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Research School Network: Sum, plus, total – adding up to literacy in all subjects! Katie Mallender a Secondary School school maths teacher from Caedmon College Whitby looks at literacy across the curriculum
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Sum, plus, total – adding up to literacy in all subjects!
Katie Mallender a Secondary School school maths teacher from Caedmon College Whitby looks at literacy across the curriculum
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by North Yorkshire Coast Research School
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The EEF have published four literacy guidance reports, based on Key Stages of learning
● Preparing for Literacy
● Improving Literacy in Key Stage 1
● Improving Literacy in Key Stage 2
● Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools
It is helpful to read all four reports to see the overlap and how a student’s literacy progresses over time – however to help you with this here is a breakdown of how the five key themes link together.
Support
This only appears in the Early years Guidance report,
● Embed opportunities to develop self-regulation
● Support parents to understand how to help their children learn
Speaking, Communication, Vocabulary
| Early Years | Prioritise the development of communication and language | |
| KS1 | Develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills and wider understanding of language | |
| KS2 | Develop pupils’ language capabilities | |
| Secondary | Prioritise ‘disciplinary literacy’ across the curriculum Provide targeted vocabulary instruction in every subject Provide opportunities for structured talk |
Reading
| Early Years | Develop children’s early reading using a balanced approach | |
| KS1 | Use a balanced and engaging approach to developing reading, teaching both decoding and comprehension skills Effectively implement a systematic phonics programme Teach pupils to use strategies for developing and monitoring their reading comprehension | |
| KS2 | Support pupils to develop fluent reading capabilities Teach reading comprehension strategies through modelling and supported practice | |
| Secondary | Develop students’ ability to read complex academic texts |
Writing
| Early Years | Develop children’s capability and motivation to write | |
| KS1 | Teach pupils to use strategies for planning and monitoring their writing Promote fluent transcription skills by encouraging extensive and purposeful practice and explicitly teaching spelling | |
| KS2 | Teach writing composition strategies through modelling and supported practice Develop pupils’ transcription and sentence construction skills through extensive practice | |
| Secondary | Break down complex writing tasks Combine writing instruction with reading in every subject |
Assessment & Interventions
| Early Years | Use high quality assessment to ensure all children make good progress Use high quality targeted support to help struggling children | |
| KS1 | Use high quality information about pupils’ current capabilities to select the best next steps for teaching Use high quality structured interventions to help pupils who are struggling with their literacy | |
| KS2 | Target teaching and support by accurately assessing pupil needs Use high quality structured interventions to help pupils who are struggling with their literacy | |
Secondary | Provide high quality literacy interventions for struggling students |
The five key areas demonstrate that we have a lot to cover in a pupils’ education from Early years through to Secondary. Where do you start? Here are some suggestions to attempt to begin to breakdown the sum total that is teaching literacy.
Have a look at your current school improvement plan or departmental/subject plan, which of the five areas would be the best area to focus on?
Pick up the four reports and read around one theme across them all, what does the research say are the best bets?
Have a look through the additional materials for the Guidance Reports – would this give you a way in for a staff meeting or departmental meeting?
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