1. Staff meeting: why, what and how?

2. Why focus on speaking and listening?

3. Language and literacy... what comes first...? words understanding ideas concepts sounds telling stories writing

4. We know that... Children with good oral language Are likely to be good readers Reading itself, helps language to develop

5. We also know that Vocabulary and narratives skills are very strong predictors of later academic success

6. Language is the vehicle for learning There ain’t no mystery Scoob...

7. Speaking and listening are really important skills

8. Speaking and listening skills support Attainment Employ- ability thinkingSociallearninginvolvementbehaviourliteracy

9. Focusing on oral language is beneficial for everyone...

10. And particularly vital for children who struggle... Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) -> 50% language delay in some areas More have delayed language 10% long- term & persistent needs

11. The impacts of SLCN are wide-ranging. Educational achievement Behaviour/vulnerability Mental health Employability Criminality Disadvantage Cycle Vocabulary at 5 is a powerful predictor of GCSE achievement 2/3 of 7-14 year olds with serious behaviour problems have language impairment 40% of 7 to 14 year olds referred to child psychiatric services had a language impairment that had never been identified 47% of employers say they can’t recruit staff with the communication skills they need 65% of young people in young offender institutions have communication difficulties Children from low income families lag behind high income counterparts by sixteen months in vocabulary at school entry

12. What’s our carrot? Involvement, enjoyment and fun! Supporting learning Narrowing the gap of disadvantage Providing a focus for SLCN Helping attainment Supporting behaviour Supporting literacy Adding to our own range of teaching skills Ofsted

13. The Ofsted carrot... In the most effective schools visited, inspectors saw teachers thread rich opportunities for speaking and listening into lessons. In turn, this led to improved standards in writing “A common feature of the most successful schools in the survey was the attention they gave to developing speaking and listening.” The new inspection framework includes a specific focus on communication skills for all plus progress of pupils with SEND and how schools are narrow gaps

14. Reflecting on how high a priority oral language skills are for us... ‘...recent research shows that the average length of a pupil’s contribution to a class discussion is just four words’ (National Literacy Trust, 2011)

15. What is No Pens Day Wednesday?

16. A day when learning takes place without writing A day to focus all learning through speaking and listening A day to see the benefits of speaking and listening for learning A national speaking and listening event... Not today, thank you !

17. As well as being the bedrocks of reading and writing, the ability to listen attentively, and to speak clearly and fluently are essential life-long skills in their own right. No Pens Day is a wonderful opportunity to design exciting and worthwhile activities to foster these skills - go for it!...endorsed by Sir Jim Rose...

18. The idea of a 'No pens day' is a good one. It is a way of proving just how important speaking and listening are in the act of learning. I've seen it tried in a couple of schools. It raises all sorts of questions about the sorts of talk that make a difference. Have a go....within no time pupils will be seeking a pencil to jot down something that someone said that is worth remembering......Professor Mick Waters...

19. No Pens Day is a wonderful idea and should attract attention! What it offers, with the expert guidance and support of The Communication Trust, are explicit and structured approaches to speaking and listening. These provide rich learning experiences and exciting teaching - and lead to improved self-confidence and standards from the children. Why not give it a try?...and Professor Andrew Pollard, member of the National Curriculum Review expert group

20. How to run No Pens Day Wednesday

21. Preparation The lead member of staff for the day {insert name here} will be available to support you preparing your lessons for the day Check out the materials in the activity pack including lesson plans and activity templates The day will begin with an assembly for pupils run by {insert name} Discuss potential challenges and solutions – what might you / the pupils find hard? Consider Entering the competition to win resources for your school Getting the media involved – check out the media pack

22. Resources The activity pack will give you all the information you need to know The pack along with additional downloads such as school assemblies, are available to download from www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/schools/no-pens-day- wednesday/no-pens-day-wednesday-materials www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/schools/no-pens-day- wednesday/no-pens-day-wednesday-materials

23. Points make prizes Pupils to be judges – Which teacher best followed the 10 second rule – The lesson they liked best and why Cross departmental / year challenge – Which department produces the best word wall Best ways of recording learning – Best ways of recording – podcasts, posters, etc Present results / certificates for teachers / students at end of week assembly

24. Reflections after the day

25. Sharing learning For you to think about: What worked well? What was challenging? What was the impact on pupils learning? Did you learn something new about your teaching skills and pupils learning skills? Did you get new insight into particular pupils? What aspects would you do again? For pupils to think about: What were the best activities – why? What were the best lessons – why? Were there times you wanted to write things? When? What do you think about learning this way? Would you like to do more of these activities?

26. Next steps we might decide to take Choose elements of the day to use again Try one new activity per half term until it is embedded in teaching and learning Support colleagues to do the same Include speaking and listening on staff meeting agendas to maintain momentum