year 7 english at chesterfield how can i best support my child?

YEAR 7 ENGLISH AT CHESTERFIELD

How can I best support my child?

What will Year 7 learn?Autumn Term Spring term Summer Term

Study of a novel Non – fiction unit: discursive writing

Island project

Study of a novel Shakespeare play Texts from other cultures

Literary heritage –‘A Christmas Carol’

Through these units, the skills of reading, writing, speaking & listening are taught. Literacy skills are embedded throughout.

How are the classes set in English? • Students are set from the beginning of Year 7, using a range of data, but

mainly using Key stage 2 teacher assessment levels informed by Key Stage 2 SATS results (where applicable).

• Although Year 7 are timetabled in two parallel bands, there is an upper and lower ability band:

SET MOVEMENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT HALF TERM WHERE NECESSARY.

P 2

P 3

P 4

P 1 Mr Loughlin

Ms Concannon

Ms Morton

Ms Convery

Q 2

Q 3

Q 1Ms Molyneux/ Mr

Loughlin

Ms McGowan

Ms McGowan

How can I best support my child?

By: 1. Talking regularly about what they are doing in English.

2. Asking about what they like and dislike about the novel/play/poets they are studying at the moment. 3. Asking them if they want help with proofreading the quality of their work: spellings, basic skills etc.4. Asking to see their book on a regular basis; enquiring about and checking the quality of their homework.

Reading

“While good readers gain new skills very rapidly, and quickly move from learning to read to reading to learn, poor readers become increasingly frustrated with the act of reading, and try to avoid reading where possible”

The Matthew EffectDaniel Rigney

“The word-rich get richer while the word-poor get poorer” in their reading skills

(CASL)

Reading

Top tips • Encourage your child to read ANYTHING &

everything they can including newspapers and non-fiction.

• Talk to them about what you’re/they’re reading. Read the books they read in school and at home.

• If they’re a reluctant reader, tap into their interests. You know them best! If they liked the film, they may like the book!

Writing Skills - Content

Top Tips• Check that the writing suits the purpose: argue, persuade,

describe, review, analyse, entertain, inform. • Check that style of writing is appropriate to the audience.• Ensure that a variety of sentence starters and types are

used.• Ensure that vocabulary is suitably ambitious. • Challenge your child to learn new vocabulary!• Check the accuracy of their punctuation.

Writing Types

• Argue: Write to present a particular argument, considering both sides

• Persuade: Write to convince someone of a point of view.• Describe: Write using sensory imagery to help your reader

picture and feel a place, event, setting or character. • Review: Write to summarise and give your opinion.• Analyse: Write to explain your understanding of implicit and

explicit meaning, effect and purpose. Using PETE (next slide!)• Entertain: Write to engage a reader.• Inform: Write to give factual information.• Advise: Write using modal verbs to make suggestions

Argue Inform Analyse ImaginePersuade Explain Review Explore

Advise Describe Comment Entertain

Argue Inform Analyse ImaginePersuade Explain Review Explore

Advise Describe Comment Entertain

Leaflet ArticleWeb page StoryLetter EmailSpeech EssayReport Advert

Leaflet ArticleWeb page StoryLetter EmailSpeech EssayReport Advert

Enthusiastic Angry Questioning ObjectivePassionate Frustrated Doubtful SubjectiveHopeful Pessimistic Suspicious NeutralOptimistic Sad Sarcastic CynicalHumorous Annoyed Ironic Knowledgeable

Enthusiastic Angry Questioning ObjectivePassionate Frustrated Doubtful SubjectiveHopeful Pessimistic Suspicious NeutralOptimistic Sad Sarcastic CynicalHumorous Annoyed Ironic Knowledgeable

Children ExpertsTeenagers FansParents Men Pensioners Women Workers Adults

Children ExpertsTeenagers FansParents Men Pensioners Women Workers Adults

PAFTPurpose

AudienceFormTone

PAFTPurpose

AudienceFormTone

Age Interests LifestyleGender Education ClassJob Hobbies Politics

Purpose – What job is the writer trying to do?

Audience – The Reader

Form – Type of Writing

Tone – What is the mood of the writing?

P.E.T.EPoint, Evidence, Technique, Explanation

This is an essential writing structure for writing to analyse.

If students can master this, it:- Boosts exam performance- Helps structure their analytical thoughts- Aids essay writing in all subjects

POINT:How does Tommo feel about his father’s death?Write a full sentence.

Tommo feels…because…EVIDENCE: Highlight a word or phrase that shows you this.Words that show me this are…

EXPLANATION: How does this phrase prove your point?What does it make you think?What does it make you feel?

How does Tommo feel about his father’s death?

POINT:How does Tommo feel about his father’s death?Write a full sentence.

Tommo feels…because…EVIDENCE: Highlight a word or phrase that shows you this.Words that show me this are…

EXPLANATION: How does this phrase prove your point?What does it make you think?What does it make you feel?

Tommo feels miserable because his father has died. A quote to show this is: “I have inside me a secret so horrible, a secret I can never tell anyone, not even Charlie”. This shows me he feels miserable because he uses the word ‘horrible’, which means something really bad or awful. This shows he feels miserable because something terrible has happened to him. This quote makes me feel sorry for Tommo because young children should not have to experience such sad events.

Begin some sentences with a verb

Running… Turning… Seeing…Hearing… Ruminating…

Loving... Falling… Hoping… Believing… Succeeding…

Begin sentences with a time reference

Yesterday, Since then, After lunch, Before…

During the war, Meanwhile,

As the game went on,

Begin sentences with a place reference

On the left wing, At home,

Deep under the ground,

In the cave, At the bus stop,

At the back of my mind,

Know your connectives

Adding: and, also, as well as, moreover, too

Cause & effect: because, so, therefore, thus, consequently

Sequencing: next, then, first, finally, meanwhile, before, after

Qualifying: however, although, unless, except, if, as long as, apart from, yet

Emphasising: above all, in particular, especially, significantly, indeed, notably

Illustrating: for example, such as, for instance, as revealed by, in the case of

Comparing: equally, in the same way, similarly, likewise, as with, like

Contrasting: whereas, instead of, alternatively, otherwise, unlike, on the other hand

Spelling

Top tip – Encourage your child to remember the difficult part of spellings with one of the following methods:

METHOD 1. Spell Speak – breaking up into syllables/sounds

• Sumptuous = SUMP + tu + ous

• Diarrhoea = Di + a + rr + ho + e + a

• Independent = In + de + pen + DENT

METHOD 2. Sentences to remember awkward letters

• Graffiti = two feet and one toe

• Unnecessary = one collar two sleeves maybe spell speak this one too

un +nec + ess +ARY

• Accommodation = two coffees in two mugs

METHOD 3. Words within words

• Library = bra

• Separate= a rat

• Definite = it

• Friends to the ‘end’

METHOD 4. Acrostics

• Rhyme – Red Hens Yell More Eggs

• Synch ronised – Sell Your Next Clever Hen

Spelling… Time to play!!

• www.puzzlemaker.com - make your own word search.

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/hardspell/starspell_game.shtml - test the whole family!

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/spellits/ - spelling quest game.

CLUBS RUN BY WHERE WHEN

Creative writing club

Sixth form (Miss Morton)

E4 THURSDAY LUNCH

Reading GroupKS3 and 4

Miss Convery E8 FRIDAY LUNCH

Film club – KS3(with popcorn!!)

Miss McWean E5 TUESDAY 3PM-4PM

Debating Club -ALL Ms Hinde E7 TBC

Literature Club Mr Bell E3 FRIDAY 3PM-4PM

TRIPS RUN BY WHERE WHENHarry Potter Studio Tour – KS3

Miss Fallon London Feb 2014

Extra Curricular Events