‘SPAG’-Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar

Grammar… ‘the job of words in a sentence’. What will my children learn? Grammatical knowledge The function of words in sentences, how sentences work and are tied together. Grammatical skills (the ability to…) Choose the right word Construct and vary sentences Linking texts together ( cohesion)

Learning is like this wheat field. The first time little bits remain and the path is not clear The second/third times the path gets more defined The next few times you can see the impact and where you are going But leave too long and weeds start to grow!!! Children will learn when they use their grammatical knowledge and skills IN CONTEXT over and over again.

How are children taught at St John’s? IDA helps us! Introduce- grammar through ‘starters’ linked to our chosen text type Demonstrate- how to use the grammar features in shared writing and investigate in shared reading Application- provided with opportunities to use it in their own writing in order to create effects - then feedback through marking as to how well it was used Staff to have a go- choose a text type- identify which grammar best fits- how would they teach this using IDA sequence?

Key Points We always relate to quality texts Keep revisiting so learning is cumulative Don’t teach the structure at the expense of good writing. Use ongoing teacher assessment (what does this child/ group of children need) - build up skills slowly- from a simple sentence Re-inforced by help at home. Building vocabulary and modelling good language.