternative vocabulary choices for a given sentence wins.   RECOMMENDED FOR HOMESCHOOL                      DOWNLOAD PRICE £2.95 inc VAT	card payment only
16 base sentences and 64 cards, giving a choice of 16 each of nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs. All  word cards and sentence cards  are colour coded so that correct choices can be made. Different fonts, chosen for clarity, are used for each set, further broadening children's reading experience. Illustrated is a winning noun set.