YEAR 7 ENGLISH AT
CHESTERFIELD
How can I best support my child?
What will Year 7 learn?
Autumn Term
Spring term
Summer Term
Study of a novel
Non – fiction unit:
discursive writing
Island project
Study of a novel
Shakespeare play
Texts from other
cultures
Literary heritage –
‘A Christmas Carol’
Through these units, the skills of reading, writing, speaking & listening are
taught. Literacy skills are embedded throughout.
How are the classes set in English?
•
Students are set from the beginning of Year 7, using a range of data, but
mainly using Key stage 2 teacher assessment levels informed by Key Stage 2
SATS results (where applicable).
•
Although Year 7 are timetabled in two parallel bands, there is an upper and
lower ability band:
P1
Mr Loughlin
Q1
Ms Molyneux/ Mr
Loughlin
P2
Ms Concannon
Q2
Ms McGowan
P3
Ms Morton
Q3
Ms McGowan
P4
Ms Convery
SET MOVEMENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT HALF TERM WHERE NECESSARY.
How can I best support my child?
By:
1. Talking regularly about what they are doing in English.
2. Asking about what they like and dislike about the
novel/play/poets they are studying at the moment.
3. Asking them if they want help with proofreading the
quality of their work: spellings, basic skills etc.
4. Asking to see their book on a regular basis; enquiring
about and checking the quality of their homework.
Reading
“While good readers gain new skills very
rapidly, and quickly move from learning to
read to reading to learn, poor readers
become increasingly frustrated with the act
of reading, and try to avoid reading where
possible”
The Matthew Effect
Daniel Rigney
“The word-rich get richer while
the word-poor get poorer” in
their reading skills
(CASL)
Reading
Top tips
• Encourage your child to read ANYTHING &
everything they can including newspapers and
non-fiction.
• Talk to them about what you’re/they’re reading.
Read the books they read in school and at home.
• If they’re a reluctant reader, tap into their
interests. You know them best! If they liked the
film, they may like the book!
Writing Skills - Content
Top Tips
• Check that the writing suits the purpose: argue, persuade,
describe, review, analyse, entertain, inform.
• Check that style of writing is appropriate to the audience.
• Ensure that a variety of sentence starters and types are
used.
• Ensure that vocabulary is suitably ambitious.
• Challenge your child to learn new vocabulary!
• Check the accuracy of their punctuation.
Writing Types
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•
•
•
•
•
•
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Argue: Write to present a particular argument, considering
both sides
Persuade: Write to convince someone of a point of view.
Describe: Write using sensory imagery to help your reader
picture and feel a place, event, setting or character.
Review: Write to summarise and give your opinion.
Analyse: Write to explain your understanding of implicit and
explicit meaning, effect and purpose. Using PETE (next slide!)
Entertain: Write to engage a reader.
Inform: Write to give factual information.
Advise: Write using modal verbs to make suggestions
Purpose – What job is the writer trying to do?
Argue
Inform
Persuade Explain
Advise
Describe
Analyse
Imagine
Review
Explore
Comment Entertain
Audience – The Reader
Children
Teenagers Fans
Parents
Pensioners
Workers
Experts
Age
Interests
Gender Education
Job
Hobbies
Lifestyle
Class
Politics
Men
Women
Adults
PAFT
Purpose
Audience
Form
Tone
Form – Type of Writing
Leaflet
Web page Story
Letter
Speech
Report
Tone – What is the mood of the writing?
Enthusiastic
Angry
Questioning
Objective
Passionate
Frustrated Doubtful
Subjective
Hopeful
Pessimistic
Suspicious Neutral
Optimistic Sad
Sarcastic
Cynical
Humorous Annoyed
Ironic
Knowledgeable
Article
Email
Essay
Advert
P.E.T.E
Point, Evidence,
Technique, Explanation
This is an essential writing structure for writing to analyse.
If students can master this, it:
- Boosts exam performance
- Helps structure their analytical thoughts
- Aids essay writing in all subjects
How does Tommo feel about his father’s
death?
POINT:
How does Tommo feel
about his father’s death?
Write a full sentence.
Tommo feels…because…
EVIDENCE: Highlight a
word or phrase that shows
you this.
Words that show me this
are…
EXPLANATION:
How does this phrase prove
your point?
What does it make you
think?
What does it make you
feel?
Tommo feels miserable because his
father has died. A quote to show
this is: “I have inside me a secret
so horrible, a secret I can never
tell anyone, not even Charlie”. This
shows me he feels miserable
because he uses the word ‘horrible’,
which means something really bad
or awful. This shows he feels
miserable because something
terrible has happened to him. This
quote makes me feel sorry for
Tommo because young children
should not have to experience such
sad events.
POINT:
How does Tommo feel
about his father’s death?
Write a full sentence.
Tommo feels…because…
EVIDENCE: Highlight a
word or phrase that shows
you this.
Words that show me this
are…
EXPLANATION:
How does this phrase prove
your point?
What does it make you
think?
What does it make you
feel?
Running… Turning… Seeing…
Hearing… Ruminating…
Begin some sentences
with a verb
Loving... Falling… Hoping… Believing…
Succeeding…
Yesterday,
Since then,
After lunch, Before…
Begin sentences with a
time reference
During the war, Meanwhile,
As the game went on,
In the cave, At the bus stop,
At the back of my mind,
Begin sentences with a
place reference
On the left wing,
At home,
Deep under the ground,
Know your connectives
Adding: and, also, as well as, moreover, too
Cause & effect: because, so, therefore, thus, consequently
Sequencing: next, then, first, finally, meanwhile, before, after
Qualifying: however, although, unless, except, if, as long as, apart from, yet
Emphasising: above all, in particular, especially, significantly, indeed, notably
Illustrating: for example, such as, for instance, as revealed by, in the case of
Comparing: equally, in the same way, similarly, likewise, as with, like
Contrasting: whereas, instead of, alternatively, otherwise, unlike, on the
other hand
Spelling
Top tip – Encourage your child to remember
the difficult part of spellings with one of the
following methods:
METHOD 1. Spell Speak – breaking up into
syllables/sounds
• Sumptuous = SUMP + tu + ous
• Diarrhoea = Di + a + rr + ho + e + a
• Independent = In + de + pen + DENT
METHOD 2. Sentences to remember
awkward letters
• Graffiti = two feet and one toe
• Unnecessary = one collar two sleeves
maybe spell speak this one too
un +nec + ess +ARY
• Accommodation = two coffees in two mugs
METHOD 3. Words within words
• Library = bra
• Separate= a rat
• Definite = it
• Friends to the ‘end’
METHOD 4. Acrostics
• Rhyme – Red Hens Yell More Eggs
• Synch ronised – Sell Your Next Clever
Hen
Spelling… Time to play!!
• www.puzzlemaker.com make your own word
search.
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/hard
spell/starspell_game.shtml test the whole family!
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/scho
ols/spellits/ - spelling quest
game.
Extra Curricular Events
CLUBS
RUN BY
WHERE
WHEN
Creative writing
club
Sixth form
(Miss Morton)
E4
THURSDAY LUNCH
Reading Group
KS3 and 4
Miss Convery
E8
FRIDAY LUNCH
Film club – KS3
(with popcorn!!)
Miss McWean
E5
TUESDAY 3PM-4PM
Debating Club -ALL Ms Hinde
E7
TBC
Literature Club
Mr Bell
E3
FRIDAY 3PM-4PM
TRIPS
Harry Potter Studio
Tour – KS3
RUN BY
Miss Fallon
WHERE
London
WHEN
Feb 2014