·We have previously devised a reading training programme which is based on ‘The Better Reading Partnership’ , called ‘Positive Reading’
·This has been adapted and used within a range of reading partnerships –eg, junior reading partners; cross-phase reading partners; adult reading partners – eg, rugby players; and parent reading partners
·The training session takes approximately 1hour and then parents can choose to use this with their own child / children or offer to partner other children in school
·The training session covers how children learn to read, how to introduce a book to a child, strategies to use when reading and supporting the child in correcting errors, ways to offer praise and encouragement, how to discuss the book at the end of a reading session. During the training practical activities and demonstrations help the parent / carers understand each of these points
·We aim to have delivered training sessions to parents / carers in each of the EAZ schools by the end of this academic year
Aims
-To develop trained reading partners for the benefit of our pupils
-To raise pupil attainment in reading
-To develop parent’s confidence when reading with their child / children
-To develop positive relationships when working with reading partners
-Extending pupil vocabulary through shared experiences
-To address common issues / questions regarding how best to read with child / children in the home environment and support / further their progress
Positives
-All schools in the EAZ have received this as a positive step
-It has been adapted and will be delivered at Secondary level in January ’09 with a group of Year 7 parents
-The Parents have increased in confidence and have been able to have questions answered about how best to support their child’s reading
-Approximately 50% of parents have agreed to go into school to partner and listen to other children read
-In previous reading partnerships evaluations have shown it has a major impact on the pupil’s attainment in Reading
Improvements
- To target more parents within each of the schools and offer further training at alternative times, possibly with crèche facilities
The future
-Evaluate the numbers trained and the impact on the pupil’s reading skills
-Continue to offer this as a rolling programme throughout the EAZ schools with each new intake
-Consider training a member of staff within schools to deliver this training, with EAZ support.
-Look for other target groups – eg, grandparents, Church groups of senior citizens etc…
Evaluation: Phonics Training
Introduction
·Zone wide training for all of our schools was undertaken in September 2007, to introduce the new document ‘Letters and Sounds’
·Some schools requested further training as a consequence of this, which was delivered during the year 2007 / 08
·Worked with support staff at East Dene primary to help build a school bank of resources which could be used to deliver ‘Letters and Sounds’ (during the year 2007 / 08)
·EastDenePrimary school had this as one of their priorities on their ‘Developing Excellence plan’ for the academic year 2008 / 09
·In order to meet the needs of the staff, a programme of training was discussed and planned
Aims
- To up skill staff, both teachers and TA’s in areas they felt less confident in, in the planning and delivery of phonics
- To impact on raising attainment in literacy of all groups of pupils across the school
Positives
- Training sessions were developed to meet the specific needs of staff within the school
- Staff were able to discuss ideas, try practical activities before taking into the classroom
- Staff had a forum in which to discuss any questions, queries, and share their own successes
- TA staff worked through each phase at a time in a 1hour session – which enabled a detailed and thorough look at the phases and allowed them to feel more secure with each of these before moving on to look at the next. This way of working also enabled staff to try activities from the phase and give feedback at the next session
- Staff more familiar with school resources available and making good use of these within phonics teaching
- Able to link with LA ‘Best practice in Phonics Teacher’ who is also working within the zone
Improvements
- A practical phonics ‘circus’ of activities set out at each phase for staff to experience, explore and consider any adaptations they can make for use in own classroom or group settings
- Parents morning for children entering FS, to specifically share how we deliver Phonics and how best they can support their child
The future
- Further TA training sessions planned – to gradually work through each phase (Phases 3-6 to be covered during Spring Term ’09)
- Similar programme available to other schools, geared to meet the needs of their staff
·Paddington project was a creative cross curricular project aimed at FS and KS 1
·It made links with the Learning Skills Curriculum and Visual Literacy
·Project also linked schools with the Library service in Rotherham
·Linked in with celebrating the 50th anniversary of the publication ofthe first ever Paddington story by Micheal Bond
Aims:
-To engage pupils in wide range of activities linked to Literacy (Speaking & Listening, Reading, Writing, Drama……)
-To use creative approaches to literacy activities, making cross curricular links, and links to Learning skills curriculum
-To involve schools and children’s library service together as part of the project
Positives
- All children engaged by activities – enthusiastic, motivated, and keen to share their experiences
- The activities covered many objectives from the Literacy framework, but as part of a creative project and links were made into many other curriculum areas
- Each school participated in the ‘Paddington party’ held at the Children’s Central librarymaking links between staff and also raising the profile of the library in our schools. Feedback from one school was that the pupils were planning to visit the library for further activities and had also expressed interest in going to the library in their own time with parents / carers
- Schools integrated this project into their curriculum and utilised resources provided extremely well
- Planning, resources and ideas packs produced were well received and used throughout the time of the project in each school
- The project allowed flexibility for schools to use it as fits in best with their existing curriculum / planned themes
- The project made clear links with the Learning skills curriculum – particularly within the areas of communication; reflection; problem solving; critical and creative thinking. One school used the photographs from the party to create a ‘learning journey collage’
Improvements
The Paddington Party held at the librarywas limited to a number of pupils from each school, due to constraints of space
The future
Schools now have the resources, experience and option to revisit this theme again in the future or to incorporate it into their existing topics / themes / centres of interest
Drama Into Literacy 2008
Introduction
Clifton Partnership Action Zone participated in the first phase of the Local Authority’s Drama into Literacy (DiL) project last year, in which three primary teachers received CPD on using Drama as a strategy in Literacy. One of the project’s outcomes was that these teachers would then work with teachers from other schools (Drama Development Schools) in the second phase of the project.Three further teachers from the EAZ joined this second phase, making six in all.
As a way of supporting this project, Clifton Partnership undertook to provide additional CPD for both those teachers enrolled on the project and also any others who had a keen interest in Drama.Funded through Creative Partnerships, we recruited Larraine Harrison to lead two days of curriculum Drama, and the focus of this evaluation was inspired by one of these days.
Kay Murray, Year 2 teacher from EastDenePrimary School, was particularly excited by the potential of creating a community with the children, and an upcoming topic on Percy the Park Keeper seemed too good an opportunity to miss.A week-long project was planned in collaboration with year group partner LouiseRidge for both Year 2 classes, in which the children created their own park.They decided what should be in the park, such as a boating lake, playground, café, etc, and, in small groups, took charge of their ‘attraction’.The whole week was given over to the project, with subjects such as Art (making posters), Numeracy (coordinates, money, etc), Drama (acting out their roles) and, principally, Literacy, with a focus on persuasive writing.
The stimulus for their writing was provided by a visit from a flour mill owner (teacher in role) who had been given planning permission to build a new factory right next to the park.This dilemma was introduced mid-week, after the children had built up a feeling of ownership of their park, and they immediately rose to the challenge of trying to persuade the owner to build his factory somewhere else.This provided the Literacy focus for the last three days of the week, culminating in another visit on the Friday afternoon by the factory owner, to whom the children presented their work and their arguments.Needless to say, based on some excellent suggestions from the children, there was a happy ending!
Aims
To introduce the children to a range of Drama strategies
To use the theme of imaginary community to impact on Literacy attainment
To engage all ability groups
Positives
Engagement of all pupils
Excellent attendance during the week
Improved behaviour during the week
Real-life context gave children a valid reason for their writing
Standard of written work greatly improved, across all ability groups
Increased confidence resulting from Drama sessions
Lots of fun for both children and teachers
Atmosphere of excitement spread around school
Improvements
The success of the week became more apparent as it went on.In subsequent themed weeks, a more structured approach to measuring impact could be planned
More overt links to the Learning Skills Curriculum could be planned
The Future
Learning Skills Curriculum to become part of the planning process
Examples of written work to act as evidence of impact
Anecdotal evidence of engagement, behaviour, etc, should be documented during the week
Further themed projects to be planned as a result of this success
·Predator Week is a multimedia themed week designed to introduce and/or consolidate the Learning Skills Curriculum for children in Year 5.
·The week focuses on and individual earning skills each day with a problem solving focus for the whole week.
·Specific Literacy activities centred on Persuasive Writing and using Visual Literacy, highlighting a script of the film, children’s persuasive guide books, opinion corners and introduction to writing persuasively
·Predator Week has been undertaken at East Dene and Coleridge
Literacy Aims
WALT 1a: Present an argument, sequencing points logically, defending views with evidence and making use of persuasive language
12b: Use a range of ICT to present texts, making informed choices about which electronic tools to use
WILF – Children to produce effective persuasive reports with simple persuasive devices
Positives
All children engaged by writing activities
The Persuasive films really supported the children’s understanding of persuasive devices
The script and highlighting approach was an effective way of introducing the persuasive devices in the context of predator week
Persuasive guide books were a useful resource for both teachers and children and provided a valuable revision aid for children
Children found discussion and opinion corner activities an excellent means of developing speaking and listening. Several groups spontaneously started a reasoned argument on the subject.
Linking learning to Communication effectively encouraged children to transfer the skills learnt to other subjects
Teachers reported that many children produced their best piece of writing through the Predator Week approach to Persuasive Writing
Improvements
At one school the children found the highlighting and writing activities a challenge and some disengaged. The activity will be redesigned with a clearly differentiated version for reluctant writers.
The future
Predator Week will be undertaken across all year 5 classes next year with Herringthorpe’s already planned for September 08.
Evaluation: Visual Literacy Activities 2007/8
Introduction
Visual Literacy and use of moving image has become an integral part of Literacy across the Zone Schools.
Activities have run in all schools and across all key stages with teachers keen to transfer skills between reading film and reading texts.
Visual Literacy also impacts on writing and especially on the writing of boys. Films have been used which specifically appeal to boys, for example, Dangle.
Resources packs have been developed for Primary and KS3/4 over the past year
Aims
To utilise children’s enthusiasm for Visual Literacy and Moving Image to impact positively on reading and writing
To teach a variety of Literacy concepts through Moving Image and transfer these skills to text
To support staff in implementing Visual Literacy techniques into their curriculum.
Positives
KS 1/2 Resource Packs available to support staff with Visual Literacy
KS3/4 Resource Pack under development and will be available in September 2008
Majority of staff have used Visual Literacy at some point in the year (KS1/2)
AST has supported in the delivery of Rotherham’s Moving Image Lead Teacher Program
Commercial film support packs developed, for example Toy Story
Staff skills will continue to develop in the future
Improvements
Moving Image resource bank is constantly evolving and expanding
KS3/4 training will be available in 2008/9
The Future
The Zone will continue to support staff across all the schools in the use of Visual LiteracyResources and techniques
Evaluation: Video Conferencing Activities 2007/8
Introduction
The Zone have this year facilitated a range of video conferencing opportunities for children.
Children have conversed with Bob the Builder, the Rainbow Fish, The Moondance Giraffe,The Wolf, Owl Babies, etc.
Aims
Children develop speaking and listening skills in a real world context
Children engaged by and develop increased understanding of characters
Children develop Communication skills in context
Positives
Children thoroughly engaged by meeting characters from the stories being studied
Children developed speaking and listening skills
Teachers actually undertook the video conference in later events, which makes the whole process more sustainable
The technology is now at the stage were video conferencing on a single site is viable and reliable
