the effect created by using language features such as conversational sentence openers that may break normal ‘rules’ of writing

language structures that develop text cohesion

when we say aloud the sentences we want to write before we write them

Writing the diary entry of a Windrush passenger after their arrival in the UK

English

In this unit, pupils learn to develop their skills of writing a diary with emotion based on a significant historical event.

In 'Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet’: Diary and Narrative Writing', pupils learnt to write a diary entry from a character's perspective with heightened emotions from a fictional context. In this unit, pupils will learn to develop their skills of writing a diary with emotion based on a significant historical event.’

In this unit, pupils use research around the Empire Windrush and an account of a fictional passenger to write a diary entry from a Windrush passenger's perspective. They use a conversational tone and informal devices, including exclamatives and verbless sentences, to meet the writing purpose.

The Empire Windrush: diary writing

Which sentence below has a conversational tone? 

Match the features of a conversational tone to the examples. 

Most of the people didn't even look at us. 

Every one, that is, except the last one. 

Which verbless sentence could follow this sentence for effect? 'Every door was slammed in our faces.'

Because of this, I am here, sitting on a hard bunk. 

Consequently, I am here, sitting on a hard bunk. 

Which sentence with a conversational opener could follow this one? 'The government has placed us in an underground shelter in Clapham.'

Which cohesive devices have been used in this sentence? 'As the ship neared Tilbury, we all rushed around in panic: we wanted to look our very best.'

Which word best describes Celia's feelings at the end of the diary? 

However, there were few choices available to me.

I wanted to do it, but I was not able to. 

Which of the following sentences uses a conversational tone? 

Which of these features is **not** used to build a conversational tone? 

Which of the below are verbless sentences?

I always wanted to, but it seemed impossible. 

The weeks were full of cleaning and packing. 

Which of the sentences below use conversational sentence openers? 

I couldn't believe my luck: I was going to the mother country at last!

I couldn't believe my luck I was going: to the mother country at last!

I couldn't believe: my luck I was going to the mother country at last!

Which sentence has the colon in the correct position? 

Which word is **not** an appropriate one to describe Celia's feelings as the Windrush leaves Bermuda? 

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Writing the diary entry of a Windrush passenger after their arrival in the UK

Lesson outcome

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.