LANGUAGE & LITERACY

The Literacy Hour has developed quite considerably since 1998, but is still taught daily.  Each class has at least one Teaching Assistant to support the children's learning.  Mrs Lloyd-Williams is our Literacy Co-ordinator, but all the teachers are keen enthusiasts of Language teaching and make the lessons match the needs and interests of the children in each class, as well as delivering the objectives as laid down in the National Literacy Strategy.  This year we have begun work from the new Literacy framework.

Children with Special Educational Needs are sometimes taught extra Literacy lessons in a smaller groups by Mrs Osborne, our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator.  At other times it is more appropriate to offer support within the class.

In the lessons we cover many different types of text.  Children look in detail at the way texts are constructed and are able to use these as models to develop their own writing.  In every term children will meet poetry in different forms, fiction and non-fiction texts.

We believe that speaking and listening skills are an important part of language development.  We encourage children to express themselves confidently and compentently.  This is done by providing a range of stimulating opportunities, e.g. role-play, discussing current issues, Thinking Skills, Circle Time, Book Reports, analysing Scientific experiments and using media texts.

Spelling

The teaching of spelling is integrated into the Literacy lessons, but pupils also take lists of words home to learn.  Older pupils carry out spelling investigations.  We have a whole school approach to the marking of spellings, which is designed to promote careful spelling, without discouraging children from freely expressing their ideas in writing.