In the 2018-19 schoolyear, 58 elementary teachers from 17 schools took part in a writing inquiry to learn what approaches and strategies they can use to nurture and develop confident writers in their early years (kindergarten to Grade 3).

The District invited Lori Jamison, a teacher, literacy consultant and author of many professional books on reading and writing instruction, to share various writing methods with the group of 58 teachers. This is in line with the redesigned curriculum and the First People's Principles of Learning, where a strong emphasis is placed on stories and storytelling.

Teachers analyzed students' writing samples, explored teaching strategies at the different stages of writing, modelled and practiced how to make "writing to learn" an important part of every day. This included lessons on generating a variety of writing topics as well as activities that would involve more descriptive language. The ultimate goal is to provide Vancouver students with richer language and strategies so they are setup for success in a variety of writing contexts.

"The inquiry has given teachers the opportunity to share and collaborate," says Gina Wong, District Literacy and Assessment Teacher. "It's not often that teachers can connect with other teachers from a different school and share their best practices and lessons learned in a safe space."

"The feedback from teachers has been extremely positive," says Nicole Harrison, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader. "Teachers have been able to find different ways to improve their students' writing and have seen become more confident writers."

A sample of what teachers learn during the writing inquiry and how they applied it in the classroom setting can be seen here.