Literacy at BHA
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr Suess
Literacy Strategy
Children need to read so they can become fluent; it is not enough that they can decode words without understanding their meaning as they will not comprehend their text. If pupils do not comprehend what they are reading they cannot access the full curriculum therefore gaps will begin to form.
Disciplinary Literacy
All pupils will have access to a fortnightly reading lesson in every subject. They will learn how to read fiction and non-fiction texts fluently through a range of consistent steps that staff members will follow.
Firstly, staff will be expected to identify at least three key words from the text that pupils will struggle to understand – these words will be explained to the pupils and recorded in books.
Staff to read the text to pupils whilst the pupils identify any other words that they do not understand.
Staff to implement the rule of 3 – 2 – 1 – pupils to complete.
- 3) Essential points – three key ideas presented in the text.
- 2) Key vocabulary – two words to know, use and remember
- 1) Big idea – an explanation/summary of the text
Pupils then re-read the text
Staff to set the pupils an appropriate task to check knowledge of the text.
Reading Ages
Years 7 -10 tested termly (three times a year) and year 11 are tested twice. The first Reading Test taking place at the beginning of the academic year. Pupils will be tested using the NRGT Reading Test programme which are age appropriate at KS3 and KS4. Reading Ages will be uploaded to Sims and ClassCharts to keep all staff updated.
KS3 Reading
All KS3 pupils will have a letter home with their reading age on it and a reading journal which will be monitored in the library session once a week (once a fortnight in Year 9) and be expected to be carried with their book. All pupils will be expected to read a minimum of 10 minutes a day as part of their library homework.
Intensive Reading
This will target set 1 and 2 students who are more than a year below their reading age. Pupils will spend part of their library lesson reading ‘little’ books to a member of staff and will be expected to complete tasks in their reading journal. AS and CW will introduce new reading material at the beginning of each library lesson. These students will also have a fortnightly ‘reading’ lesson delivered by their English teacher.
Set 3/4/5 Readers
Will do Lexia supported and monitored by AS/CW/JR; they will carousel the lesson reading out loud to the class teacher who will be checking comprehension. They will have an hour in the library each week. AS/CW to check any interventions the class needs.
Better Reader
This targets students with a reading age 6 – 9. The intervention will follow a 10 week programme whereby pupils will read 1-1 with JS for 10 mins 3-4 times a week.
Reading for Pleasure
Competitions run throughout the year and displays encourage reading. We will have a ‘Marauder’s Map’ and pupils will read to different points to gain prizes. All pupils will make their own bookmark in their first library lesson. We’d also like staff to nominate a ‘book of the week’ and to hold the ‘BHA book awards’.
Library Induction
There will be an induction pack that goes to all parents that will include:
- Suggested reading list
- Top tips to get your child reading
- Extra-curricular timetable
- Rewards
- ‘Birches Head Reads’
- Madam Pince’s book bingo
- Lexia overview (for those pupils who need it)
Writing
Pupils need to be successful in writing in any subject and these objectives will help them to achieve this.
There is a whole school literacy marking policy; posters are displayed in every room and as a minimum on every piece of extended writing we expect staff to identify three spelling errors (sp); to underline incorrect punctuation (p); to identify if a paragraph should have been used (//) and to underline any grammatical errors where the student’s work doesn’t quite make sense (?).
Oracy
KS3 Oracy will be taught in week 7/8 of each Learning Programme, where we will implement activities to encourage and develop communication skills in all pupils whilst consolidating the learning. Tasks that take place will be a mixture of group, pair, and individual activities to enable confidence in communication skills. Pupils will partake in oracy tasks such as; group performances, drama, debates, interviews, role play, monologues and speeches.