Crosland Moor Junior School

Polices » Crosland Moor Junior School Literacy Policy

We aim to develop in our pupils the ability to communicate effectively in speech, writing and to listen with understanding. We aim to make them enthusiastic, fluent and responsive readers who can learn and gain pleasure from the written word.

By the end of Key Stage 2 we aim for children to be able to:

Develop their oral and listening skills through drama, assemblies and other structured activities.

Read and write with confidence, fluency and understanding, demonstrating a range of independent strategies to self monitor and correct.

Understand a range of text types and genres.

Be able to write in a variety of styles and forms appropriate to different situations.

Develop a growing vocabulary in spoken and written forms

The separate skills of English are best developed through work which integrates and links these skills. We seek to provide activities which are interesting and motivating themselves and lead to worthwhile outcomes. Such activities provide the best context for increasing children's knowledge about the English language. It is also necessary to focus separately on aspects of knowledge about the language at times so that children learn what they need to know in a systematic way.

We use a variety of teaching strategies such as teacher modelling,shared reading, shared writing and guided group work - to develop children's confidence, fluency and independence as readers and writers and in speaking and listening.

Planning

To ensure continuity and progression, the scheme of work for Literacy is based on the Primary Framework for Literacy 2006.

Staff and year group meetings are used to discuss the English curriculum and to ensure consistency of approach, standards and expectations. Children are given opportunities to meet the requirements of English across the whole curriculum. Children are shown how information technology can be applied in their English work and are given opportunities to explore these possibilities.

All class teachers are responsible for weekly planning based on the agreed medium term plans (Primary Framework for Literacy 2006) and taking account of the National Curriculum Programmes of Study for Speaking and Listening. There are five literacy-hour lessons per week and in addition five guided reading sessions outside of the literacy hour. We follow the literacy-hour lesson model flexibly but ensure that the appropriate balance of whole class, group and individual teaching is retained. At the end of each unit of work children are given the opportunity to produce an extended piece of writing to improve writing stamina.

In planning teachers:

Identify the appropriate learning strategies required using VAK register.

Provide balance, progression and variety within the classroom for content,

organisation and learning opportunities:

Assess and plan for the specific needs of children within their own class.

Give opportunities through speaking and listening to develop correct language structures.

Focus on School layered Targets for writing and reading every half term.

Teaching and planning will be monitored by the Head teacher and literacy coordinator according to the agreed policy for the monitoring of teaching and learning.

Reading

To develop our pupils as readers we:

Teach reading accurately and fluently using a range of strategies.

Help understanding and respond to what they read using inference and deduction where appropriate.

Encourage reading of a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books.

Encourage reading independently and with enjoyment.

Teach to seek information and learn from the written word.

The materials we provide will be of high quality and differentiated to cater for the individual needs of the children in our school. They will be chosen to promote positive role models, and will include dual language books.

Children will be encouraged to take books home. Home Reading Diaries are given to each child, and parents/guardians are encouraged to read with their children.

A Guided Reading session takes place daily outside the literacy hour, for a period of approximately twenty minutes. Children are grouped for reading according to ability and read at an appropriate level from Ginn 360 reading scheme. Each day the teacher reads with a different group of children, asking questions, discussing the text, and teaching reading and comprehension strategies. Teachers model and demonstrate extracting meaning from text. On the days when the children are not reading with the teacher they read independently from a wide range of texts, both fiction and non-fiction.

In addition to Ginn 360 reading scheme and a range of both fiction and non-fiction books children have a wide range of opportunities to read. The school reference library has a variety of texts, in addition are the topic books that are borrowed from Books Plus each term. Displays, posters, signs, labels, worksheets, textbooks, computer software, the internet and Smart boards are all an integral part of school life and all demand different levels of reading.

Writing

To develop our pupils as writers we:

Teach children to write effectively for a range of purposes and a range of readers, adapting their vocabulary and style as appropriate.

Encourage children to write with interest, commitment and enjoyment.

Show children how to write in a variety of forms such as stories, poems, reports and letters.

Show children how to evaluate and improve their own writing.

Show children how to use punctuation to make meaning clear to their reader.

Give children the knowledge and the strategies to become confident and accurate spellers.

Teach children a fluent and legible style of handwriting, promoting an understanding of how to present work appropriately.

Teacher expectations are high. Children are given opportunities to evaluate and reflect on their own work in order that they may develop their own sense of achievement. Teachers give clear feedback to children so they know if they have achieved their target and discuss their next target.

Whilst following the Literacy Strategy children are given opportunities to write in a wide range of genres and become familiar with the features of each. As part of the Primary Framework for Literacy teachers use a range of strategies including modelled writing or shared writing.

Spelling

Spelling, punctuation and grammar is taught as part of the Literacy Strategy. Children are encouraged to take part in spelling investigations and formulating their own rules during whole class activities. Teachers correct spelling and punctuation using the, Marking Policy. Children are given a set of spelling words at the beginning of each week this is differentiated according to ability. Time is spent in class learning letter patterns and rules, also putting words into context. The children are encouraged to use the Look-Say-Cover-Write-Check method when learning spellings. At the end of each week spellings are tested.

Handwriting

Regular handwriting lessons are incorporated into each week. During this time teachers teach children the conventions and rules of handwriting using Nelson Handwriting. During much of year 3, children will use handwriting exercise books to assist in the setting out and formation of letters. Children use pencil during year three, for everyday work, although pen is used at the teachers' discretion when appropriate. Handwriting pen is used throughout year 4, 5 and 6 again at the teachers' discretion.

Teachers use the joined up style on the board, handwritten labels and when marking.

Speaking and Listening

To develop our pupils as speakers and listeners we:

Give them opportunities to express their ideas to a range of audiences.

Give them opportunities to take part in group discussion and drama activities.

Encourage them to listen and respond appropriately to others.

Help them to understand the need to adapt their speech to different situations.

Give them opportunities to evaluate and reflect on their own speech.

Encourage them to use the vocabulary and grammar of standard English whenever appropriate.

Teachers provide opportunities for children to talk, both formally and informally within the classroom across the whole curriculum. Children are taught that different modes of expression, as well as language, may be appropriate in different situations. Opportunities are given for children to carry out different types of speaking, e.g. Predict, reflect, recall and imagine. During discussion children can work in heritage language pairs and carry out the task in their preferred language.

Assessment

Evidence of progress in Literacy is provided by each child's English assessment folder, this contains spelling and reading assessments in addition to termly pieces of writing which have been assessed and moderated. Writing assessment results are recorded on a tracker sheet which helps to give a clear idea of each child's progress. At the end of each school year we assess pupils' progress towards the level expected at the end of the Key Stage and set new learning targets as appropriate. Informal assessments in all areas of Literacy are continuous. Reading is assessed formally in Year 3 when children first enter our school using the Hertfordshire Reading Test. In addition NFER group reading test is given to children in years 3 and 6.

Entitlement and Equal Opportunities

The school has an equal opportunities Policy; in addition to applying this, we will ensure that:

All children cover the content made statutory by the programmes of study within the National Curriculum.

Children access the curriculum at the appropriate level, thus ensuring progression and differentiation.

Suitable resources and learning environments are available.

SEN and Inclusion

We will ensure that:

Differentiated activities are available to support less able and extend more able children.

Children with learning difficulties are diagnosed and provision is made for individual needs.

Where necessary outside agencies are involved (SEN policy).

Parents are kept informed and are encouraged to support their child's learning through school provided home activities.

Adult support is used in school to support groups/individual children.

This policy was agreed by the Governing Body