Literacy and English: Principles and practice

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Canmore Primary School
Language and
Literacy
Parent Information
World Book Day Celebrations – Dress as Your Favourite Roald Dahl Character
Updated December 2010
Our Rationale
In Canmore we recognise that language and literacy are vitally important. Our ability to use
language lies at the centre of the development and expression of our emotions, our thinking, our
learning and our sense of personal identity. Language is itself a key aspect of our culture. Children
and young people encounter, enjoy and learn from the diversity of language used in their homes,
their communities, by the media and by their peers. We acknowledge that literacy is fundamental
to all areas of learning, as it unlocks access to the wider curriculum. Being literate increases
opportunities for the individual in all aspects of life.
Our Literacy framework in Canmore promotes the development of critical and creative thinking as
well as competence in listening and talking, reading, writing and the personal, interpersonal and
team-working skills which are so important in life.
Our Literacy Programme
Our planning for language and literacy has been revised in line with Curriculum for Excellence.
The literacy experiences and outcomes are structured within three main organisers:
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Listening and Talking
Reading
Writing
Within these organisers there are subdivisions:
Enjoyment and choice – In Canmore we recognise the importance of giving the children choice to
enhance their enjoyment of literacy and support their decision making skills. We encourage this in
a number of ways including giving choice to study of personal research projects, choice of novels
to read or ways of recording information.
The tools sections includes important skills such as reading strategies, spelling and grammar.
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Reading Strategies - Reading is a daily activity in Canmore. It will take a variety of forms:
group reading books, class reading, individual quiet reading. Different strategies are
modelled to the children to teach them how to comprehend texts. These strategies include
skimming and scanning for information, acting as a detective to find clues to answer
questions, highlighting key words, summarising main points, sequencing events etc.
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Spelling - In Canmore our primary ones start to learn about word construction through our
Jolly Phonics and Synthetic Phonics program where they build up an understanding of
sounds through actions and sensory experiences.
In primary two and three the children move on to Jolly Grammar and Spelling through which
they learn more complex letter patterns still linked to an action.
Further up the school the children use Key Spelling but at different times other spelling
schemes will be used to teach patterns relevant to the children’s needs. Each week or
fortnight (depending on the complexity) the children will have a spelling pattern to learn.
This will be done through a variety of activities but will always include a multi-sensory
approach – look, say, cover, write and check (see our Spelling Leaflet for Parents for
further information). Our Spelling Policy in Canmore states that we will correct two or three
spelling errors normally in a piece of writing. This is because we do not want to discourage
children from the content of what they are writing and because any more and they would
struggle to learn the correct spellings. For more details see our leaflets for parents on
spelling.
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Grammar – Grammar is taught through Jolly Grammar and Key Grammar schemes. as well
as through discussing the way children construct their own writing and how writing is
constructed in different texts.
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Handwriting – When the children come into school they are taught how to form letters
alongside learning the sound and name of that letter. They do not learn to join letters at
this stage but they form letters with a flick to facilitate joined writing which we begin to
teach this in primary three or four. The joining patterns are taught progressively
between primary three or four and primary seven.
Children regularly discuss presentation skills such as spacing, putting a date and a title,
using a sharp pencil, using a ruler and the reasons for doing these things are explained. At
certain times children are asked for their best handwriting and when making notes etc they
are allowed to use a speedier style of writing.
Finding and using information includes, critical literacy skills which enable the children to
understand texts, developing not only literal understanding but also the higher order skills. In
Canmore we encourage the children to look at a variety of texts. This will include traditional prose
but also digital texts such as online resources. From an early age the children are taught to look
critically at a text and assess its reliability using critical thinking questions such as: Who has this
been written for? For what purpose? Who benefits? What is missing from this account? How could
it be told differently?
The creating texts experiences and outcomes involve the children in developing their ability to
communicate effectively, for example, by writing clear, well-structured explanations. In Canmore
children will be writing most days in school. They will have at least one focused writing lesson
each week where the teacher will model how to write in a particular genre and for a particular
purpose. Sometimes this will involve functional writing such as a letter, report or poster and at
other times it will be an imaginative or personal piece such as a diary, creative story or account of
what happened.
Modern Language - In addition to our English language, pupils in Canmore also have the
opportunity to learn Spanish or French in primary six and seven.
To provide for different learning styles and to keep the children’s interest we use a variety of
learning and teaching approaches including:
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the use of relevant, real-life and enjoyable contexts which build upon our children’s own
experiences.
effective direct and interactive teaching – often the teacher or other pupils will model a
strategy or skill.
a balance of spontaneous play and planned activities – see our Active Learning Leaflet for
Parents for further information.
collaborative working group work – we have a program which runs from primary one to
seven which progressively teaches the children skills for working effectively in a group from
gathering the materials they need, to learning to negotiate and compromise.
making meaningful links for learners across different curriculum areas – we try to link as
much language work as possible to the current project the class is studying or to an interest
which arises in the class.
frequent opportunities to communicate for relevant purposes and for real audiences –
during the year you will normally be invited to view the outcome of a project the children
have been working on. During the year other classes or the local community are also used
as an audience for the children’s work.
the development of problem-solving skills and approaches – this might involve the children
applying the literacy skills they have developed in a more open ended project such as
writing a Year Book or creating a performance for others.
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the appropriate and effective use of ICT – the children have at least two sessions in the ICT
suite where they can develop their digital literacy skills and there are computers in the class
areas also.
Parents as Partners
We recognise in Canmore that parents have a vital role to play in supporting their child’s learning.
We encourage parents to support their child’s literacy in different ways.
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Reading homework is provided most weeks to enable you to see what your child has been
working on, how they are getting on and how you can support them. Your child will have a
homework diary which we would encourage parents to communicate with the teacher
through, or to phone the school if they have any queries.
Playing spelling or literacy games is great way to practice literacy skills while having fun
together.
Enjoying reading together – The more children read the better their reading and writing
skills become. Children are never too old to have a story read to them. Visit the library to
choose a book. Share what you are reading in the newspaper or the book you are reading.
Research topics on the internet together or enjoy digital texts together.
Writing for real – Opportunities to write for real purposes such as a thank you letters, the
shopping list or directions are positive ways of showing how literacy is a life skill.
Encourage your child to identify two or three spelling errors in their writing and use a
dictionary or discuss ways to remember the correct spelling together.
Real life problems – your children will benefit from talking to you about the literacy skills
you use in your daily life – writing a letter, reading instruction manuals, speaking on the
telephone etc. Talking about the strategies you use, will support the children to develop
their own.
Typing Skills – Developing speed typing skills and the correct use of each finger will
greatly support your child in their future learning and possibly work. There are many games
which can be either be bought or downloaded from the internet to do this in a fun way. The
program used most often in Canmore is called Tux Typing.
Assessment
Assessment in literacy will focus on the responses of our children to the language and information
that they find in texts, and on the application of their skills in listening and talking, reading and
writing.
Teachers will see evidence of their progress through children’s growing skills in communicating
their thinking and using language appropriately for different purposes. Much of the evidence will be
gathered as part of day-to-day learning. The use of specific assessment tasks is also important to
provide evidence of progress, particularly at transitions (moving on to high school or to a new
class).
This year all Fife schools have been asked to continue with 5-14 assessments to track progress in
literacy which is why we have been reporting using levels A to E on your child’s Personal Learning
Planning. By the end of the year 2010/2011 Fife schools will be move to reporting using the
Curriculum Excellence levels. These are the expected levels of progression:
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Early - Pre-school to P1
First - P2 to end P4
Second - P5 to end P7
Third and Fourth S1-S3
Senior phase S4 to S6 in school, college, workplace or community
Reporting within a level will progress from developing (just starting this level and beginning to
learn basic skills), to consolidating (mid way through the level and mastering a wider variety
skills) to secure (mastered most of the concepts and now learning to apply and use the skills they
have learned in more creative and skilful ways). While we will always aim to progress children’s
learning at a rate which is challenging yet attainable for the children, Curriculum for Excellence
stresses the importance of promoting depth and breadth to the children’s learning. In Canmore we
aim to do this by teaching concepts in literacy and then giving the children chances to apply their
learning in open ended ways to investigate real contexts.
Involving pupils in Assessment as Learning promotes children’s learning. In Canmore we engage
children in this in a variety of ways from involving pupils in setting themselves personal targets
such as ‘I will edit my work’, to sharing the learning intention for the lesson with the children so they
understand the goal for the learning. For further details see Canmore Parent Leaflet on
Assessment is for Learning and Curriculum for Excellence Assessment and Reporting leaflet.
We thank you for supporting us with our Literacy and Language programme and for taking the time
to read this leaflet. Please contact the school for further information if required or to see any of the
resources we use.
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