Literacy Policy, 2012
(Review Date: Summer 2014)
Contents
Page
Introduction and Aims
2
Literacy Marking Policy
4
Success Criteria for Writing Styles
6
Extended Writing Plans
7
Connectives Worksheet
9
Levelled Connectives
10
Key Terms
11
Cross Curricular Literacy Level Ladder
12
Reading Strategies
13
Introduction and Aims
Our aim is to raise the achievement of all pupils by seeking to develop their
speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. We also aim to raise this achievement
through improving all pupils’ ability to transfer literacy skills across the curriculum.
We intend to:
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See literacy as a high priority for all teaching within the school
Continue raising the standards of literacy throughout the whole-school
curriculum
Ensure literacy is explicitly and consistently taught in every curriculum area
Monitor pupils’ progress and our effectiveness in implementing the literacy
policy.
The school will:
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Create a positive and attractive environment which celebrates speaking,
listening, reading and writing;
Develop consistency within St. Clere’s and across local primary schools;
Raise parents’ awareness of the central role / importance of literacy in their
children’s development;
Ensure that there are planned activities across the curriculum to allow pupils
to learn and practise their range of literacy skills, including subject areas
teaching the literacy elements central to their curriculum delivery as identified
in the National Curriculum;
Ensure that literacy intervention teaching is provided to pupils with lower than
national average literacy skills;
Provide INSET on teaching literacy to all staff;
Train new staff to the school in the expected ways of including literacy in all
teaching;
Monitor the teaching of literacy across the curriculum;
Provide role models in the form of older pupils and staff (through reading
coaching and literacy booster sessions);
Ensure that use of the library is an integral part of pupils’ learning;
Ensure that a range of reading materials is available at appropriate levels of
interest and difficulty and balanced in its representation of culture and gender;
Encourage the use of dictionaries, thesauruses and ICT programmes to
support individual learning.
Each subject will:
Contribute to the raising of standards within their curriculum area by:
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Providing planned opportunities for pupils to practise the skills relevant to their
department;
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Identifying subject specific reading and writing demands;
Helping pupils use connectives to develop their writing;
Identifying appropriate subject specific vocabulary;
Teaching / modelling a variety of approaches to listening, talking and reading;
Developing strategies to enhance technical accuracy in pupils’ work through
proof reading and peer assessment;
Providing materials to enhance and support individual research;
Providing structures to support writing in the form of modelling and using the
recommended structure for teaching writing;
Teaching and encouraging independent note taking;
Teaching in a way that is specific and explicit about the key six non-fiction text
types commonly used in their subject.
Ensuring that pupils are not asked to copy sections of text that are longer than
one or two sentences;
Encouraging free, extended writing and writing as a tool for thought;
Improving the quality and usefulness of displays (including a literacy display in
every classroom);
Enhancing and developing the use of library/learning resource centre;
Enhancing and developing the use of ICT to support literacy;
REMOVED: Training pupil role models to work as reading coaches and
support reading development of younger pupils; (the school will offer)
Heads of Departments will monitor progress by:
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Sampling students’ work in different subject areas on a regular basis;
Writing a progress report to Heads of Faculty/Senior Leadership Team on
features of writing and reading literacy found in the sample;
Observing for literacy during lesson observations. Feedback will be given to
Heads of Faculty/Senior Staff and Governors;
Requesting pupil reviews on how explicit literacy teaching helps them learn;
Auditing pupils’ work to review teachers’ use of the literacy marking policy.
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Literacy Marking Policy
When marking a pupil’s work, the teacher should also mark for the pupil’s basic
literacy skills. They should use a highlighter to indicate to the pupil when they have
made mistakes with the following things:
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Capital letters
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Full stops
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Question marks
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Basic spellings
Teachers should also use the following codes when marking pupils’ work:
Mark
sp
Means…
Try this spelling again.
c
Find the missing or misplaced capital letters.
p
Put in the missing punctuation.
//
Mark in where the paragraphs should be.
~
No need for new paragraph.
Exp
+
Rewrite this section at the end, to improve the expression.
Add in this point that you forgot to include.
Well-written section-apt and clear.
Striking or imaginative writing.
th
Use a thesaurus to find more interesting vocabulary.
v
Wrong vocabulary.
SE
Replace with a Standard English word or phrase.
It matters where the mark is:
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Next to a line – means you can find it in the line.
Against a vertical pen line- means you can find it in this section.
At the end – means this is a problem throughout.
A number gives extra help – it tells you how many you are looking for.
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Success Criteria for Writing Styles
Each skill is not exclusive to the writing style it is under. For example, the use of a
variety of sentence types is important in any type of writing.
Writing to Inform
 Topic sentences at the beginning of
paragraphs
 Use of presentation and layout (i.e.
bullet points, diagrams and
illustrations) is to enhance clarity of
text
 Range of connectives to aid clarity
 Use of subordinate clauses to add
information
 Use of specialist vocabulary /
terminology
Writing to Explain
 Topic sentences at the beginning of
paragraphs
 Use of connectives to link paragraphs
clearly
 Variety of sentence types, particularly
subordinate clauses
 Use of specialist vocabulary /
terminology
Writing to Describe
 Vocabulary choices show the reader
the scene / character rather than
simply telling
 Variety of sentence types for effect
(i.e. simple short sentence to add
dramatic impact)
 Use of connectives to link ideas
 Use of range of descriptive
vocabulary, including similes and
metaphors
Writing to Argue
 Range of rhetorical devices to engage
the reader (i.e. rhetorical questions,
emotive language, personal
pronouns)
 Connectives use to link paragraphs
and sentences together
 Variety of sentence types
 Use of vocabulary to add impact (i.e.
imperative verbs to create
authoritative tone)
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Writing to Persuade
Use a range of rhetorical devices to
engage the reader (i.e. rhetorical
questions, emotive language, personal
pronouns)
Topic sentences are supported with
elaboration
Variety of sentence types
Use of vocabulary to add impact (i.e.
imperative verbs, modal verbs,
repetition etc.)
Writing to Advise
 Variety of sentence types (i.e. shorter
sentences used for clarity)
 Connectives used for clarity and to link
ideas
 Subordinate clauses used to add
information
 Use of topic sentences at the
beginning of each paragraph
 Use of imperative and modal verbs
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Extended Writing Plans
Writing to Argue:
FOR
AGAINST
Comparative Writing:
SIMILARITIES
WWI
WW1
DIFFERENCES
WWII
SIMILARITIES
WW2
6
Connective
Connective
Point 5
Point 2
Connective
Connective
Point 3
Point 4
Connective
Point 6
Point 1
Writing to Explain:
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Purpose /
Introduction
to
so as to
in order to
in order that
so that
for
out of
for the purpose of
Cause & Effect
because
so
therefore
thus
consequently
Sequencing
next
then
first, second, third,…
finally
meanwhile
after
before
since
Illustrating
Qualifying
however
although
unless
if
as long as
apart from
yet
Connectives
as signposts
Emphasising
above all
in particular
especially
significantly
indeed
notably
Comparing
equally
in the same way
similarly
likewise
as with
like
Adding
and
also
as well as
moreover
too
for example
such as
for instance
as revealed by
in the case of
Contrasting
whereas
instead of
alternatively
otherwise
unlike
on the other hand
while
whilst
but
nevertheless
however
yet
Concession/reservation
though
although
unless
if
even if
incase
apart from
except for
inspite of
despite
for all
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Levelled Connectives
Use the following levels to help pupils to use the correct type of connectives to gain
the higher levels:
Level 3:
and / also / too / so / but / if / like / unlike
Level 4:
as well as / because / although / next / first / second / unless /
as long as / for example / then
Level 5:
therefore / however / especially / whereas / besides / except /
apart from / above all / such as / in the same way / compared
with / on the other hand
Level 6:
furthermore / moreover / meanwhile / in particular / furthermore /
in addition / as a result of / yet / despite / instead of / significantly
otherwise / most of all / for instance / as shown by / equally /
similarly / likewise
Level 7:
thus / consequently / indeed / notably / as revealed by / in the
case of / as with / alternatively / in contrast
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Key Literacy Terms
These are key terms which all teachers should recognise. They should also be
used within our lessons consistently so that pupils are also able to identify and
understand them.
Subordinate clause – a clause which cannot stand alone as a sentence; it
normally contains less important information than the main clause of a sentence.
i.e. The boy, who was wearing a blue t-shirt, ran across the road. – The fact
that the boy was wearing a blue t-shirt is less important than his action.
Adjective – a describing word
Verb - a doing word
Noun – word used to name a person, place or thing
To convey – to show
To present – to show
Analyse – to examine in detail (i.e. to break down into smaller parts)
Imperative verb – a verb which commands (i.e. Take this book)
Modal verb – a verb which indicates possibility / likelihood (i.e. we should go to
class)
Topic sentence – a sentence which introduces the main idea of a paragraph
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Cross-Curricular Literacy Ladder
Level 3
STATE
Level 4
DESCRIBE
Level 5
EXPLAIN
Level 6
ANALYSE
Level 7
EXPLORE
/
JUSTIFY
Literacy skills needed to achieve this level:
 I can use simple sentences to state simple
facts or comments.
 I can use basic punctuation to mark my simple
sentences (e.g. capital letters and full stops).
 I can use basic connectives to link ideas
together (e.g. and, but, so).
 My ideas are put together but are not
paragraphed.
 I can refer to evidence but it is not always
relevant.
 I can spell some key words correctly but still
have trouble with homophones.
 I can use simple & compound sentences to
describe features or comments.
 I start to use a range of connectives to link
my ideas (e.g. because, therefore, although)
 I use basic paragraphs but do not link them
together clearly.
 I can make simple comments on relevant
evidence.
 I can correctly spell most key words but more
complex words may be inaccurate.
 I can use simple, compound & complex
sentences to explain ideas in more detail.
Examples:
 There are different types of blood cells.
 I can use a range of connectives to develop my
explanation (e.g. therefore, however,
consequently)
 I can use paragraphs which are linked clearly.
 I can make detailed comments which explain
relevant evidence
 I can spell the majority of key words
accurately but occasionally more complex
words may be incorrect.
 I can use a variety of sentence types, lengths
and starters to make my analysis detailed and
interesting.
 I start to use a sophisticated range of
connectives to extend my analysis.
 I can use detailed paragraphs to develop my
analysis
 I use relevant evidence to support my analysis.
 I can spell virtually all key words (simple and
complex) correctly.
 I can use a variety of sentence types, lengths
and starters to develop my exploration of a
topic.
 I use a sophisticated range of connectives to
develop my exploration of a topic.
 I can use detailed paragraphs using a range of
connectives to extend my exploration.
 I can show precision in choosing evidence to
support my explorations.
 Red blood cells are carry oxygen around the
body however they have a lifetime of only 120
days.
 (I use connectives at the beginning of
paragraphs to link them throughout a piece of
writing)
 There are different types of blood cells but
only three.
 (My ideas are grouped together within sections
of one whole piece of text)
 Difficulties with there / they’re / their or two /
too / to.
 There are different types of blood cell and they
all do different jobs.
 Although there are different types of blood
cell, they all have similar features.
 (I do not use connectives to sequence my
paragraphs but they are clear)
 There are three different types of blood cell,
which carry out different jobs in the body.
 With such a short lifetime, red blood cells must
…
 As a result of their short lifetime, red blood
cells …
 (I use connectives within my paragraphs to
develop ideas)
 Focusing on red blood cells will highlight that we
…
 As revealed by the results, the experiment has
been successful because …
 (I use connectives within my paragraphs to
develop ideas).
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Reading Strategies
The common issues with pupils’ reading in cross-curricular subjects are:
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Learners need support with literacy;
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Learners need to think about structure and meaning of different texts;
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Learners need support to access formal, academic texts;
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Over simplification of texts create texts which lack challenge or exemplars of
good writing;
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Visual representation of texts is poor;
Here is a range of reading strategies which teachers can use to enable pupils to
access a text whilst encouraging independent learning:
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Give the questions before the pupils read the text;
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Use highlighters to focus on key words / events / parts;
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Ask pupils to create sub-titles for each paragraph;
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Use a ruler / piece of card to move down the page as you read;
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Cloze texts;
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Pupils create questions based on what they have read;
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Pupils tell their partner a summary of the extract;
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Focus pupils on specific areas of the text – ensure they have considered the
title before they move on;
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TAP the text (Text type / Audience / Purpose) – if pupils understand they are
looking at a magazine article persuading teens, they will be identify key
features of the text more easily;
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Change the text into another type (i.e. change a newspaper article into a letter
or a speech);
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Pupils identify topic sentences within the text to help them navigate the page
(simply numbering the paragraphs can be a key strategy for some pupils!);
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Reveal just a few lines at a time and get them to predict what will happen
next;
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Look at key words/ new words and their meanings then later use those
identified words in their work;
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Translate a part of the text into their own words;
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Acting/dramatic reading/ punctuation/mood boards;
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Taking one line and imagining you are that person what do you feel about that
situation;
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Active skimming (to get the general feel of a text)and scanning (to find a piece
of specific information);
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Skimming = give pupils a set amount of time to skim the text and then they
have to tell you what was said at the beginning, middle and end or they create
a 50 word summary;
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Scanning = looking for specific information, give hints like if they are looking
for a place they need to scan for capital letters.
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