The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:
- read easily, fluently and with good understanding
- develop the habit of reading widely and often for both pleasure and information
- acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
- appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
- write clearly, accurately and coherently
- use discussion in order to be competent in the art of speaking and listening
English has an important place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society. Therefore it is a priority of our school that all pupils develop their speaking skills to enable them to make a positive contribution. As well as being invaluable in for further education, employment and society, reading and writing are enjoyable pastimes and pupils are encouraged to enjoy reading and writing for pleasure both at school and at home.
Oracy
All learning starts with oracy. Building upon our recent work with Voice21, we teach the skills necessary to question, clarify and process learning and understanding in the world around us. We encourage pupils to speak in full sentences when appropriate, to justify their opinions, to respectfully participate in discussions and to present their thinking in various ways. We teach the physical attributes of being a good orator as well as the cognitive skills necessary to adjust talk to suit the audience.
Reading
Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. Our pupils are provided with daily opportunities to read collaboratively, independently and in guided reading settings to both develop reading skills and promote reading for enjoyment. As part of their reading session, pupils read, summarise, express and clarify their own ideas and the ideas of others. Through a systematic approach to teaching reading, we are preparing pupils to develop a confidence in reading for learning and to develop a love of reading that will last them a lifetime.
This year, we are pleased to be working with the Open University to further develop our Reading for Pleasure provision.
Writing
We teach the four purposes of writing:
- Writing to Entertain
- Writing to Inform
- Writing to Persuade
- Writing to Discuss
In layering the skills needed to address each of these areas, we teach pupils to communicate effectively within a range of contexts and to apply the grammatical contexts to each audience for whom they write.
English across the Curriculum
We make cross-curricular links to ensure a cohesive approach to learning. It may be that in History, pupils are learning about Anglo-Saxons and Vikings (see Y5). To solidify this knowledge, our reading will be rooted in a whole class novel (Viking Boy) and our writing will be focused upon comparing life in an Anglo-Saxon village to life in modern Birmingham. We may write a diary from the perspective of Gunnar (our protagonist) and an evaluation of the Battle of Hastings.
|
|
Writing to Entertain |
Writing to Inform |
Writing to Persuade |
Writing to Discuss |
|
Y1-Y2 |
V |
V |
|
|
|
Y3-Y4 |
V |
V |
V |
|
|
Y5-Y6 |
V |
V |
V |
V |
Take a look at what the children will be learning in English. This information can also be found on our curriculum overview documents.
Our chosen phonics program is Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised. Follow this link to find helpful hints and tips about how to support your child at home.
In school, children are taught in whole class sessions and they take part in a daily phonics session. Children learn 44 phonemes (sounds) along with the corresponding graphemes (letters/ letter groups) using simple picture prompts. They also learn to:
- say each letter name
- write the graphemes which represent the 44 phonemes
- blend graphemes to read words
- segment words to hear each phoneme - and then spell each phoneme
- read stories containing the graphemes they have learned
- develop comprehension by answering ‘Find It’ and ‘Prove It’ discussion questions.
Check out these Digital Libraries to support your child's home reading
If you can't remember your login details, please ask your teacher!
Click on these icons to go straight to the login page
Did you know that kids read more when we
Turn On The Subtitles?
We wanted to let you know how this brilliantly simple, free, small change to children’s existing TV viewing habits can drastically improve their reading skills. Click here to hear Stephen Fry explain the benefits of turning on the subtitles in more detail.
How to share a book with your child:
- Take turns to make plans and predictions before reading:
‘I wonder if… what do you think?’
‘You think… Oh, I thought…’
- Recap to check ideas and understanding as your child is reading:
‘So, you think that…’
‘Did you expect…to happen?’
‘Why do you think that happened?’
- Use encouragement and praise to keep children engaged in reading:
‘What brilliant ideas…let’s see what happens.’
‘You thought so carefully about... What might happen now?’
- Share prior knowledge and past experiences that link to what is being read:
‘Have you learnt about…at school?’
‘Do you remember when we watched…and found out about…’
- Tune-in and listen to your child – be curious about their interests:
‘I didn’t know you knew so much about…’
‘I love reading stories about...with you.’
Click here to print your very own mat to help your child select the correct grapheme for the phonemes that they can hear.
Collins eBooks: Use this parent guide to see how you can use our digital library to access books and support your child with their home reading
Phonics: How to pronounce pure sounds | Oxford Owl
Learn how to pronounce all 44 phonics sounds, or phonemes, used in the English language with these helpful examples from Suzy Ditchburn and her daughter.Find...
Help your child to write each letter accurately
Prior to Y2, spelling is taught through the Little Wandle phonics programme. (see teaching of phonics)
Rocket Words
To supplement their learning, children will be given a weekly rocket which contains words that have been covered in the phonics lessons that week. It is the expectation that children will be able to read and spell these words and we ask for families to support them in practising this.
No Nonsense Spelling
Hodge Hill’s approach to spelling has been developed in accordance with the National Curriculum. Following the No Nonsense Spelling Programme, pupils from Y2-Y6 are taught the spelling rules for their phase as well as commonly occurring words for their year group. Pupils have opportunities to revise and recap on previously taught rules. Pupils will have words to practice at home - these will focus on the spelling pattern for the week and may include some words from their year group list. There is no weekly spelling test, however, pupils are expected to use the patterns and vocabulary studied within their independent writing.
How can Parents help their children learning their spellings?
Have a look at some of these ideas!
Handwriting and presentation are all important aspects of English study.
- In EYFS, pupils are taught to print clearly and to form letters and numerals correctly.
- In Y1, pupils will be taught to position letters correctly on the line, form lower-case letters accurately, form upper-case letters and the digits 0-9.
- By the end of Y2, pupils should be able to form lower-case letters which are consistent in size in relation to the capital letters used and with consistent spacings between letters and between words. Throughout Y2, pupils will be taught some of the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join handwriting.
- From Y3 onwards, pupils are expected to produce neat, legible, joined handwriting with increasing speed and accuracy.
This document shows the progression and expectations for teaching handwriting.
Handwriting
How We Teach Reading
YR and Y1
Children are taught to read in accordance with their growing phonics knowledge. We use a range of phonetically decodable books which are perfectly aligned to the phonics stage for each pupil.
Pupils will work within a small group (no more than 8) to read a book which has been selected by their teacher. They will read this book for one week using the following format:
Session 1 - Decoding the Text
- Teacher will model how to read each word, focusing upon blending each sound and reviewing the 'tricky' words that will appear in the text.
- Pupils will follow the teacher's model and practice with their partner
Session 2 - Prosody
- Teacher will model how to use expression, dynamics and punctuation to bring the text to life.
- Pupils will follow the teacher's model. They learn how punctuation is used to guide the reader. They will rehearse different voices for different characters. They will explore how changing their voice can bring the story to life and create images in the reader's mind.
Session 3 - Oracy
- Teacher will model how to use full sentences to orally compose answers to comprehension questions
- Pupils will follow the teacher's model. They learn that oracy is an important aspect of reading, particularly in formulating opinions and challenging the views of others.
Session 4 - Comprehension
- Teacher will model how to compose written responses to comprehension questions
- Pupils will follow the teacher's model. They will learn how to provide answers in full sentences, using words from the question in their written answer. They will also learn that different types of questions require different styles of written answers
Y2 - Y6
We teach reading as a class through excerpts and whole texts.
Pupils will have a copy of the class text which will be kept in school for the purpose of our reading lessons. The reading lesson is split into two element.
During daily story time, the teacher will read the class book; children may read along with their own copy if they so wish.
During reading lessons, the teacher will direct children to explore one passage of the class book in more detail, forensically analysing the sentence construction and story conventions. In this teaching, we echo the format established in KS1.
Session 1 - Vocabulary
- Teacher will model how to read each word, focusing upon definitions of unfamiliar vocabulary. Children will learn how to look for contextual clues, find root words/prefixes/suffixes and how to bring their own understanding to bear in deciphering vocabulary.
- Pupils will read a selected passage to see how unfamiliar vocabulary works in context.
Session 2 - Prosody
- Teacher will model how to use expression, dynamics and punctuation to bring the text to life. Teacher will model how to read smoothly and at an appropriate pace to build reading fluency.
- Pupils will follow the teacher's model. They learn how punctuation is used to guide the reader. They will learn that different punctuation is used to indicate different things and understand that punctuation separates clauses to make the story easier for the reader to follow.
Session 3 - Oracy
- Teacher will model how to use full sentences and evidence from the text, to orally compose answers to comprehension questions.
- Pupils will follow the teacher's model. They learn that book talk is an important aspect of reading, particularly in formulating opinions and challenging the views of others.
Session 4 - Comprehension
- Teacher will model how to compose written responses to comprehension questions
- Pupils will follow the teacher's model. They will learn how to provide answers in full sentences, using words from the question in their written answer. They will also learn that different types of questions require different styles of written answers.
Session 5 - Book Club
- Teacher will pose open-ended questions to encourage pupils to think about the texts that they choose to read.
- Pupils will use taught oracy skills to discuss texts that they have read and that they would like to read, giving reasons for their choice.
Reading at Home
YR - Y1
Pupils take home two books per week.
At the conclusion of the school reading session 4, to increase their confidence with reading, they will then take the same book home to read with a trusted adult. The book must be returned to school on the specified day next week, ready to be used with another group of pupils.
On returning the book to school, pupils will then choose a book from the Early Reading library to share at home with their family. This book may not be fully decodable, and it is important that a trusted adult or older sibling reads this book to the pupil, modelling a love of reading. The book must be returned to school on the specified day.
Y2 - Y6
Pupils are encouraged to choose their own home reading books from their class library which has been stocked with a range of reading materials relevant to the reading ability of the class and appropriate for their age-range. Pupils are expected to read 5 times per week and to have a trusted adult sign their Reading Record as proof that this has happened. This diary also serves as a reading dialogue between home and school.
The class library is restocked at regular intervals throughout the year, ensuring that there is something for everyone.
Teachers also use Bug Club to supplement home and school reading.
What is Bug Club?
Bug Club is a finely-levelled reading scheme for schools, which ensures that all children can find books at exactly the right level for them. The colour bands correspond with that of the home readers sent home with the children. Children currently use Bug Club in school to read content for their reading lessons and are enjoying the great resources it has to offer.
Using the online reading world
If you have access to an internet connection, your child can enjoy reading Bug Club books online. Each child has a unique homepage, and can log into it by following these steps:
- Go to www.activelearnprimary.co.uk (please make sure you access using ‘co.uk’ as you can be directed to the Australian site, in which case your login details will not work).
- Enter the login details required. If you do not have these details, please ask your child’s class teacher. The school code is 7p3L (case sensitive).
- Your child’s homepage will appear.
Reading a book online
Teachers allocate books to your child according to their reading levels. These books will appear in the 'My Stuff' area of their personal homepages. There are also quiz questions for your child to complete.