The situation surrounding COVID-19/Coronavirus continues to evolve and we’ll continue to ensure that we are doing our utmost to help protect the health and safety of our teachers, presenters and the wider Australian community. We are therefore being proactive and following the recommendations regarding social distancing, isolation and other vital directions from the Australian government,…
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Step by Step Blog
Two things we’ve learnt from NAPLAN
Every year, our Seven Steps creator and CEO Jen McVeity sits the NAPLAN writing test – in pretty much the same conditions Australian students face. And every year she finds it hard. As an author, it’s obviously not the actual writing that’s a challenge. In fact, Jen feels that the NAP Marking Criteria truly values…
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6 Tips to Reduce NAPLAN Nerves
NAPLAN nerves are inevitable! Easing those nerves is possible. Pina shares her top tips to help students feel more at ease in the build-up to NAPLAN, using exercises that induce muscle memory and confidence. Pina also provides some handy ideas to create a relaxing setting leading up to and on the day of NAPLAN, to…
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Five Lower-Primary Activities That Set Students Up for Writing Success
10 back-to-school tips for teaching writing
The start of a new year or a new term is an exciting but stressful time. New classes, new classrooms, endless possibilities and endless to-do lists! With so many things to organise and skills to teach, it’s important to also create space for creativity and enjoyment in the writing classroom. Let’s bring the fun back…
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How to turn reluctant writers into passionate storytellers
Let’s start by saying that writing can be hard! Writing an entire piece can be an almighty task. There’s so much thinking involved and students often don’t know where to start. It’s no wonder you have so many reluctant writers. But improving your students’ writing and their confidence can be just as daunting. What does…
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How to create independent writers
No matter their year level, your students will need support as they transition from focusing on one technique at a time to using all of the Seven Steps in their writing. It’s easy for students to revert to old habits when faced with writing a complete text. But with support, they can bring together everything…
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3 Quick Tips to Encourage Student Collaboration
Students often struggle when writing becomes a silent, solo task. Coming up with ideas alone is hard, even for adults, and you need so many ideas to create a great piece of writing. Are your students talking enough in your writing classroom? Working in groups helps students overcome this issue. By discussing and sharing ideas…
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