Active
Literacy
Monday
th
29
September
What is Active Learning?
•Active learning is learning which engages and
challenges children and young people’s thinking using
real-life and imaginary situations. It takes full
advantage of the opportunities for learning presented
by:
•spontaneous play
•planned, purposeful play
•investigating and exploring
•events and life experiences
•focused learning and teaching.
A Curriculum for Excellence Building the
curriculum 3-18 (2) 2007
Active Learning/Play and the
four capacities
Active learning can support learners' development of the four capacities in
many ways. For example, they can develop as:
successful learners through using their imagination and creativity, tackling
new experiences and learning from them, and developing important skills
including literacy and numeracy through exploring and investigating while
following their own interests
confident individuals through succeeding in their activities, having the
satisfaction of a task accomplished, learning about bouncing back from
setbacks, and dealing safely with risk
responsible citizens through encountering different ways of seeing the
world, learning to share and give and take, learning to respect themselves
and others, and taking part in making decisions
effective contributors through interacting together in leading or
supporting roles, tackling problems, extending communication skills, taking
part in sustained talking and thinking, and respecting the opinions of others.
Active learning/play supports
literacy development by being:
Fun
Interactive
Meaningful
Broad
and balanced
Structured/unstructured
Responsive/planned
Observed
Evidence based.
Active Literacy
Includes:
•Storytelling
•Phonics work based
•Guided reading and active literacy
•Daily writing, taught writing
•Spelling and dictation
•Active literacy works alongside our
existing Jolly Phonics programme.
•Letter sounds taught first and names
later
•Initially simple three letter words can be
made from the sets of letters.
•Children are encouraged from the outset
to listen for the sounds and decide where
they come in the word – beginning,
middle or end.
Order of sounds taught
•satipn
•ckehrmd
•goulfb
• j z w v y x q/qu
Sounds are taught 2 or 3 per week.
Storyline and action
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Each letter sound introduced with a story
Children hear the sound and see the
action
We know our
Jolly Phonic actions!
Learning the letter formation
Pencil hold
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Tripod grip
Movement of pencil from thumb and
first finger
Knuckles to go in and out – ‘froggy
legs/fingers’
Letter formation

Finger Phonic books
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Grooved letters
Following arrows
Follow example of teacher forming
letters in the air/on the ground
Pairing and sharing with shoulder
partners
Letters with joining tails
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Trace dotted lines following arrows
Check correct formation and accuracy
Joining tails prepare for joined up
writing
Blending
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Blending is when children are beginning
the skill of reading
Blending is:
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Looking at the letters
Saying the sound
Hearing the word
s–u–n
m – ou – s e
f – i – sh
Say, Make/Break, Blend, Read,
Write
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Say the word
Make/break the word using magnetic
letters
Blend the word
Read the word
Write the word
Common and Tricky Words
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Children are given 3 common words
every week.
Some of these words may be tricky
words – these are mostly irregular
keywords (not easy to blend).
These tricky words need to be
learned by heart.
Buddy Reading
What is Buddy Reading?
•Buddy reading is a fun way to help pupils learn to
read.
•In buddy reading, an older child shares reading
sessions with a younger pupil.
•Together they practise reading skills through
discussion of class reading texts, library books and
other language activities.
•Buddy Reading is an excellent activity for
developing literacy outcomes, in particular those
relating to listening, talking and reading.
What will they
learn/consolidate during Buddy
Reading?
Concepts of print

How to hold a book

Front and back of book

Recognition of where to start when reading

Left to right sweep and return
Comprehension Strategies

Using the title and front cover as a prediction tool

Use of picture clues to aid understanding

Recall of the story

Identification of main characters

Identification of main events

Identification of setting
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Sequence events
Support from Home
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Research shows that reading to your
child is the single most important
thing you can do to help your child's
education.
How can you make sure your child
gets off to a good start, gains
independence and enjoys reading?
There are lots of simple things you
can do at home to help.
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Focus on what you can do, not what you
can’t.
Make a regular time together.
Find the right level.
Take time to listen, listen and listen again!
Strike a balance between connection and
perfection.
Talk about what you’ve read.
Enjoy reading everywhere.
Think outside the book.
Have fun!
Ask for extra help if you think your child
needs it.
Support from Home

Daily revision of sounds
2 new sounds each week and 3 words
Reading Book

Identify sounds in words
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Fun word games –
I spy / matching games
Encourage a love of books
and read together regularly
Learning is hard work!
How you can help in School
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Photocopying resources
Making games
Making booklets
Laminating resources
Preparing craft resources
Book banding
If you think you can help with any of
these things please talk to Mrs
Littlejohn, Mrs McKenzie, Mrs
Banfield/Mrs Booth.
Visit to Room 2
Set up in room 2 are a number of
activities your child/children may
take part in during an Active
Literacy Lesson.
Please come and try some of them for
yourself.
Thank you for coming today.