STUDENTS at Orange Anglican Grammar School learnt techniques to improve their writing from award-winning children’s author Glenda Millard when she visited the school on Wednesday and Thursday.
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In workshops, Ms Millard read students the first draft and then the finished product of her latest book The Duck and the Darklings to show students how embellished language can paint a picture.
She then brainstormed ideas with the children from kindergarten up to year six and helped them create their own stories, using adjectives, metaphors and other language techniques to improve students’ writing.
Ms Millard said she loved to help students learn about reading and writing and show them writing was more than just something they had to do.
“If you can get them interested and engaged, it’s a wonderful thing,” Ms Millard said.
“I want to show them writing is more than just a job, that they can have fun and enjoy doing it too.”
The school’s librarian Karelle Taylor said Ms Millard’s visit had been hugely successful and she hoped the school would be able to attract similar events in the future.
“It’s great for children to make a connection with someone who writes for a living and makes the magic happen behind the scenes,” Ms Taylor said. “It’s making literacy real for them.”
Parents were also involved in Ms Millard’s visit, through a literacy forum on Wednesday night with the author, to inspire them to share literature with their children.
“With technology everywhere, like mobiles, desktop computers, laptops, TVs, smartphones, it’s not about asking people to take technology away from them, but more about including literature into that mix,” Ms Taylor said.
“It’s about sharing the joy of reading and writing with their children and sharing it with each other.”