ENGLISH

English is a particularly exciting curriculum area. In the junior school especially, the growth of the childrens skills is highly visible. We are also thrilled about the development of our very own the junior school library. Many thanks to those parents who have assisted in this process. Teachers have been supported in their approach to the teaching of literacy with professional development provided by literacy consultants from the region. In-school training sessions are taken to develop an understanding of these approaches, with a particular focus on developing competency in reading and spelling across all year levels. Junior Library/Reading This remains a work in progress as we wait for the computer (for the purpose of circulation) to be installed and for new books to be processed and added to the collection. Like the main library, the books are organised as either picture fiction or non-fiction. The fiction books are stored in boxes which are categorised according to the reading strategies employed by the readers. There are 5 stages of reading development that children progress through - Beginning, Emerging, Developing, Fluent and lastly Independent. In the junior library, books are organised according to these stages so that children can more easily locate titles to support their progress. As children move to the Independent stage, they are encouraged to use the main library as well. Each box (and stage) is easily identified by a colour-coded strip on the front and the books have a matching coloured dot. The criteria for each stage are on the side of the tubs as a guide for parents. Beginning Readers engage with the text using prior knowledge, rhyme sentence patterns and pictures to predict text. Emerging Readers engage with the text using prior knowledge, a small range of sight vocabulary, picture cues and exploring sound letter relationships for beginnings of words. Developing Readers engage with the text using prior knowledge, an increasing sight vocabulary, visual cues and a developing awareness of sound letter relationships. The child is willing to take risks on new texts. Fluent Readers engage with the text using prior knowledge and are developing strategies to predict and selfcorrect to make meaning. The numbering of boxes in the non-fiction section reflects the Dewey system. Children will be able to locate books of interest to them; these are not categorised according to difficulty although all will support those who are in the early stages of reading. We encourage children to read regularly; greater confidence will come with frequent practice. Thirty minutes a day is recommended. However, the message we wish to convey to children is that reading is an enjoyable process. We also ask that children are encouraged to respect books, caring about the way they are handled, the way pages are turned and that they move to and from school in a suitable bag.

When reading, there are 3Ps to keep in mind. Pause: dont rush in, give child time to explore picture Prompt: What does it start with? What would make sense? Praise: Encourage all attempts. Further reading tips can be found on the blogs. The teaching of reading begins with shared reading of authentic texts. When the children engage with and derive enjoyment from the text, learning can more readily take place. There is an emphasis on prediction and activating prior knowledge. This includes making predictions from examining the front cover, the title and of course the illustrations. A shared text may be revisited over a number of sessions. Word study, phonics, exploring text structures and different genres are all part of the investigation. 7 HRLTPs High Reliability Learning and Teaching Practices for developing reading competency 1. Getting Knowledge Ready 2. Develop vocabulary 3. Reading aloud 4. Paraphrase (in sentences) /visualise 5. Say question that the text answers 6. Summarise (in sentences) 7. Review: What have we learnt from the text? What have we learnt about reading? Word study Again, this is explored with authentic texts. In prep, children will be engaged in letter explorations, beginning with their names. The class inquiry and play and inquiry learning also provide a rich focus for these explorations. There is no prescribed order for the exploration of letters. The 50 most common and dependable (consistent) spelling patterns will then be explored as they arise in context. Letter and word investigations will culminate in children making generalisations. Children are empowered by creating generalisations about spelling themselves. Phonological awareness is developed during both reading and writing. Primarily, writing is the medium through which phonics is developed further. By engaging in the process of creating invented spelling, children discover for themselves more about relationships between sounds and letters. Children are expected to master the recognition and spelling of the 100 High Frequency Words by the end of year 2. These, too, are explored in context and not necessarily in order. However, as mastery occurs, childrens reading and writing skills are enhanced. The 2nd 100 HFW and the Oxford commonly used wordlists are also explored. Children are encouraged to master the spelling of all of these words gradually, and to realise how being able to spell one word allows them to spell others. (made/Jade) Beginning readers and writers benefit from exploring rhyming texts to assist in this process. Developing words in context leads to a higher level of achievement. Speaking and Listening Reporting back and reflecting upon play and inquiry learning sessions provides an ideal opportunity for developing speaking and listening skills including the development of new vocabulary. As children engage in these discussions, they will develop their ability to express their ideas with clarity, take turns and clarify meaning. Again, we reinforce the skill of asking and answering questions in sentences.