Literacy Information Evening

Rea Mitchell

Assistant Head (Literacy)

Why is Literacy important?

• In English Language, 20% rather than the current 12% of marks will be awarded for good spelling, punctuation and grammar;

• Allocation of SPaG marks across GCSEs;

• More challenging content resulting in greater Literacy demands.

But there is more to life than grades…

• One in six people in the UK struggle with literacy. This means their literacy is below the level expected of an eleven year old;

• Seven million adults in England cannot locate the page reference for plumbers in the Yellow Page;

• 1-in-16 adults cannot identify a concert venue on a poster that contains the name of band, price, date, time and venue;

• More than half of British motorists cannot interpret road signs properly.

CBI criticises schools over 'inadequate' literacy

What is Literacy?

Implicit

Explicit

Practise

Habit

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Listening

Reading

Schools minister Nick Gibb has said reading for pleasure far outweighs the impact of socio-economic background on pupils’

success at school.

“‘A book a week’ should be the mantra for anyone hoping to eliminate illiteracy in this country.”…

The English Department’s Advice

Just whilst your looking at you phone, can you tell me what the story is on the front page of ‘The Telegraph

today?

Weekend papers

Reading is a pleasure not a punishment:

Active Reading

Skimming

7H15 M3554G3

53RV35 7O

PR0V3

H0W 0UR

M1ND5 C4N

D0 4M4Z1NG

7H1NG5!

1MPR3551V3

7H1NG5!

What is climate change?

Climate change is the long-term change in average weather conditions, including temperature, precipitation and wind.According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC), which is comprised of the world’s leading scientific experts in the field of climate change, our climate is undergoing dramatic changes as the direct result of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activity. GHG’s are gases in the atmosphere that act like a glass roof around the earth, trapping in heat that would otherwise escape to space – this is commonly referred to as the “greenhouse effect”.

How to skim a text:

1. Read the title;2. Read the introduction or lead-in paragraph;3. Read the first paragraph completely;4. If there are subheadings, read each one, looking for relationships among them;5. Read the first sentence of each paragraph – this usually indicates what the topic

of the paragraph will be;6. Dip into the text to look for:

1. Clue words that answer who, what, where, when, why, how;2. Proper nouns;3. Unusual words – especially if capitalised;4. Enumerations;5. Qualifying adjectives (best, worst, most etc.);6. Typographical cues (bold, italic etc.);

7. Read the final paragraph completely

The approach we take in

English

Dealing with unfamiliar vocabulary

‘international alliance’

‘holding the world to ransom’

‘a model for change’

‘absolute obedience’

‘political extremism’

‘mothers of the nation’

Do you recognise any part of the word/phrase? E.g. you may

not know the word benefactor, but you may notice that the

prefix ‘bene’ means good;

What is the context of the sentence? Read around the

word/phrase and get a sense of what would be the most likely

fit in the sentence;

Read forwards and backwards in the text. What are the

sentences preceding the word/phrase. Does this give a clue?

Look at the sentences following the word/phrase.

The approach we take in

English

PracticeExposure

Spelling

The approach we take in

English

Spelling

• Keep an exercise book of difficult spellings;

• Sound out troublesome words before writing them down;

• Count the number of syllables a word has and then ensure that those number of syllables is represented in their spelling of the word

Harassment

Ha ras sment

Writing

A simple theory about writing:

1. We can only say what we can think.

2. We can only write what we can say.

Therefore,

If we can say it, we can write it.

Spoken language “forms a constraint, a

ceiling not only on the ability to comprehend

but also on the ability to write, beyond which

literacy cannot progress”

Myhill and Fisher

Robin Alexander

“One of the reasons why talk is undervalued is that there is a tendency to see its function as primarily social... but... talk…is cognitive and cultural as well as social.”

Academic register

Thoughts Everyday language

Write an essay

Thoughts Everyday language

Speak like an essay

Asking leading questions:

• Could you clarify your statement...?• I do not understand, could you tell me more

about...?• What is your evidence for that...• What does that connect to...• How can you develop that...• I want to build upon...• Can you see why someone might disagree with

you there?

Proofreading

(and the out loud silent voice)

Marked workCode Explanation

// Shows the point that a new paragraph should begin

/ Shows the point that a new sentence should begin

C Connecting word or phrase missed

P Error in punctuation

SP Spelling error

CP Missed capital letter

TE Mistake made with tense

TS Missed topic sentence

/\ Missing word

V Vocabulary error

? Something not clear

Dev Develop idea/more explanation needed

Q Insert quote or reference

Proof reading Do all sentences start with a capital letter? Do names and places have capital letters? Do sentences end with full stops? Have I used a variety of punctuation? (!,?) Have I used a colon to introduce a list? (:) Have I used a semi-colon instead of a full

stop or comma to mark a break in a sentence?

Have I used commas in lists / to vary sentence structure? (The cat, who is black, is on the mat.)

Have I used speech punctuation when someone speaks and when I am using a quote?

Have I used paragraphs when there is a change of time/place/topic/person speaking?

Have I used a variety of sentences: short, long, simple, compound and complex?

Have I used appropriate and wide vocabulary?

Have I used interesting and appropriate connectives?

Is my writing suitable for purpose, audience and form?

Have I used correct spelling?

Punctuation

. Full stop − Marks the end of a sentence.

, Comma − Separates items in a list or clauses in

a complex sentence.

‘ Apostrophe − Shows belonging or missing

letters in words like don’t and can’t.

‘’ Inverted commas − Show quotation.

? Question mark − Ends a question sentence.

: Colon − Joins two related clauses where one

clause cannot stand alone.

; Semicolon − Joins two equal clauses that are

closely related but could also stand alone.

Sentence Structureo Every sentence must have a verb and a noun:

The Soldier (noun) fell (verb);o Compound sentences include the

connectives: and, or, because, but;o Complex sentences are made up of a main

clause (makes sense on its own) and a subordinate clause (adds extra information).

acrossargumentbasicallybeginningbusinesscompletelydefinitelydisappearembarrassenvironmentfriend

governmentIndependentknowledgenecessaryoccurredoccasion

politicianpropagandapubliclyreallyreligious

remembersenseseparatesuccessfulsurprisetomorrowtonguetrulyunfortunatelyuntilwherever

Commonly Misspelled Words

there: I’d love to go there.their: Is that their cat?they’re (they are): They’re here.

to: I’m going to work.too: Are you coming too?two: I have two hands.

your: What’s your name?you’re (you are): You’re welcome.

new: She has a new phone.knew: I already knew that.

right: Is that right?write: Can you write that down?

which: Which colour do you like?witch: She was a wicked witch.

peace: I wish for peace on Earth.piece: Do you want a piece of pie?

rain: It’s pouring with rain.rein: I led the horse by the reins.reign: The King’s reign ended.

where: Where are you going?wear: What should I wear?

for: Is that present for me?four: I’ll take four of these.

Homophones

Check your work

before I do!