LITERACY IMPACT!
Literacy Across the Curriculum:
Maintaining the Momentum
Geoff Barton
March 16, 2016
All resources can be downloaded at www.geoffbarton.co.uk
Presentation 38
LITERACY IMPACT!
1 Where are we (and where are you) with literacy?
2 Who are your key players and what do you need to do next?
3 Developing practical approaches …
• in Humanities subjects
• in Scientific subjects
• in tutor time
• in speaking & listening
… and how will you
measure IMPACT?
LITERACY IMPACT!
The approach …
LITERACY IMPACT!
SECTION 1:
So where are we with wholeschool literacy?
Reasonable but
horrible questions …
1
Name
one
child
who
has
2
If
you
have
a
literacy
working
45-3-What
do your
best
teachers
do
-IfIfliteracy
I asked
is3important,
of
your
staff
is itwhat
part
improved
their
reading
or
writing
party,
how
much
money
do
their
to
help
students
read,
write,
think
your
ofwhole-school
all
lesson observations?
policy
said,
what
based
on
a
literacy
initiative
at
your
salaries
represent?
andReviews?
spell
better?
How
do you
would
they
Performance
reply?
school?
know?
management?
English Review 2000-05
October 2005: Key findings
English is one of the best taught subjects in
both primary and secondary schools.
October 2005: Key findings
 Standards of writing have improved as a
result of guidance from the national
strategies
 Some teachers give too little thought to
ensuring that pupils fully consider the
audience, purpose and content for their
writing.
October 2005: Key findings
 Schools do not always seem to understand the
importance of pupils’ talk in developing both
reading and writing.
 Myhill and Fisher: ‘spoken language forms a
constraint, a ceiling not only on the ability to
comprehend but also on the ability to write,
beyond which literacy cannot progress’.
 Too many teachers appear to have forgotten
that speech ‘supports and propels writing forward’.
 Pupils do not improve writing solely by doing
more of it; good quality writing benefits from
focused discussion that gives pupils a chance to
talk through ideas before writing and to respond
to friends’ suggestions.
October 2005: Key findings
 The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study
(PIRLS) 2003: although the reading skills of 10 year old
pupils in England compared well with those of pupils in
other countries, they read less frequently for pleasure
and were less interested in reading than those
elsewhere.
 NFER 2003: children’s enjoyment of reading had
declined significantly in recent years
 A Nestlé/MORI report : ‘underclass’ of non-readers,
plus cycles of non-reading ‘where teenagers from families
where parents are not readers will almost always be less
likely to be enthusiastic readers themselves’.
October 2005: Key findings
The role of classroom assistants was
described in the report as ‘increasingly
effective’.
October 2005: Key findings
Despite the Strategy, weaknesses remain,
including:
 the stalling of developments as senior
management teams focus on other initiatives
 lack of robust measures to evaluate the
impact of developments across a range of
subjects
 a focus on writing at the expense of
reading, speaking and listening.
Implications for you …?
S&L: Does it happen systematically
anywhere to develop thinking and to
model writing?
Writing: is there an understanding
across any teams of how to develop
writing - eg how to get better
evaluations, better essays, better
scientific writing?
Reading: Who is teaching reading? Has
reading for pleasure slipped from your
radar?
Leadership: Has your leadership team
lost interest in literacy? How will you
reignite interest?
LITERACY IMPACT!
What’s the latest news?
LITERACY LATEST!
What we know about Writing …
•
The standard of writing has improved in recent years but still lags 20%
behind reading at all key stages (eg around 60% of students get level 4 at
KS2 in writing, compared to 80% in reading).
•
Writing has improved as a result of the National Strategy.
•
S&L has a big role in writing - it allows students to rehearse ideas and
structures and builds confidence.
•
But S&L has lower status because of assessment weightings.
•
In teaching writing we tend to focus too much on end-products rather than
process (eg frames). We should think more about composition - how ideas
are found and framed, how choices are made, how to decide about the
medium, how to draft and edit.
•
We are still stuck with a narrow range of writing forms and need to
emphasise creativity in non-fiction forms.
•
We need to rediscover the excitement of writing.
With thanks to Professor Richard Andrews,
University of York
LITERACY LATEST!
Some implications for us …
•
Who’s actually teaching writing in our school?
•
Is there a shared understanding of what helps pupils to write?
•
How can we teach composition?
•
Which teams could have a particular impact if they developed a shared
approach to writing?
•
How is speaking & listening being used to help pupils to write?
•
Is there a school or departmental approach to S&L?
•
Where should we start?
LITERACY LATEST!
What we know about vocabulary …
•
Aged 7: children in the top quartile have 7100 words; children in the lowest have
around 3000. The main influence in parents.
•
Using and explaining high-level words is a key to expanding vocabulary. A low
vocabulary has a negative effect throughout schooling.
•
Declining reading comprehension from 8 onwards is largely a result of low vocabulary.
Vocabulary aged 6 accounts for 30% of reading variance aged 16.
•
Catching up becomes very difficult. Children with low vocabularies would have to
learn faster than their peers (4-5 roots words a day) to catch up within 5-6 years.
•
Vocabulary is built via reading to children, getting children to read themselves,
engaging in rich oral language, encouraging reading and talking at home
•
In the classroom it involves: defining and explaining word meanings, arranging
frequent encounters with new words in different contexts, creating a word-rich
environment, addressing vocabulary learning explicitly, selecting appropriate words
for systematic instruction/reinforcement, teaching word-learning strategies
With thanks to DES Research Unit
LITERACY LATEST!
Some implications for us …
•
Teach 10 words per week - by whom, when, where?
•
Ensure key pupils are read to with vocabulary explanations
•
Teach new words in a text prior to reading
•
Encourage questions about word meanings
•
Display key words and meanings
•
Have a glossary in the planner
•
See tutor time as a literacy kick-starter each day
LITERACY LATEST!
What we know about students who
make slow progress …
Characteristics: 2/3 boys. Generally well-behaved. Positive in outlook.
“Invisible” to teachers. Keen to respond but unlikely to think first. Persevere with
tasks, especially with tasks that are routine. Lack self-help strategies. Stoical,
patient, resigned.
Reading: they over-rely on a limited range of strategies and lack higher order
reading skills
Writing: struggle to combine different skills simultaneously. Don’t get much
chance for oral rehearsal, guided writing, precise feedback
S&L: don’t see it as a key tool in thinking and writing
Targets: set low-level targets; overstate functional skills; infrequently review
progress
With thanks to DfES
LITERACY LATEST!
Some implications for us …
•
How to get more S&L into their lives?
•
How to get them thinking before answering?
•
How to get better feedback?
•
How to set more challenging targets?
•
How to stop them from being invisible?
•
Who should be their champions?
What we know about
Literacy Across the Curriculum
•
•
•
•
Good literacy skills are a key factor in raising
standards across all subjects
Language is the main medium we use for teaching,
learning and developing thinking, so it is at the heart
of teaching and learning
Literacy is best taught as part of the subject, not as an
add-on
All teachers need to give explicit attention to the
literacy needed in their subject.
Ofsted suggests literacy across the
curriculum is good when …
•
•
•
•
•
Senior managers are actively involved in the planning
and monitoring
Audits and action planning are rigorous
Monitoring focuses on a range of approaches, e.g.
classroom observation, work scrutiny as well as formal
tests
Time is given to training, its dissemination and
embedding
Schools work to identified priorities.
KS3 IMPACT!
 Talking Point 
• What have been the successes
in your own school?
• What do you need to do next?
Literacy strategy: The next phase
Self-evaluation:
So where are you up to in your school?
NO
PROGRESS
0
3
5
GOOD
PROGRESS
Literacy strategy: The next phase
Key player
Head
You
SENCO
Teachers
classroom
assistants
Governors
Librarian
Tutors
Progress rating
Priority
LITERACY IMPACT!
SECTION 2:
Reigniting the process
Focus relentlessly
on T&L
“Schools are places where the pupils go to watch the
‘Standards
areworking”
raised(John
ONLY
by changes
teachers
West-Burnham)
which
are
put
into
direct
effect
by
“For many years, attendance at school has been required
teachers
and
pupils while
in classrooms’
(for
children and
for teachers)
learning at school
has been optional.” (Stoll, Fink & East)
Black and Wiliam,
‘Inside the Black Box’
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
We are part of the literacy
club
Every
teacher in
English is
a teacher
OF English
(like it or
not)
Basic
assumptions
Literacy is
taught - it
doesn’t just
happen
Literacy today is different
from when we were
younger
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
We are part of the literacy
club
We forget our own
privilege at our peril
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
GUESS
THE TEXT
TYPE
1
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
Proud mum in a million
Natalie Brown hugged her
beautiful baby daughter
Casey yesterday and said:
“She’s my double miracle.”I
FIBRES
2
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
The blood vessels of the
circulatory system, branching
into multitudes of very fine
tubes (capillaries), supply all
parts of the muscles and organs
with blood, which carries
oxygen and food necessary for
life.
3
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
Ensure that the electrical
supply is turned off. Ensure the
existing circuit to which the
fitting is to be connected has
been installed and fused in
accordance with current L.L.L
wiring regulations
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
Language
oddities
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
DOGS MUST
BE CARRIED
ON THE
ESCALATOR
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
Please don't
smoke and live
a more healthy
life
PSE Poster
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
Sign at Suffolk
hospital:
Criminals
operate in this
area
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
ICI FIBRES
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
Churchdown parish
magazine:
‘would the congregation
please note that the bowl at
the back of the church
labelled ‘for the sick” is for
monetary donations only’
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
•Multi-media dominates
Literacy today is different
from when we were
younger
•Most ‘classic texts’ are known through film
•Reading extended writing is rare
•A visual culture dominates
•The notion of ‘accuracy’ is being challenged
•None of this is a bad thing
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
Why crosscurricular
literacy?
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
The literacy context ...
•A 1997 survey showed that of 12 European
countries, only Poland and Ireland had lower
levels of adult literacy
•1-in-16 adults cannot identify a concert
venue on a poster that contains name of
band, price, date, time and venue
•7 million UK adults cannot locate the page
reference for plumbers in the Yellow Pages
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
• Nearly 40% of pupils make a loss and no
progress in the year following transfer, related
to a decline in motivation
• Pupils characterise work in Years 7 and 8 as
‘repetitive, unchallenging and lacking in
purpose’
• “Year 7 adds so little value that actually
missing the year would not disadvantage
some children” (Prof John West-Burnham)
BBC NEWS ONLINE:
More than half of British
motorists cannot interpret
road signs properly, according
to a survey by the Royal
Automobile Club.
The survey of 500 motorists
highlighted just how many
people are still grappling with
it.
According to the
survey, three in
five motorists
thought a "be
aware of cattle"
warning sign
indicated …
an area
infected
with footand-mouth
disease.
Common mistakes
•No motor vehicles Beware of fast motorbikes
•Wild fowl - Puddles in
the road
•Riding school close
by - "Marlborough
country" advert
The single greatest influence on
learners is teacher expectation
Sylvester and Levithal 1994
Every teacher in English is
a teacher of English
George Sampson, 1921
LITERACY FOR LEARNING
So what’s in it for you …?
•
Literacy supports learning. Pupils
will understand and respond better
to your subject
•
You’ll see improvements in the
quality of their work
•
You’ll see increased motivation,
especially from boys
•
Better literacy increases pupils’ selfesteem and behaviour. It helps them
to learn independently
Working with key players
Librarian
Strategy manager
Working party
Headteacher
Governors
classroom assistants
Subject leaders
Students!
Tutors
Key players
Strategy manager
•
Focus, tailor, customise
•
See as professional development rather than
delivery
•
Differentiate training
•
Emphasise monitoring more than initiatives
•
Use pupil surveys for learning & teaching
Headteacher
Must be actively involved as head TEACHER
Eg monitoring books, breakfast with students,
feedback to staff
Must be seen in lessons
Must be reined in to prioritise
Librarian
Key part in improving literacy
Include in training
Part of curriculum meetings
Library should embody good practice - eg key
words, guidance on retrieving information, visual
excitement
Active training for students, breaking down subject
barriers
Get a library commitment from every team
Then sample to monitor it
Governors
Visit library, get in classrooms, talk to students
Clearly signal the “literacy” focus
Emphasise s/he’s discussing consistency
Sample of students and feedback
Part of faculty reviews on (say) how we teach writing
Working party
Maintain or disband?
Less doing and more evaluating - questionnaires,
looking at handouts, working around rooms, talking
to students
Asking questions: “What do teachers here do that
helps you to understand long texts better?”
Work sampling
Creating a critical mass
Students
Tell us how we’re doing
Build into school council
Small groups work with faculty teams to guide and
evaluate
Audit rooms for key words, etc
classroom assistants
•
Make them literacy experts
•
Let them lead training
•
Make their monitoring role explicit
•
Publish their feedback
Subject leaders
•
Help them to identify the 3 bits of literacy that will
have the biggest impact
•
Prioritise one per term or year
•
Join their meetings at start and end of process
•
Help them to keep it simple
•
Provide models and sample texts
•
Evaluate
•
Build literacy into their team’s performance
management
Tutors
•
Reconceptualise tutor time as creating an ethos
for learning / reviewing targets
•
Think therefore how the environment of tutor
groups could embody good practice - key words,
glossaries, approaches to reading and spelling,
connectives
•
Reject silent reading and replace with literacybased quizzes, etc
•
Make the school planner a central document for
literacy
LITERACY IMPACT!
Your role …
1. Don’t call it literacy - call it good learning &
teaching, or writing, or reading
2. Build it into lesson observation sheets
3. Build it into performance management
4. Keep it in the public eye
5. Emphasise increased student motivation
6. Talk to your Head about core skills for all teachers
LITERACY IMPACT!
7 Show before & after models
8 Don’t focus on grammar knowledge needed by staff
9 Show it’s part of a whole-school strategy
10 Celebrate every small-scale success
11 Quote students’ feedback
12 Be consultant, not doer
LITERACY IMPACT!
SECTION 3:
Practical approaches
ame
Book sampling…
Year /
Set
Teacher
Cover
clean
YN
Homework
evident
YN
Homework
marked
YN
Presentation
GFP
Types of writing
Els om
TORY
9
WD
Y
Y
Y
G



Robotham
TORY
9
WD
Y
Y
Y
G



Thinking
Notes
Extended
ey Ward?
RAPHY
9
YE
Y
Y
Y
G


Notes
Exer cises



Notes
Exer cises
Some extended
work
Simpson
RAPHY
9
HS
Y
Y
Not
consistently
G
Thinking
Notes
Extended
General comments
Clearly sequenced,
challenging, high-level;
exemplary feedback Π
positive, precise, personal
V diffe rent ability of
student Πbut same strong
expectations; tangible
progress in studentΥs
work; supportive, positive
marking
Good positive feedback;
evidence of regular
marking ; good range of
writing
Clear and well-used
overall; good to note some
extend worrk; marking
appears to end in late Sept
1 What grade did you get in Engli sh?

Engli sh Literature?

2 Think of all the subjects you studied last year. Circle one of the numbers below to show
where you would place Engli sh in a rank order of the subjects you studied
1 (high) 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 (low)
3 Without nami ng t eachers, please name ONE thing you li ked most about Engli sh lessons
4 Without nami ng t eachers, please name ONE thing you li ked least about them
5 Looking back, how did you feel about your usua l group for Engli sh for Ι
(a) ge tting o n with other people?
(li ked it a lot) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (liked it a little)
(b) learning effectively ?
(li ked it a lot) 1 2 3 4
5 6
7 8
9 10 (liked it a little)
Student perception inte rviews
Year 9
4 girls
4 boys
Sets: 1 4 2 3 1 3 2
Rank order: 8 7 3 3 9 3 10 3
What d o you like about MFL lessons? What activities do you enjoy ? Why?
 Fun, li ke ICT interactive whiteboard, playing games, practical and group work
What activ ities do you not enjoy? Why ? Wha t do you find difficult? Wha t wou ld help?
 Tests Π some are useful and some are not
 Practical lessons are good
 DonΥt li ke teachers constantly talking in French. I get behind and de-motivated
 DonΥt li ke having to speak in front of the class Π feel under pressure and worried
 Panic when asked to speak and donΥt know how
How do yo u learn best? Wha t helps you learn in other lessons?
 Objectives are sometimes set Π but doesnΥt make any diff erence
 I li ke to have some group work and some formal writing
 Reinforcing the talking with writing rather than just talking and then moving o n and talking
some more
 Group work
 Games
 When behaviour is good. Behaviour is good in languages
How do yo u feel during MFL lessons? What makes you feel this way?
- Bored Π 1 student
- Interested Π 1 student
- Enjoy Π1 student
- Tired Π1 student
- DonΥt know Π4 students
Consensus from interviews - languag es is okΣ but not a subject which students would wish to
choose to t ake further. Group consensus that about 30% of the lessons are enjoyable. Most students
preferred languages in the Middle School Π more practical, games, etc
Of all the ways the teacher gets you to learn about things which do you enjoy the most?







Activities Π not writin g, nothing intimidating. More d iscussion, needs to be variety (maths now =
all fro m books)
Biology = copy from board Π donΥt even read it
VA Ki in French to analyse own learning
If teachers drone on = some of us donΥt have the attention span
Unfairness abo ut time given to complete cours ework ie some = meet deadlines. Oth ers = 3 months
late so hav e extra 3 months to work on it
Too many tests in short space of time
Would help if dif ferent subject teachers could talk to each other so we do not get all coursework
assignments at the same time.
Of all the ways the teacher gets you to learn about things, which do you enjoy least?



Vag ue questions that you donΥt know what it means
I think we should b e setted for English be cause it cou ld be more challenging too lon g on one pie ce
of work would be helpful , disruptive people were in difficult group
Humanities Π go round and round in circles because
donΥt have specialist teachers. Spend time
trying to mana ge behaviour
Literacy strategy: The next phase
IMPACT!
LITERACY IMPACT!
What are the core literacy skills needed by
teachers?
•
General teaching approaches to writing, handouts,
vocabulary development
•
Specific approaches in humanities / scientific
teaching?
•
Culturally - in S&L, tutor time, the physical
environment
Reading
Essential
literacy rooted
in professional
development
An example …
Writing
Use layout and language
Be clear and explicit
to make texts accessible Π about the conventions
eg white space,
of the writing you expect
typographical features,
from students Πeg
summaries, bullets, short
audience, purpose,
paragraphs
layout, key words and
phrases, level of
formality
Using a range of strategies Providing assessment
to support studentsΥ
criteria and models of
reading Πeg reading aloud,
appropriate text types
key words and glossaries,
word ban ks, display, paired
reading, talking about texts
before answering
Spelling Π marking no
Using shared
more than 3-5 key
composition to show
spellings per work, writing
students how to write
the correct spelling in the
margin with the error
identified; students puttin g
these into spelling pages in
the middle of exercise
books; using starters /
word games / mnemonics /
display / rules / words
within words to support
studentsΥ spelling
Speaking & listening
Using a variety of
groupings for structured
talk Πpairs, same-sex,
friendship, triads, ability
groups
Setting objectives for talk
and pro viding language
models Πeg level of
formality, key words and
phrases
Providing alternatives to
traditional Q&A
approaches Πeg open
questions, thinking time,
big questions, no-hands,
paired consultation ti me,
dealing with answers,
prompts, answer starters
Things you
could do
Forget
literacy:
Think
T&L
• Shift from T to L
• Think pace & variety
• Find out what good
teachers are doing
• Pair people up
• Work to embed
training
Re-think Talk
• Ask fewer but
better questions
• Allow ‘rehearsal’ of
answers
• Model good talk.
Re-think Reading
• Focus on key
vocabulary
• Teach reading
explicitly
• Find alternatives to
comprehension
• Demystify spelling
• Abolish FOFO.
Re-think Writing
• Be seen writing
• Be explicit about
conventions
• Emphasise
sentence variety
and connectives.
LITERACY IMPACT!
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
Think IMPACT
• Less is more
• Think of quick hits
• Work with the
keenies
• Work on the
management!
LITERACY IMPACT!
Better Handouts
LITERACY IMPACT!
Better
Handouts
Readability …
Morphine, C17H19NO3, is the most
abundant of opium’s 24 alkaloids,
accounting for 9 to 14% of opium-extract
by mass. Named after the Roman god of
dreams, Morpheus, who also became the
god of slumber, the drug morphine,
appropriately enough, numbs pain, alters
mood and induces sleep. Morphine and its
related synthetic derivatives, known as
opioids, are so far unbeatable at dulling
chronic or so-called “slow” pain, but
unfortunately they are all physically
addictive. During the American Civil War,
400 000 soldiers became addicted to
morphine.
17
Morphine is a powerful sleeping drug. It is
named after Morpheus, the Roman god of
slumber and is famous for numbing pain,
changing our moods and making people
sleepy. With its related forms (known as
opioids) it is unbeatable at dulling severe
pain. However, it is also highly addictive
and in the American Civil War 400 000
soldiers became addicted to it. Morphine is
also known as C17H19NO3 and is made
from an extract of opium (a seed in poppy
plants).
14
LITERACY IMPACT!
Layout guidance …
 Aim for:
•
spacious presentation (as much
white page as black text)
•
use of typographical features:
•
•
•
•
•
•
headlines and subheadings
bold, italic, underline,
different font styles and sizes
(though not too many in a
single document)
boxes, shaded panels, vertical
lines to add visual interest
use of columns to make reading
more efficient
short paragraphs
glossary of key words

•
•
•
•
•
•
Avoid:
densely-packed writing
cramped margins
excessive use of upper case
lettering
poor reprographics
lack of images / typographical
features
excessive use of colour (which
can actually prove distracting)
Better
Handouts
LITERACY IMPACT!
So what would you suggest …?
LITERACY IMPACT!
1 Mention big
picture / purpose
2 Flag first task in
advance
3 Highlight key
words
4 Add more
visuals
LITERACY IMPACT!
5 Use small-scale
questions to build
comprehension
7 Provide sentence
starters / connectives
6 Give guidance
on the style and
conventions of the
writing task
8 Give some
indication of how the
task will be assessed
LITERACY IMPACT!
For teachers of humanities subjects …
1. Readability through questions, subheadings,
layout
2. Use of connectives like later, despite this,
although
3. Formality (eg essay style that avoids “I” and
emotion)
LITERACY IMPACT!
For teachers of Science subjects …
1. Demystifying complex vocabulary (making
connections between words)
2. Modelling an impersonal style (including
passive v active)
3. Teaching causal connectives
LITERACY IMPACT!
A Culture for Literacy
LITERACY IMPACT!
Creating a literacy culture …
1. Have core skills for all teachers
2. Have specific skills for specific teachers / TAs
3. Focus on library and tutor time
4. Have simple principles on speaking and
listening - why it’s important; how it helps
students to learn; what good teachers do
5. Build into school systems
LITERACY IMPACT!
Final Thoughts
1. Small steps
2. You’re coordinator … not doer
3. Work with key players
4. Focus on impact and evaluate endlessly
(involving students)
5. It’s all about learning and teaching, not
literacy
LITERACY IMPACT!
Literacy Across the Curriculum:
Maintaining the Momentum
Geoff Barton
March 16, 2016
All resources can be downloaded at www.geoffbarton.co.uk
Presentation 38