Aims of the literacy module

1
Aims of the literacy module

• To provide a forum for discussion in relation to
  TAs own experiences and schools

• To familiarise TAs with the English strand of the
  secondary national strategy for school
  improvement, including

• the main features and teaching strategies used
  during English lessons
• the role of the TA in supporting teaching and
  learning

2
Framework for teaching English years 7, 8and 9
provides

• a framework of teaching objectives for pupils in
  key stage 3
• a basis for target-setting
• support materials and strategies to help pupils
  performing below the expected standard for their
  age to catch up

• guidance for teachers
• a means to ensure that headteachers set high
  expectations for achievement
• continuity and progression between key stages 2
  and 3

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The structure of Framework for teaching English
years 7, 8 and 9
Text level
Word level Spelling Spelling strategies
Vocabulary
Sentence level Sentence construction and
punctuation Paragraphing and cohesion
Stylistic conventions Standard English and
language variation
Reading Research and study skills Reading for
meaning Understanding the authors craft
Study of literary texts
Writing Plan, draft, present Imagine,
explore, entertain Inform, explain describe
Persuade, argue, advise Analyse, review, comment
Speaking and listening Speaking Listening
Group discussion and interaction Drama
4
Recommended lesson structure

• 1. Short starter activity
• eg. spelling, vocabulary
• 2. Introduction to the main teaching points
• eg. teacher exposition or questioning
• 3. Development and consolidation of the
• main teaching points
• eg. through group activity
• 4. Plenary to draw out the learning
• eg. through feedback and presentation

10-15 minutes
bulk of lesson time
10-15 minutes
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Teaching
The national strategy promotes teaching that is

• informed by challenging and progressive
  objectives
• direct and explicit
• highly interactive
• inspiring and motivating

• varied in style
• well matched to pupils needs
• inclusive and ambitious

6
TA roles

• Before the lesson
• During the lesson
• After the lesson

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Liaising with the teacher

• What does the teacher want the pupil(s) to learn?
• What is helping or hindering the learning?
• How can the TA support either the teaching or the
  learning at this point in the lesson?

• What does the TA need to know before the lesson?
• What useful information could the TA share with
  the teacher after the lesson?

8
Key stage 3 expectations
By the end of year 9, we expect pupils to be
shrewd and fluent independent readers who

• can orchestrate a range of strategies to get at
  meaning in text, including inferential and
  evaluative skills
• are sensitive to the ways meanings are made

• can read in different ways for different
  purposes, including skimming to pick up quickly
  the gist of a text, scanning to locate specific
  information, close reading to follow complex
  passages and rereading to uncover layers of
  meaning
• are reflective, critical and discriminating in
  responding to a wide range of printed and visual
  texts

9
Unfamiliar words
10
The searchlight model
Phonic knowledge (sounds and spelling)
Grammatical knowledge
Knowledge of context
TEXT
Word recognition and graphic knowledge
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Year 7 some teaching objectives for reading

• Word level
• Pupils should be able to read accurately, and use
  correctly,
• vocabulary that relates to key concepts in each
  subject
• Sentence level
• Pupils should be able to identify the specific
  ways in which sentence
• structure and punctuation are different in older
  texts
• Text level
• Pupils should be able to give a considered
  response to a play as
• script, on screen or in performance focusing on
  interpretation of
• action, character and event

12
Lesson organisation

• Whole-class teaching
• (shared reading, teacher demonstration or
  modelling)
• Guided/supported reading
• (group teaching while other pupils work
  independently)
• Independent reading
• (individual, paired, small group, time out
  activities during whole class teaching)

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Teaching techniques
The English strand of the secondary national
strategy for school improvement promotes the use
of a range of effective teaching techniques

• Direction
• Demonstration
• Modelling
• Scaffolding
• Explanation
• Questioning

• Exploration
• Investigation
• Discussion
• Reflection and evaluation

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Questions

• What are the greatest challenges you face in
  supporting the teaching of reading during English
  lessons?
• What skills, knowledge or experience do you
  already have that will help you to meet at least
  some of these challenges?

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A sequence for teaching writing

• 1. Establish clear aims
• 2. Provide examples
• 3. Explore the features of the text
• 4. Define the conventions
• 5. Demonstrate how it is written

• 6. Compose together
• 7. Scaffold pupils first attempts
• 8. Write independently
• 9. Draw out key learning
• 10. Review

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Making spelling choices
What clues and tools can a writer use?

• Spelling rules and conventions
• Phonic clues
• Graphic information

• Derivation of the word
• Meaning of the word
• Personal clues and memory-joggers

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The literacy progress units

• Writing organisation organising and shaping
  writing effectively
• Information retrieval extracting and evaluating
  information from a range of sources
• Spelling spelling accurately, knowing the
  conventions and having strategies to improve
  spelling
• Reading between the lines using inference and
  deduction in interpreting texts
• Phonics applying knowledge of phonics in their
  own writing
• Sentences knowing how to use a variety of
  different sentence structures to make their
  writing effective

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The rationale for literacy progress units

• In achieving level 3, pupils have shown
  themselves capable of reading with some
  understanding and fluency and of using different
  forms of writing with a degree of accuracy.
• In order to move on from level 3, pupils need to
  learn how to read with greater insight and
  understanding and how to express themselves in
  accurate, well-organised writing that uses
  language effectively at word and sentence level.
• The LPUs provide well-structured, fast-paced and
  carefully targeted intervention that leads to
  tangible progress, building pupils belief in
  themselves as successful learners.

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The literacy progress units

• There are six units (writing organisation,
  information retrieval, spelling, reading between
  the lines, phonics, sentences).
• Each unit has 18 sessions. Each session lasts 20
  minutes.
• The teaching sequence that underpins each
  20-minute session is

• remember
• model
• try
• apply
• secure

20
Sharing information

• What kind of information will you and the teacher
  need to share before you run an LPU session with
  a small group of five or six pupils?
• What kind of information will you and the teacher
  need to share after the session?