Cymer Afan Comprehensive Triple Literacy Cymer Afan Comprehensive

“Conversely, the study of a foreign language can support learners’ literacy in English” Rather than everyone trying to improve things individually, if we work together we can make a bigger impact. This is the quote I used to entice the English and Welsh departments to become involved. They didn’t need much encouragement and have been very supportive of the initiatives we have decided to do. Literacy levels in our school are quite poor and as a staff we are very keen to address this!

Also, that it provides learners with the opportunities to: In the new NC document 2008, section 1 ‘Key messages for learning and teaching in MFL’, it states that the programme of study has: “a greater emphasis on learners making links with and using common skills and knowledge from other languages” Also, that it provides learners with the opportunities to: “make connections between the MFL and English and Welsh and build on their prior language learning skills”. Therefore, we are expected to make links and demonstrate transferable skills.

Grammar + grammar terminology   Produce a list of key terminology to be used by the whole school! What grammar do we teach? When? How? Language learning strategies Which activities do we use? Can we develop cross-departmental activities? Reading, writing + oracy skills Our main aim is to improve these areas Use the speaking + writing frames used in English but adapt and simplify them Spelling + punctuation Use similar starters, plenaries, activities to reinforce correct spelling + punctuation (follow similar plan to last year)  Reinforce the importance of these at every opportunity! We began by looking at the 4 key areas included on a letter from CILT Cymru last September, and discussed ways in which we address these issues.

b) In the primary school 2. Our future plans: a) General 1. What we’ve done so far: a) In our school b) In the primary school 2. Our future plans: a) General b) Super Skills I decide to look firstly talk about what we’ve done so far, then tell you about our future plans.

1.a) What we’ve done in school Grammar: Grammar terminology. Grammar explanations with examples. Schemes of Work discussed. This year, we have primarily focussed on the foundations for next year.

1.a) What we’ve done in school 2. Language activities: List of language learning activities. Literacy starters. Idioms. Les mots magiques. Literacy starters were done in each subject but to same theme e.g spelling, full stops etc… The idioms will now need to be discussed, translated into Welsh and put in ‘week order’.

1.b) What we’ve done in the primary Taught French through songs and stories. 2. Used Welsh and French side by side for lesson starts + endings. 3. Used the pupils experience of learning Welsh to help them learn French e.g. Head, shoulders Y3/4 Sow – outlines songs + stories e.g. Vilain petit canard – Pie Corbett style.

2. a) Our future plans - general Use similar activities in language lessons to teach grammar, vocabulary and structures. When teaching grammar, compare it to the grammar in each language, (as in the grammar explanation sheet). The games and activities which we have agreed upon will be used in all languages and we have also agreed that when we use new ones we will inform one-another. Most of our plans are going to be focussed on Super Skills.

Super Skills: the stepping stones to success From September, Year 7 will have 20 hours per fortnight of ‘Super Skills’. As a result, the foundation subjects (History, Geog., French etc.) will each have only 1 hour per fortnight. The main aim of SS is to improve the pupils’ basic skills in literacy, numeracy, ICT, thinking, and the wider key skills (WWO, PS, IOLP) as well as Independent learning and research. The other main aim is to teach the pupils transferable skills – to show them how the skills they learn can be used in other subjects – ideal for triple literacy!

2. b) Our future plans – Super Skills Teach vocabulary and structures in Welsh/French/English in 1 lesson. E.g. Countries. 2. Start and end the day in English/Welsh/French/Spanish. 3. ‘Structure of the week’ in 4 languages. For starting and ending the day, we have 3 week cycle.

2. b) Our future plans – Super Skills 4. There will be ½ hour of literacy per week, and we will be able to compare certain points in the various languages. 5. Literacy starters. 6. Spelling (Look, think, trace, say, cover, write, check.)

2. b) Our future plans – Super Skills 7. Posters from CILT to be dispalyed. 8. Dictionary work. 9. Cross-departmental activities, e.g. watch a film in French, write about it in English. Plus for dictionary work, Kristina’s idea to photocopy a page from English, Welsh and French dictionary and compare them: verbs, nouns etc

It also takes Triple Literacy to the whole school. Super skills will make is easier to implement Triple Literacy ideas and help with consistency. It also takes Triple Literacy to the whole school. We are very excited about the prospects for our pupils! When we have trialled these ideas in Super Skills, we will then use them with other year groups.

Head of skills and pathways Alison Pritchard Head of skills and pathways Cymer Afan Comprehensive allypritch@hotmail.co.uk If you wish to contact me for any reason, please feel free.