Boxing-Up Planner
Talk-for-Writing stacked sections.
The Boxing-Up Planner is a blank Talk-for-Writing planning template that divides a story or text into clearly labelled stacked sections — one box for each structural stage. Rooted in Pie Corbett's Talk-for-Writing approach, it asks students to think about what happens in each section of a text before writing a single sentence, making the invisible architecture of a story or information text visible and manageable. Primary school teachers introduce the boxing-up technique alongside shared reading or oral storytelling in grades 1–6. Students annotate each box with key words, simple phrases, or quick sketches rather than full sentences, so the planner works even with early or reluctant writers. Once completed, it becomes a speaking frame for retelling the text aloud and a writing frame for composition.
Learning objectives
- Understand and internalise the structure of a story or text type
- Plan writing section by section before drafting
- Build confidence in oral retelling before writing
- Identify the purpose and content of each paragraph or stage
- Support independent composition from a personal plan
- Bridge the gap between reading a model text and writing an imitation
How to use this template
- Download and print the free Boxing-Up Planner — one per student or one shared class copy on a whiteboard.
- Label each stacked box with the structural stage that matches your text type (e.g. Opening / Build-up / Problem / Resolution / Ending for a narrative).
- Students jot key words, images, or short phrases inside each box — not full sentences — to capture what happens at each stage.
- Use the completed sheet to retell the story or text aloud to a partner, pointing to each box in turn.
- Keep the planner visible during the writing session as a constant reference to avoid losing the thread.
Classroom & home ideas
- Project a giant version on the board and co-construct the plan with the whole class before sending students to write independently.
- Ask students to use the planner to box up a published picture book before innovating it into their own version.
- Use in guided writing groups: the teacher supports one group to complete their planner while others work independently.
- Have students cut out the boxes, sequence them on a desk, then stick them in their books as a permanent planning record.
- Send home with a short family reading task: parents and children box up the stages of a favourite bedtime story together.
Skills & curriculum links
Frequently asked questions
What is Talk-for-Writing and how does boxing up fit in?
Talk-for-Writing is a teaching approach developed by Pie Corbett that uses oral rehearsal to build writing fluency. Boxing up is the planning stage where students map the structure of a model text before innovating it into their own writing.
Can the Boxing-Up Planner be used for non-fiction texts?
Yes. For a non-fiction text, each box represents a section or sub-heading (e.g. Introduction / Habitat / Diet / Interesting Facts / Summary). The stacked layout works for any text structure, fiction or non-fiction.
How many boxes should the planner have?
This blank template is flexible — teachers simply label as many boxes as the text structure needs. A simple five-part story needs five boxes; a detailed report might use seven or eight.
Is this suitable for the earliest writers in Year 1?
Yes. Younger or less confident writers can use pictures or single words in each box. The planner supports pre-writing talk and is accessible to a wide range of abilities within the same lesson.
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