Talk for Writing – Leon – 4-Week Narrative Writing Unit (Year 4 / Upper Primary)

This 4-week Talk for Writing unit is built around the portal fantasy narrative Leon, guiding pupils through the full Talk for Writing teaching sequence of imitation, analysis, innovation and independent application.

The unit provides a clear, structured progression that supports pupils to internalise narrative structure, explore suspense-writing techniques, and apply these independently in their own writing.

What’s Included

✔ A complete 4-week writing unit (20 lessons)
✔ Clear weekly progression:
• Week 1 – Imitation
• Week 2 – Analysis
• Week 3 – Innovation
• Week 4 – Independent Application
✔ Lesson outlines with:
• Learning focus
• Starter activities
• Main teaching focus
• Independent tasks
• Plenary ideas
✔ Planning that supports:
• Oral retelling
• Story mapping
• Sentence imitation
• Vocabulary choices
• Sentence structure and pacing
• Narrative innovation
• Independent writing

Skills Developed
• Narrative structure and cohesion
• Creating suspense through setting and atmosphere
• Character reactions and tension
• Sentence variety and pacing
• Vocabulary choices for impact
• Planning, drafting, editing and improving writing

Who This Is For
• Year 4 / Upper Primary teachers
• Teachers following Talk for Writing
• Teachers looking for a ready-to-teach narrative unit
• Suitable for whole-class teaching and mixed-ability groups

This resource is ideal for teachers who want a clear, manageable Talk for Writing sequence that supports progression while allowing professional flexibility in delivery.

NOTES / DISCLAIMERS
• This resource is teacher-created and not affiliated with Pie Corbett or Talk for Writing®.
• Text is referenced for teaching purposes only.