Phonics

Here are some links for help with planning and teaching phonics.

Letters and Sounds Publication-
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/84969

Support for Spelling -
http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/183127

The above links are for the booklets, you can download them to print the sections you need or, to save and read on the computer.

Websites for teaching resources -
http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/freeIndex.htm
http://www.sentenceplay.co.uk/
http://www.ks2phonics.org.uk/
http://www.roythezebra.com/
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/english/english.htm#A

Improving Writing

We are working hard across the school to develop and extend our skills in writing.  Here are some ways we are engaging and helping children improve their skills in writing.

V.C.O.P.

Vocabulary, connectives, openers and punctuation or V.C.O.P is a great way for children to focus on how to improve their writing.  Across the school we are using VCOP to help us with our writing.  Take a look in the classrooms to see our VCOP displays, they clearly show how writing progresses from simple punctuation and adjectives to more complex words and punctuation.

Working on vocabulary

Our focus this term is encouraging children to develop their use of vocabulary.  Creating word banks of interesting and ambitous vocabulary is a fun but useful way of doing this.

Reasons for writing

It is important children understand the needs and purposes there are to write and to also develop an interest in writing.  In Reception children have individual envelopes so they can send each other messages - giving and receiving post is certainly a good reason to get writing!

These are only a few examples of the wonderful writing happening across our school and the ways we are helping children improve their writing.  Keep looking on the literacy blog to find out more.

World Book Day 09

We had a great time celebrating books.

Both parents and children enjoyed listening to stories at the end of day.



Year 5 were fantastic at reading stories to Year 1.

Mrs. Dolman got into role!

Look at all the creative costume ideas for different book characters.

Marking Ladders

Here is a link to the Bristol LA site that has some marking ladders for use in Literacy. I will put a link at the side of the blog. Also - here is another link for some guidance for levelling.

Plus - as an extra bonus - some curricular targets here from Norfolk. Could these be tied to our own targets?

Planning

I am always saying look here, look there and then being very unspecific so here are a couple of really good sites with planning ideas - have a look they make a good place to start if nothing else!!
http://www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/nationalstrategy/literacy/ this one is great for new ideas about the strategy and on the left hand side has good resources and ideas, some of which I have shown you before.

http://www.deseducation.org/ go to subject and specialist areas then literacy then click onto the relevant folder or icon e.g renewed folder or phonics letters and sounds. Hope these are useful more to follow!!

Letters and Sounds

All staff in Key Stage 1 have now attended some phonics training and we are busy using the letters and sounds materials in our classes.
Here are some sites which will be useful for reference and for resources

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/local/clld/las.html

http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/cll/lettersandsounds

http://www.getreadingright.com/Letters_sounds_resources.htm

First Post..

Well here we are - a new year and a new initiative - a blog for Literacy.

Have a look at the new Primary Frameworks: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primaryframeworks/literacy/

... more will follow soon - especially with regard to our Spelling Priority on the new School Development Plan.

At the bottom of the page is a feed from the Teachers.TV site advertising programmes linked to English and Media at the primary level.