The Learning and Teaching of English at Kyson

The Learning and Teaching of English at Kyson

Aims and Objectives

The study of English develops children’s abilities to listen, speak, read and write for a wide range of purposes; using language to learn and communicate ideas, views and feelings. It enables children to express themselves creatively and imaginatively, as they become enthusiastic and critical readers of all genres of texts. Children gain understanding of how language works by looking at its patterns, structures and origins. Children use their knowledge, skills and understanding in speaking and writing across a range of different situations.

Through our teaching of English we aim to:

·  Help children enjoy writing and recognise its value, purposes and contextualize writing wherever possible

·  Develop confident, independent readers through an appropriate focus on word, sentence and text level knowledge

·  Enable children to speak clearly and audibly in ways which take account of their listeners

·  Encourage children to listen with concentration in order to be able to identify the main points of what they have heard

·  Enable children to adapt their speech to a wide range of circumstances and demands

·  Develop each child’s ability to reflect on their own, and others’, contributions and the language used

·  Give opportunities where possible, for children to express themselves through a range of drama activities

·  Encourage children to become enthusiastic and reflective readers through contact with challenging and increasingly lengthy texts

·  Enable children to write with accuracy and meaning in fiction and non-fiction

·  Increase the children’s ability to use planning, drafting and editing to improve their work

From September 2014 English at Kyson incorporates the new objectives and expectations of the DfE National Curriculum. Teachers personalise each classes learning appropriate to cohort and individual’s learning needs.

Speaking and Listening

Pupils have access to a wide range of speaking and listening opportunities that include: talking about their own experiences, recounting events; participating in discussion and debate; talk for writing; retelling stories and poems; expressing opinions and justifying ideas; listening to stories read aloud; presenting ideas to different audiences; taking part in school performances; responding to different kinds of texts; talking to visitors in school; listening to ideas and opinions of adults and peers; role-play and other drama activities across the curriculum.

Teachers provide a wide range of contexts for speaking and listening throughout the school day. Teachers model speaking clearly. This includes clear diction, reasoned argument; using imaginative and challenging language and use of Standard English. Listening is modelled as is the appropriate use of non-verbal communication, respecting the views of others. Teachers are also sensitive in encouraging the participation of retiring or reticent children. Throughout all speaking and listening activities, teachers look for opportunities to enrich the children’s vocabulary development.

Phonics

In line with the national curriculum and ‘Letters and Sounds’ document, Kyson uses the synthetic approach to phonics teaching, so as to provide a brisk, systematic, rigorous and enjoyable approach to the learning and teaching of the 44 phonemes.

·  In the Foundation Stage, children are introduced to phonemes (sounds) linked to the letters of the alphabet, as well as one way of spelling each of the other 16 phonemes used in the English language, such as 'igh' and 'ch'. Children are taught to blend or sound out phonics, to read a variety of words and segment or break down the sounds in simple words for spelling.

·  In Year 1, children learn more about the variety of ways in which each phoneme can be spelled and they also learn about the different pronunciations made by different letters or groups of letters, such as 'a' in 'ant' and 'was'. At the end of Year 1, children will be tested on their phonics knowledge, using a national test featuring 20 real words and 20 pseudo-words.

·  From Year 2 onwards, children consolidate their phonics knowledge, learning when to apply different spelling rules as well as how to spell plurals and different verb tenses.

See appendix for year by year guide.

Reading

Children are taught to value reading as a skill for life as well as an enjoyable activity. They are introduced to a wide range of texts from across the curriculum that engage and stretch their reading capabilities. Teachers plan for regular access to shared, guided and independent reading opportunities. When reading and responding, children are encouraged to gain increased fluency, accuracy, independence and understanding. Children are taught different strategies for approaching reading. In addition to planned activities within English lessons, there is dedicated time allocated to group/guided reading activities, independent reading and listening to whole class stories.

During Key Stage 1 the children are encouraged to form an interest in and take pleasure from a variety of text types. They are taught a range of strategies to decode words, with an emphasis on phonological knowledge and word building skills. They are encouraged to express their opinions about the books they read, giving reasons for their answers and indicate their comprehension of texts through adult questioning and group discussion.

Throughout Key Stage 2 the children will be encouraged to read independently and for the intrinsic enjoyment of reading. They read a range of texts and materials and use their knowledge of words, sentences and texts to form an understanding and make appropriate responses. They have opportunities to read a variety of text types, varying in length, genre and complexity, to provide them with sufficient challenge.

There are a variety of scheme books including Oxford Reading Tree and Ginn Reading 360, which support and consolidate developing reading skills. Key Stage 2 also have a rich diversity of author published sets of group reading books, including novels, factual books and poetry anthologies. The reading material is selected to challenge, engage as appropriate for individuals and groups of children.

The school library has a wide range of books to support topics in school as well as a fiction section that reflects the interests of the children. All children across the school are able to borrow books from the library.

Writing

The school places a strong emphasis on the ‘Talk for Writing’ approach. This includes analysing and learning from modelled texts, developing agreed success criteria that demonstrates and teaches children text type structures and key language features. Teachers plan for opportunities that include:

·  shared writing,

·  guided writing,

·  independent writing,

·  writing different text types and narrative styles,

·  writing in different curriculum areas,

·  handwriting practice,

·  collaborative writing,

·  writing related to own experiences and enjoyment,

·  writing from a variety of stimuli,

·  planning, drafting, editing and presenting, including using ICT.

As children learn and develop, they will become increasingly aware of the conventions of writing with a strong emphasis on grammar, punctuation and spelling. Teachers plan objectives to match the needs of the pupils in their class using the 2014 national curriculum. All classes have a writing display that focuses on developing children’s use of vocabulary, connectives, opening lines and punctuation.

Spelling

Children are taught spellings from a variety of sources, such as the National Curriculum and associated key word lists as well as reinforcing phonic spelling patterns. Children are given weekly spellings to learn. The ‘Attack’ spelling scheme is used for all children in Year 3 and continued for children in Year 4 who have particular difficulty remembering and using spelling patterns.

Handwriting

In the Foundation Stage children are taught how to form their letters in conjunction with and through the Jolly Phonics programme. This is preceded by a great deal of experimenting with different tools, such as squeezy bottles, big builders’ brushes and playground chalks. Fine motor skills are developed through work with salt pouring, play dough and creating patterns in mediums such as sand and shaving foam. These activities take place before and alongside the teaching of handwriting.

From Year 1 onwards the children are taught handwriting using the Nelson handwriting scheme and some children can make some joins during the Summer Term of Year 1.

From Year 5 onwards children who can demonstrate a near, cursive handwriting style, are given the opportunity to produce final presentation pieces of work using ink pens and this continues through Year 6.

Assessment

As part of the ongoing assessment of literacy standards, the progress of all children is continually monitored by teachers using a wide range of formative assessment for learning techniques. After gathering a wide range of evidence through formative methods, teachers make a summative assessment of a child’s progress termly. This data is recorded in the school’s tracking system, analysed by the SLT and reported to parents.

In order to help inform these judgements, the school carries out: termly Hertfordshire reading tests; termly Youngs spelling tests; and the Suffolk reading test in January of each year. For writing, each child has a ‘Best Writing’ book which they carry with them through the school. In each half-term the children undertake an independent ‘Best Writing’ task. Teachers then level this using the criterion scale for writing which is stuck in the child’s book and shared with them.

Target groups of children, identified from tracker information and recorded on provision maps, are provided with additional support throughout the school. A wide variety of materials are used, including Apples and Pears, Attack, Toe by Toe and Dancing Bears. This provides a small number of targeted children with the extra support they need in developing the ‘building blocks’ in literacy, resulting in a change in confidence towards the subject.

All children have a literacy related half-termly target, as part of the whole school target setting system. This is reviewed regularly and children are encouraged to meet their target at any opportunity.

External assessments are carried out through SATs in year two and year six as well as the phonics check in year one. The school carries out rigorous moderation of teacher’s judgements through: moderation in phrases and across school; moderation with cluster schools in all year groups; external moderation from the local authority; work scrutiny by the senior leadership team.

Monitoring and Review

Monitoring of the standards of children’s work and the quality of teaching in English is the responsibility of the Headteacher, Literacy subject leader and Senior Leadership Team. The role of the subject leader also involves supporting colleagues in the teaching of English, being informed about current developments in the subject and providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school. The subject leader will help to evaluate the school’s literacy to help inform the SEF. They will develop and lead aspects of English included in the school development plan. They also monitor the quality of teaching and learning through observations, work scrutiny, planning scrutiny and pupil/staff/parent perception work. The Literacy leader also manages the budget for resources.

Adopted October 2014

Appendix 1

The following outlines the phonics approach in each year group.

Nursery / Using Letters and Sounds – Focus on Phase 1 (sound discrimination) plus ‘Sound of the Week’. Use of Jolly Phonics materials to support teaching and learning.
Reception / Letters and Sounds Phases 2 and 3 taught daily. Taught in groups based on initial assessments. Assess again at the end of Phase 2, to review groupings and ensure coverage for all children. More able children work on Phase 4 by the end of the year. Use of Jolly Phonics materials to support teaching and learning.
Year 1 / Use of Letters and Sounds on a daily basis starting at Phase 2-4 according to progress and continuing the programme systematically based on continuous assessment.
Year 2 / Consolidation of Year 1 work and continue to progress through the Letters and Sounds programme based on continuous assessment. Some children may progress to Phase 6. Children on lower phases require daily phonics sessions.
Year 3 / Daily ‘Attack’ spelling sessions, with a rigorous approach, focussing on spelling patterns and tricky words, along with handwriting skills.
Year 4 / Daily ‘Attack’ spelling sessions continue for some children, as required. Teachers can use materials from Phase 6 of Letters and Sounds as an approach to teaching spelling.
Year 5-6 / Phase 6 of Letters and Sounds may be appropriate for a small number of children. Word and spelling investigations often form part of the approach to weekly spellings.

Other materials used to support Letters and Sounds:

-  Jolly Phonics including The Phonics Handbook

-  Jolly Grammar

-  PiPs (referenced in Letters and Sounds)

-  THRASS

-  ELS

-  www.phonicsplay.co.uk

Other materials used to consolidate spelling in KS2

-  2014 National Curriculum statutory guidance

-  Word lists for each year group/phase in the 2014 National Curriculum

-  Spelling Made Easy

-  Andrew Brodie Books

Teachers should use the same terms and systems, as recommended in Letters and Sounds, such as calling non-phonetic words ‘Tricky words’ and using sound buttons and lines to distinguish grapheme-phoneme correspondence. This should be established through staff meeting training.

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