QTS Literacy Booster Session 1 Monday 18 th March 2013

QTS Literacy Introductions Rationale for the test Where are the problems? Spelling practice –Doubling consonants –Awkward words –Homophones Punctuation exercise Matters arising What to do this week Today’s agenda

Grammar. The difference between feeling your nuts and feeling you’re nuts!

“In the context of our professional duties we must be able to explain complex ideas to a wide audience in a clear, accurate and unambiguous way.” It is this a specific, professional use of English that is being tested. What is being tested? 3.3 Demonstrate an understanding of and take responsibility for promoting high standards of literacy, articulacy and the correct use of standard English, whatever the teacher’s specialist subject. Teachers’ Standards 2012

The teacher’s knowledge of English A knowledge of how the English language is organised The competence to guide children in their reading, writing, speaking and listening. The ability to digest large quantities of written material in a wide variety of forms. To be able to compose, individually or as part of a team, documents of a professional nature. Teachers are in the spotlight and need to be good role models.

Spelling – doubling consonants Accommodation Apprentice Committee Professional Exaggerate Success Harass Assess Misspell Occurrence Abbreviate Challenge Immeasurable Disappear Curriculum Grammar Vacillate Succeed Permission Parallel

Spelling – awkward words Illuminating Independently Formally Procedural Unnecessary Preference Ineffective Predecessor Acknowledge Grammatically Anxiety Exaggerated Exhaustive Justifiable Omitted Implementation Mathematical Perpetrator Commemorative Relieved

How did you do? What was your score? Did any of the errors surprise you? Did you come across words you didn’t know you could spell? Highlight your errors – is there a pattern?

Spelling – homophones The children took too my personality. Mnemonic Two days ago, I went to work despite feeling too tired to get up. People off all ages.

Spelling – homophones Could have Should have Would have Must have Could’ve Should’ve Would’ve Must’ve contractionverbsounds like Could of Should of Would of Must of shudder (conditional verb) “I shudder gone to school today.”

Spelling – homophones Allot Aloud Ate Doe Due Hare Lead Lent A lot Allowed Eight Dough Dew Hair Led Leant Meet Pare Practise Read Sore Wait Wear Wheel Meat Pear Practise Red Saw Weight Where Weal

Spelling – homophones ere here where there their This is a possessive pronoun they’re This is a contraction of ‘they are’ These three words are not related in any way These are words to do with place.

Spelling strategies Look carefully at words that you regularly get wrong – and break them down into bits (this will help you to see how the part of the word that you got wrong works - it will also provide you with a mnemonic to help you to remember the word in the future.) Do you always hear this word correctly? Sometimes people miss out or mispronounce syllables (e.g. Febuary instead of February) It is essential to note and practice words or particular latter sequences within words that cause you problems - little and often is the rule. A lot of being able to spell is using your visual memory.

Punctuation – the problem Fashion Show and Prom the annual fashion show was held in the school auditorium on february 23rd as always the night was a sellout with almost two hundred people watching the show a number of year 11 students modelled dresses from belle evening wear and tuxedos from toughgear menswear everyone looked stunning in their prom dresses and tuxedos and the evening ended with an auction of dates which raised hundreds of pounds for the prom fund thank you to everyone who took part or helped on the evening the prom was held on june 28th at lumley castle once again the event was a massive success even if it meant year 11 students having to brave the weather to celebrate their time at easington community science college over one hundred staff and students attended and enjoyed the prom awards and disco year 11 voted dominic curry as prom king and lindsey wharton as prom queen everyone had a fantastic time and a big thanks to lynda brown for coordinating the event Task With a partner add the necessary punctuation: capital letters full stops commas hyphen (and a sneaky paragraph break) As you do this, explain/discuss with your partner why you are making the changes.

Punctuation – the solution The annual Fashion Show was held in the school auditorium on February 23rd. As always, the night was a sell-out, with almost two hundred people watching the show. A number of Year 11 students modelled dresses from Belle Evening Wear and tuxedos from Toughgear Menswear. Everyone looked stunning in their prom dresses and tuxedos, and the evening ended with an ‘auction of dates’ which raised hundreds of pounds for the Prom Fund. Thank you to everyone who took part or helped on the evening. The Prom was held on June 28th at Lumley Castle. Once again the event was a massive success, even if it meant Year 11 students having to brave the weather to celebrate their time at Easington Community Science College. Over one hundred staff and students attended and enjoyed the Prom Awards and disco. Year 11 voted Dominic Curry as Prom King and Lindsey Wharton as Prom Queen. Everyone had a fantastic time and a big thanks to Lynda Brown for coordinating the event.

Web links Spellzone Some useful free stuff here but to get the full benefit you’d have to subscribe – worth looking at for the freebies although it is aimed at a younger audience. DfE site – QTS test area Where the practice tests are (as I’m sure you already know). Grammar monster Really useful, free to access, lots of helpful supportive stuff. Creative Openings (my website) There will shortly be a page on this site in support of the QTS Literacy Skills Test

What to do this week Further awkward words The vexed issue of apostrophes Colons and semi colons Surgery – bring your practice test results Do practice tests & bring the results to class next week. Follow the on-line links and see how the materials can help You.. Get a copy of the book.