OLD GUILDFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL
ENGLISH POLICY 2016
1. RATIONALE
English is the study and use of the English language in its various textual forms. These encompass spoken, written and visual texts of varying complexity through which meaning is shaped, conveyed, interpreted and reflected.
Developing proficiency in English enables students to take their place as confident communicators, critical and imaginative thinkers, lifelong learners and informed, active participants in Australian society. It supports the development and expression of a system of personal values, based on students' understanding of moral and ethical matters, and gives expression to their hopes and ideals.
The study of English from Kindergarten to Year 10 should develop a love of literature and learning and be challenging and enjoyable. It develops skills to enable students to experiment with ideas and expression, to become active, independent and lifelong learners, to work with each other and to reflect on their learning. (NSW English Syllabus, K-10, 2013, page 10)
The Old Guildford Public School (OGPS) English Policy will reflect the NSW English Syllabus and will provide a framework and learning outcomes that summarise the knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes essential for students to succeed in and beyond their schooling. English has an essential role in all key learning areas and should be reflected and integrated through them. The teaching of English should constitute 25-35% of all learning time K-6.
2. AIM
The aim of English in Years K–10 is to enable students to understand and use language effectively, appreciate, reflect on and enjoy the English language and to make meaning in ways that are imaginative, creative, interpretive, critical and powerful. (NSW English Syllabus, K-10, 2013, page 12)
3. OBJECTIVES
3.1 English Objectives:
Objectives provide specific statements of the intention of the English syllabus. They amplify the aim and provide direction to teachers on the teaching and learning process emerging from the syllabus. They define, in broad terms, the knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes to be developed through study in English. They act as organisers for the intendedoutcomes.
Ø Knowledge, Understanding and Skills:
Through responding to and composing a wide range of texts and through the close study of texts, students will develop knowledge, understanding and skills in order to:
· communicate through speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing and representing
· use language to shape and make meaning according to purpose, audience and context
· think in ways that are imaginative, creative, interpretive and critical
· express themselves and their relationships with others and their world
· learn and reflect on their learning through their study of English.
Ø Values and Attitudes:
Students will value and appreciate:
· the importance of the English language as a key to learning
· the personal enrichment to be gained from a love of English, literature and learning
· the power of language to explore and express views of themselves as well as the social, cultural, ethical, moral, spiritual and aesthetic dimensions of human experiences
· the power of effective communication using the language modes of speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing and representing
· the role of language in developing positive interaction and cooperation with others
· the diversity and aesthetics of language through literary and other texts
· the independence gained from thinking imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically.
(NSW English Syllabus, K-10, 2013, page 13)
3.2 In the NSW English Syllabus, Literacy is defined as:
A synthesis of language, thinking and contextual practices through which meaning is shaped 'Effective literacy is intrinsically purposeful, flexible and dynamic' (J Dawkins 1991, Australia's Language: The Australian Literacy and Language Policy, AGPS, Canberra) and involves interactions in a range of modes and through a variety of media.
The Literacy continuum K–10 identifies the literacy skills and understandings regarded as critical to literacy success. It is for all teachers of all subjects from Kindergarten to Year 10.
While literacy comprises a complex repertoire of knowledge and skills that develop throughout the years of schooling, its practical application is at the core of teaching and learning. Accordingly, literacy is not a subject in its own right but is fundamental to all learning areas. For students to be successful learners of each key learning area, they need to be successful literacy learners within each KLA.
(An introduction to quality literacy teaching, NSW DET, 2009 p. 11)
Following are the descriptions of the aspects which provide the framework for the continuum:
· Reading texts – involves recognising words automatically, reading in a phrased and fluent way and navigating texts to create meaning.
· Comprehension – involves responding to, interpreting, analysing and evaluating texts.
· Vocabulary knowledge – involves understanding the meaning of spoken and written words and using words to create and understand texts.
· Aspects of writing – involves using spelling, grammar, design features, handwriting and digital tools to create texts for specific purposes
· Aspects of speaking – involves using oral language to communicate with others in a range of contexts, and listening actively and attentively when interacting with others.
· Phonics – involves making the connection between sounds and letters when reading and spelling.
· Phonemic awareness – involves hearing and manipulating sounds in spoken language.
· Concepts about print – involves understanding and using conventions and concepts about print.
(NSW Literacy Continuum, K-10, Overview)
At OGPS, Literacy knowledge, skills and understandings are explicitly and systematically taught through modelled, guided and independent learning experiences. Students develop skills in the areas of speaking and listening (communicating), reading and viewing, writing and representing.
The Literacy Continuum K-10 is utilised K-6 at OGPS to:
· track and monitor student progress in literacy through the aspects and across the years of schooling
· strengthen literacy in all KLAs by providing a shared understanding of literacy across subjects to inform modelled, guided and independent teaching
· communicate clear learning goals with students (and community) to make literacy learning more visible
· determine ‘where to next’ when planning teaching for whole classes, groups of learners and individual students and to assist when differentiating programs.
Ø Literacy Objectives:
Ø 3.2.1 Literacy
· Literacy is the ability to understand and evaluate meaning through reading and writing, listening and speaking, viewing and representing.
· Literacy skills need to continually expand and diversify because our rapidly changing social and economic environment requires competence in a range of new communication forms and media.
· Literacy competence is central to achievement in all areas of learning as students’ progress through the early, middle and later years of schooling and into the workforce and personal life.
Ø 3.2.2 Literacy Teaching
· Literacy teaching will incorporate explicit and systematic instruction in the skills, knowledge and understandings required for students to be literate.Literacy will be taught in a balanced and integrated way, using modelled, guided & independent strategies.
· In the early years, literacy teaching will include the explicit teaching of: phonemic awareness; phonics; vocabulary knowledge; comprehension; concepts about print; grammar, punctuation; spelling and handwriting.
· Literacy teaching will draw on the strengths of a comprehensive range of evidence and research-based approaches to meet the learning needs of all students.
· Teachers will ensure students are equipped with a range of literacy practices and skills that support them in code-breaking and in understanding, using, analysing and evaluating texts for a variety of purposes and audiences.
· Teachers K-6 will develop and continually refine a broad and responsive set of effective literacy teaching practices to meet the diverse learning needs of students.
· Teachers K-6, across all key learning areas, are responsible for the teaching and learning of literacy skills, knowledge and understandings.
· Teachers K-6 will allocate sufficient time to explicitly plan, program and teach literacy to ensure students’ achievement of syllabus standards.
Ø 3.2.3 English / Literacy Assessment & Reporting
· Teachers K-6 will use school-based and state-wide literacy assessment information to inform teaching and to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of teaching programs.
· The schools will report formally and informally to parents, caregivers and school communities on student literacy achievement using state-wide and school based assessment information.
(NSW Literacy K-12 Policy, 2007)
4. IMPLEMENTATION
Ø 4.1 Literacy Teaching
K-2 / 3-6 / Whole SchoolReading Texts
Concepts of Print (K-2) / Daily Five (Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading)
Intensive Guided Reading Groups (K & Year 1)
Supported Guided Reading Groups (Year 2)
Magic Words resources
– sight words
Reading Recovery (selected Year 1 students)
Reading Eggs
Letterland / Daily Three (Read to Self) phased in from Year 3 2016
Guided Reading Groups
Magic Words resources
– sight words (Stage 2)
Reading Eggspress / English Units
Home Reading Program
Library
SLSO Support (targeted students)
Reading Club (selected students)
Reading Buddies (selected students)
Compre-hension / Guided Comprehension Groups
Reading Recovery (selected Year 1 students) / Comprehension Lessons
Guided Comprehension / English Units
Read Alouds
Guided Reading Groups
Phonemic Awareness
(K-2)
Phonics
(K-2) / Letterland Program – synthetic phonics & phonemic awareness
Daily Five (explicit mini-lessons, Word Work)
Reading Recovery (selected Year 1 students)
Links to Spelling Program / Letterland Program (advanced sounds) Stage 2 - whole class & targeted intervention
Daily Three (Word Work)
Aspects of Writing / Writing
Daily Five (Work on Writing, Word Work)
Journal Writing
Interactive Writing
Reading Recovery (selected Year 1 students) / Writing
Daily Three (Work on Writing, Word Work) phased in from Year 3 2016
Grammar lessons
Write a Book in a Day initiative (Stage 3) / Writing
English Unit
Modelled Writing
Guided Writing Groups
Spelling
Daily Five (Word Work, Work on Writing)
Magic Words Program
Letterland Program
Biannual Spelling Bee (Year 2) / Spelling
Daily Three (Word Work, Work on Writing) phased in from Year 3 2016
Magic Words Program (S2)
Letterland Program (S2)
Biannual Spelling Bee / Spelling
Synthetic Phonics Grade Spelling Program (see appendix)
Guided Spelling Groups
Words Their Way (TBC)
Handwriting Digital Text
Daily Five (explicit mini-lessons, Word Work, Work on Writing) / Handwriting Digital Text
Daily Three (Word Work, Work on Writing) phased in from Year 3 2016 / Handwriting & Digital Text
Explicit Digital Text instruction and integration across KLAs
Explicit handwriting lessons
English Units
Aspects of Speaking / Informal and formal class presentations including structured, prepared weekly news presentations
Speech therapy (small groups PK – K) / Informal and formal class presentations; school announcements
Formal occasions
Debating (selected Stage 3 students)
Multicultural Perspectives Primary Public Speaking Competition (selected S2 & S3 students) / Integrated across all KLAs
Biannual School Public Speaking Competition
Assembly
Read alouds
Vocabulary / Guided Reading
Read alouds
Integration across all KLAs
Word of the day / week
Ø 4.2 Additional teacher support for the learning of English:
The English K–10 Syllabus is inclusive of the learning needs of all students.This includes supporting students with special education needs, gifted and talented students, students learning English as an additional language or dialect and students learning Standard English.
OGPS strives to provide additional teaching support to assist classroom teachers to meet the diverse range of student needs in literacy. This support is negotiated each year & allocated according to student need across K-6. Teachers involved in support programs work collaboratively on designing, implementing & assessing teaching & learning programs & deliver them through a team-teaching approach. Teachers involved may include the EAL/D & LAST teachers & additional specialist teachers. Literacy focus areas are determined by need but may include reading & writing guided groups, phonemic awareness or phonics & involve intensive individual or small group targeted support, modelled lessons or whole-class support. OGPS also utilises the School Liaison Support Officers (SLSOs) who work intensively with students at risk of falling behind in Literacy skills development. These programs are individually targeted and written collaboratively by the LAST teacher and the classroom teacher to meet student needs. They are reviewed and evaluated each term.
Ø 4.3 Planning and Programming:
OGPS provides opportunities for stage-based supervisors, classroom teachers and support staff to cooperatively and collaboratively plan teaching and learning programs for the following term. This collegiality allows for equitable professional input from all teachers involved and ensures that program development, refinement, implementation and evaluation is the responsibility of the stage-based team.
5. ASSESSMENT & REPORTING
Ø 5.1 Assessment:
Assessing is the process of collecting, analysing and recording information about student progress towards the achievement of syllabus outcomes. An important purpose of assessment is to design appropriate learning programs for all students. The principles below underpin effective assessment:
· Assessment is integral to teaching and learning. It will be based on the learning outcomes in speaking, listening, reading, viewing and writing that specify what students know, understand and are able to do with language.
· A variety of assessment strategies and contexts will be used to give students opportunities to demonstrate, in an authentic manner, what they know and understand about language as well as what they can do.
· Assessment procedures will relate to the knowledge and skills that are taught within school programs at OGPS, and to the syllabus outcomes.
· Assessment must be reliable, accurate & valid.
At OGPS, assessment strategies used to assess children will:
· be based on the NSW English Syllabus K-10 (2013) outcomes and be closely related to stage statements
· include both formal and informal procedures
· enhance the self-esteem and motivation of the individual student
· recognise and value the diverse backgrounds and experiences of students
· be purposeful, comprehensive, continuous and constructive
· arise from the everyday classroom learning experiences of students.
Collecting assessment information involves:
· systematically observing students during activities
· interacting with students to gain a deeper knowledge of what they know, understand and can do
· analysing work samples by using criterion referenced procedures