Carre’s Grammar School Whole School

Carre’s Grammar School So why bother? I cnduo't bvleiee taht I culod aulaclty uesdtannrd waht I was rdnaieg. Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid, aocdcrnig to rseecrah at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Carre’s Grammar School The National Curriculum for England (July 2014) states “Teachers, Parents and Carers should develop pupils' reading and writing in all subjects to support the acquisition of knowledge”. i.e. Every teacher in the English language is a teacher of the English language.

Carre’s Grammar School What do you mean you don’t get it? Commute not your immature gallinaceans prior to the puncture of their brittle epidermis. Cleave gamineous matter for fodder during the period in which the orb of the day is refulgent. Every substance which coruscates is not fashioned from aureate material.

Carre’s Grammar School The Different Layers of Literacy Children's literacy can be measured by their reading age, their ability to use challenging vocabulary or punctuation and the extent that they can produce a sophisticated, detailed piece of writing. It is not just about reading! Literacy focusses on developing a student’s confidence to explain and elaborate within their work.

Carre’s Grammar School Confidence when writing

Carre’s Grammar School Confidence when writing The vocabulary that students use within different subjects at school will not be words that they will immediately be familiar or comfortable using in their own work.

Carre’s Grammar School Some words Yr9 students are expected to be able to read/ write/ spell and understand: pugnacious, isomerase, urbanisation, interdependence, anthropometrics, ecclesiastical, efficacy, geocentrism, heliocentrism, eschatology.

Carre’s Grammar School Confidence when writing At Key Stage Three and beyond, students are required to write in different styles and with an increasing formality that they will not use when talking on a day to day basis. In order to develop confidence in young people to use more sophisticated and subject-specific vocabulary when writing, they have to see examples of it on a regular basis.

Carre’s Grammar School Key Prorities.“like” Writing: not “writing how they speak,” extended writing Talking: in lessons, at home, making it purposeful, listening to others. Reading: for pleasure, developing a whole school reading community. “erm”

Carre’s Grammar School What does the school do to support my child with literacy? A literacy focus within ALL subjects to help with key words. ( Classroom Literacy posters/ Word Walls/ Mats.) Common marking policy for Literacy/ SpaG/ DIRT marking. (Dedicated independent reflection time.) LRC and LRC Manager.

Carre’s Grammar School What does the school do to support my child with literacy? Reading and Spelling age tests. Termly Literacy focus. Private silent reading/ Drop everything and read. Paired Reading. Writing competitions/publication of anthologies.

Carre’s Grammar School What Can I Do? Speaking and Listening. Motivate your child to ask questions about what they have read- do they agree with the writer? Do they think the writing could be improved and how? Let your child talk at length about difficult ideas/ situations. Talk about the local news. Go on a visit together and talk about what is seen. Use lots of questions and encourage your son to answer in full sentences.

Carre’s Grammar School What Can I Do? Reading. Encourage reading of ANY kind- it is just as important that your child reads for pleasure as well as the correct level to challenge themselves. Have discussions around reading- this could be a news article, blog site, book (fiction or non fiction). Specify reading time and reward for this- for example, finding the film version of a book that they have read. Let him read aloud to a younger sibling. Get him membership at the local library and take him there to get some books out.

Carre’s Grammar School What Can I Do? Writing. Encourage your son to learn subject specific vocabulary; what it means and how to spell it. Check through your son’s homework / class work. What’s his presentation like? Is he using the Literacy topic of the term correctly? Ensure your son has a good space at home in which to write. Encourage a written response to something he has read or seen; a letter, story, advert. Encourage him to write a journal/ diary. What about getting him to write the shopping list? Etc.

Carre’s Grammar School “ Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society... For everyone, everywhere, literacy is, along with education in general, a basic human right.... Literacy is, finally, the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realise his or her full potential.” -Kofi Annan

Carre’s Grammar School