Literacy and Numeracy Parent Workshop East Boldon Junior School March 2014

1. Literacy and Numeracy Parent WorkshopEast Boldon Junior SchoolMarch 2014

2. Literacy at East Boldon Junior School David Hall Year 6 teacher and Literacy Coordinator East Boldon Junior School

3. Quick mental warm up! As the banana chugged through the beans, she stared out of the cucumber. Tiny strawberries clung to the tomatoes and in the melon, lemons grazed. A potato ran beside the lettuce, gurgling on its way to the radish. As she looked out of the cauliflower, she noticed the dark pineapple drifting overhead.

4. Literacy Update • The new Literacy Curriculum • Phonic support through intervention • New spelling resource • How you can help • Marking scheme • Whole school incentives

5. Literacy curriculum2014

6. As you may be aware, the current government have put into place a new curriculum for primary education. This is not statutory until September 2014 but we have already made a few changes in preparation.

7. What does it mean to you, your children and the teachers that help them on a daily business? • High standards! • We need to try to equip the children with a • high command of both the written and spoken • word. • We need to try to develop a love of literature • through widespread reading for enjoyment.

8. The National Curriculum for English aims to ensure that ALL pupils: • read easily, fluently and with good understanding • develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information • acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language • appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage • write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences • use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas • are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

9. How Do We Teach Reading At School? • The programmes of study for reading at key stages • 1 and 2 consist of two dimensions: • word reading • comprehension (both listening and reading). • It is essential that teaching focuses on developing • pupils’ competence in both dimensions; different • kinds of teaching are needed for each.

10. What is phonics teaching? • It is a way of teaching children to read quickly and • skilfully. They are taught to: • Recognise sounds that each individual letter makes • Identify the sounds that different combinations of • letters make such as ‘sh’ or ‘oo’ • Blend these sounds together from left to right to • Make a word • Children can then use this knowledge to ‘de-code’ new • words that they see or hear. • This new emphasis has caused a lot of debate about • what is the right and wrong way of teaching reading.

11. Rapid Phonics Some children do not have the same phonic grasp as others and reading can then become a huge problem to them, interrupting their normal learning process. Phonics screening each June at KS1 Mrs McClean – HLTA and Language Support Assistant Graded word reading and single word reading which provides a measure of your child’s word reading so we can assess whether or not they need any intervention. Our Rapid Phonics sessions are designed to support children as soon as any problems with their phonics learning are observed. They consist of snappy lessons to secure childrens’ phonic knowledge, blending and segmenting skills – very interactive and lively. Flashcards of words and sounds for blending. Decodable reading books for children to practise and apply their new skills.

12. Grammar and Punctuation

13. KS2 Spellingand Vocabulary • We have invested in a new spelling resource which complies • with the 2014 Curriculum for England. • Matches the Letter and Sounds Six-Phase Teaching Programme • Weekly spelling lists provided from PHASE 2 to PHASE 6 • Diagnostic test directs groups/individuals to correct PHASE • Supplementary lists provided for children that need further • reinforcement • Record sheets track individual progress • fun activities to 'explore and investigate' their weekly spelling • list. The extension tasks allow pupils to 'apply, assess and reflect' • upon their learning. 

16. What is comprehension? Reading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of a message. This understanding comes from the interaction between the words that are written and how they trigger knowledge outside the message. Comprehension skills develop through pupils’ experience of high-quality discussion with the teacher, as well as from reading and discussing a range of stories, poems and non-fiction. All pupils must be encouraged to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live, to establish an appreciation and love of reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum. Reading widely and often increases pupils’ vocabulary because they encounter words they would rarely hear or use in everyday speech. Reading also feeds pupils’ imagination and opens up a treasure-house of wonder and joy for curious young minds. It is essential that, by the end of their primary education, all pupils are able to read fluently, and with confidence, in any subject in their forthcoming secondary education.

17. Think about why the writer has used certain features e.g. layout and words Make predictions or give opinions, then decide if we are right Decide whether we think it is a good book or not Work out the main characters and the main themes Think of questions that we want to find out the answers to What do we do when we read? Compare the book to others that we have read Try to understand what the author’s message is Decide whether we agree with what characters do, or how our lives are the same or different to theirs

19. How to Improve Your Child’s Reading

20. What Can You Do to Help Your Child? Be a great role model: • Let them catch you reading • Find some time in the week to read yourself • Let your children see that you get pleasure from reading • Share your favourite books /reading material with them • Show them the value of being able to read

21. What Can You Do to Help Your Child? Make the experience pleasurable • Find a comfortable place • Give plenty of time • Avoid interruptions • Keep the time positive • Ask questions where relevant and perhaps don’t accept the first answer; ask your child to go deeper with their meaning. • Stay clear of ‘competition’ and comparisons with the ability of others

22. What Can You Do to Help Your Child? Provide a wide range of reading material A school reading book is only one part of a child’s reading repertoire • Books (picture books; short stories; chapter books); magazines; comics; annuals; membership handbooks • Information books; brochures; catalogues; flyers; newspapers; guide-books • Websites ; take-away menus; instructions; • Visit the library and or bookshop

23. What Can You Do to Help Your Child? Where can I find out about ‘good’ books for my child? • Word of mouth – children, their friends, other parents, friends and family • Teaching Staff • Bookshops • Our book blog • Local Library • Online – a wealth of recommendations and reviews (children can often add their own review too.)

24. Writing

25. How Do We Teach Writing At School?

26. Whole Text Teaching

27. How Do We Teach Writing At School?

28. Think Pink!

29. How Do We Teach Writing At School?

30. Displays

32. Setting Targets Selected pieces from children’s work are scrutinised using these criteria; strengths are highlighted and targets are set.

33. Whole School Incentives World Book Day Termly Writing Competition

34. “It is supremely satisfying as ateacher to know that you aremaking a difference to yourchildren’s life chances. You are giving them the precious gift of literacy.”Dr Marlynne Grant

35. Any questions? Thank you for listening David Hall