Gillian Cawley - (Literacy Strategy Manager)

PLEASE put me on your staff notice board Literacy Newsletter G I L L I A N C A W L E Y - ( L I T E R A C Y S T R A T E G Y M A N A G E R ) A N N K E E N ( T E A M C O - O R D I N A T O R ) – J E N N Y P L A S T O W – R I N A S O N D H I – B R I G I D D E R I V A Z - K A T H R Y N L I T T L E – U S H A D H O R A J I W A L A - J A C K I E A S H L E Y - In this Issue - No. 4 Merry Christmas! Competition Year 6 Exemplification Welcome to the Christmas edition of our Special Schools Hertfordshire Literacy Newsletter which comes at the end of another busy and successful term. Leading Literacy teachers

Literacy Co-ordinators Many KS1 teachers and teaching assistants have been in training this term. We have had Developing Early Writing for ICT and the Literacy hour Year 1 and Year 2 teachers and Early Literacy Support for Year Courses 1 teachers and teaching assistants. We will look forward to NEW! School Focus: hearing how the implementation of DEW and ELS is going in Writing from Longmeadow the coming year. Junior school - Stevenage As you will know, we have intervention strategies for Year 1 (ELS) and Years 3 & 4 (ALS) Those of you teaching at the upper end of KS2 will be interested to know that, in the Summer and Autumn term, there will be new materials for Year 5 teachers on ‘Further Literacy Support’- (FLS).

Any suggestions and contributions can be FLS is an intervention strategy, similar to ELS/ALS in which emailed to the Literacy year 5 teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to Newsletter and Website co- support those pupils in need of extra focused help. ordinator. Further details will follow in Jan/ Feb 2002.

The next edition of our newsletter will be out in February, 2002.

Best wishes for a very happy Christmas and a well deserved holiday!

Gillian Cawley Literacy Strategy Manager

Competition

The Book Book 2002 Hertfordshire Schools Literacy Competition A Challenge for Children Gifted in Literacy, KS1 and KS2

Hertfordshire Literacy Newsletter co-ordinator Rina Sondhi – Email [email protected] http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/literacy  Wheathampstead Development Centre Page 1 of 7/27 May 2018 Hertfordshire Literacy Team are pleased to announce an in-school challenge for pupils able in literacy. The competition, The Book Book, will run through the Spring Term. The closing date for entries is March 15th.

The competition is intended to provide activities for the literacy hour, and an exciting challenge, for the 10% of children most able in literacy within every Hertfordshire school.

After internal selection, schools may submit up to five entries per key stage to the Literacy Centre for consideration by our team of judges. Judges will include Leading Literacy Teachers, who will evaluate work from areas other than those in which their own schools are situated.

There will be prizes for the six best entries across the County in each key stage. Prizes will be awarded at a presentation evening at Methuen’s Bookshop in St. Albans, during April, at which each prizewinner may select from Methuen’s stock a book of choice, up to a given value. Each will be accompanied by a Certificate of achievement presented by a well-known children’s author, results will be published on the Hertfordshire Literacy Website.

Conditions of Participation.

The writing for the competition is intended to be carried out by pupils in the independent work sessions of the Literacy Hour. It is expected that it will take about eighteen literacy hours, so it is geared to match the range of texts in the term, to allow able pupils to extend and apply the understanding they have developed through whole class teaching. Competition activities will complement the teaching in Year Six as set out in the new Year Six Planning Exemplification, but the decision as to whether to involve Year Six pupils is entirely at the discretion of the teacher.

After internal selection, schools may submit up to five entries per key stage to the Literacy Centre for consideration by our team of judges. Judges will include leading literacy teachers, who will evaluate work from areas other than those in which their own schools are situated. Each entry must be accompanied by an entry form.

Key Stage Two Pupils in Key Stage Two are invited to develop a ‘Book of Reviews’ with a title of their own choice. This will be comprised of articles reviewing four to six fiction books, and four to six non-fiction, books. The total number of texts read should be ten. Marks will be awarded for:  style  writing in a non-fiction text-type appropriate to each book reviewed  layout and design  understanding and interpretation of material read  use of vocabulary and grammatical structure appropriate to the text-type in writing

Key Stage One Pupils in Key Stage one are asked to ‘Make-a-Book’. This should be based on a traditional tale, or tales, of the child’s choice, and should incorporate writing in a range of text-types, fictional and non-fictional. Marks will be awarded for:  organisation and layout  understanding of use of text-types as taught through the Literacy Strategy  design  originality

Entry forms on application to The Literacy Centre, Wheathampsted Development Centre, Butterfield Road, Wheathampstead, Herts AL4 8PY, or download from Hertfordshire Literacy website. For any further details email Jenny Plastow on jenny.plastow @hertscc.gov.uk Y6

Year Six Exemplification Materials The NLS has recently brought out some materials to support the teaching of writing in Year Six.The material is designed to support the following Year 6 teaching staff:

Hertfordshire Literacy Newsletter co-ordinator Rina Sondhi – Email [email protected] http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/literacy  Wheathampstead Development Centre Page 2 of 7/27 May 2018  new to Year 6  new to the NLS  teachers on a long-term supply basis  teachers needing support with subject knowledge  teachers of Y6 cohorts whose end of year targets are particularly challenging.

We feel that all teachers may find it useful, however, and we recommend applying some of the ideas suggested e.g.  blocking objectives over two or three weeks  creating increased opportunities for continuous prose writing  use of shared writing time to scaffold children’s writing  making strong links between reading and writing – focus on reading and writing on alternate days  using the first 10 minutes of the hour to consolidate spelling rules and strategies  using the ready given checklists for identifying the features of narrative writing and incorporating them into the children’s own writing

We ran training sessions on these materials during October and November and feedback from teachers has been extremely positive.

Further material will be forthcoming both this month and in February to support the Spring and Summer Term’s objectives. We will send these to you as soon as they arrive at the Literacy Centre (we aim to have the December materials to you by the end of term). They will also be available to download from the Standards website as they become available : www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/literacy.

We are eager to hear from teachers when they have had a chance to use the materials. Please let us know how you find them in terms of improving teaching and learning and, as a result, standards in writing. For further information email Brigid De Rivaz on brigid.de [email protected]

We hope to see Year 6 teachers at the regional Literacy cluster meetings in January, 2002. Dates and venues are given below: .

Date Time Venue No Literacy Consultant 14.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 Our Lady's 527 Kathy Little 16.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 Northgate 206 Brigid de Rivaz 17.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 St Albert the Great 854 Jenny Plastow 21.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 New Briars 573 Kathy Little 22.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 Pin Green 148 Jackie Ashley 22.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 St Pauls Walden 68 Rina Sondhi 23.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 Crabtree Junior 495 Rina Sondhi 23.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 Burleigh 360 Ann Keen 24.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 Westfield 288 Ann Keen 28.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 Parkgate Junior 737 Jenny Plastow 29.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 London Colney 452 Usha Dhorajiwala 31.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 Orchard JMI 743 Jackie Ashley 31.1.02 4.00 - 5.30 Parkside Primary 621 Usha Dhorajiwala

Hertfordshire Literacy Newsletter co-ordinator Rina Sondhi – Email [email protected] http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/literacy  Wheathampstead Development Centre Page 3 of 7/27 May 2018 Leading Literacy teachers

Leading Literacy teachers A database with the names, schools and specialist areas of leading literacy teachers will be arriving in your school in January 2002.

The Leading Literacy teachers are available to;

 Provide exemplar practice  To give advice on planning  Provide support on aspects of the literacy hour  Give demonstration lessons.

You will be able to contact the Leading Literacy Teacher direct to discuss the support you are interested in.

Should you require any further help or advice regarding Leading Literacy Teachers please contact Jackie Ashley, Literacy Consultant at Wheathampstead on Tel: 01582 830320

Special Schools News Special Schools A recent increase in the number of Literacy Consultants (we are now seven strong!) has meant that it has been possible to expand the current provision for special schools in our Autumn Term round of training.

We have run two days training for special schools; one on developing early writing for children working within the Year 2 range of objectives, and the other on the Early Literacy Support programme. We also held our termly cluster group meeting here at Wheathampstead, where the focus was on writing.

Most of our special schools have been represented at one or all of the training sessions. Although there are diverse training needs among the staff from different types of special school, we are pleased that teachers have taken the opportunity to attend training. Post-course evaluations have shown teachers' appreciation of the Literacy team's efforts to adapt the national training for special schools. They have also enjoyed the opportunity to make links and share practice with other schools.

Here are some typical comments from teachers:

" The materials have given me a definite structure for working in small groups " "… extra ideas to teach concepts more imaginatively in a more logical sequence!" We have been delighted to add more names to our list of Leading Literacy teachers in special schools this term, bringing the number up to seven. Please let us know if you are interested in becoming a Leading Literacy Teacher, and we will give you details.

Look out for details of next term's special schools training in the schools' mailing (our termly cluster meeting and 'Developing Early Writing’ for children working within the Reception Framework of Objectives')

Hertfordshire Literacy Newsletter co-ordinator Rina Sondhi – Email [email protected] http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/literacy  Wheathampstead Development Centre Page 4 of 7/27 May 2018 Literacy Co-ordinators Update for Literacy Coordinators The central training this Autumn term has focused on Early Literacy Support and Developing Early Writing for Y2 and Y1 teachers. Both training sessions have been well attended and received. Teachers are encouraged to develop children's oracy through a variety of interactive shared teaching methods - opportunities for discussion, Show Me activities, Get Up and Go activities, drama/ role play and collaborative/ partner whiteboard work.

ICT and Literacy ICT and the Literacy hour We will be re-running our ICT and Literacy training in March and April - a letter will arrive in schools in January and the dates will be in our next newsletter. ICT can support and enhance many aspects of the Literacy Hour and should be a significant part of every child's experience of learning to be literate. The ICT course centres around the ICT and Literacy CD-ROM which provides guidance on how ICT can become a core component of the Literacy Hour by supporting whole-class teaching. Every teacher is entitled to one copy free of charge from the DfES on Tel: 0845 6022260 ref.1620/2001

Whole-class teaching using ICT Learning together in groups, as a whole class, can be stimulating and effective. Teachers Online has compiled links which will offer you information and ideas for making the best use of ICT in this context, including how to make the most of an interactive whiteboard. www.ngfl.gov.uk

Interactive on-line play Whatsonstage.com is running an Interactive Play Project. With your help, it aims to conceive, develop and produce a mass-participation interactive play, using the Internet as the focal point for writing and collaboration. Between now and the end of February 2002, you can vote on the various directions the one-act play should take as well as make suggestions for dialogue, plot and character development. For more information log on at: http://www.whatsonstage.com/

COURSES FOR THE SPRING TERM Courses New Literacy Co-ordinators' Briefing Intended audience: All new or recently appointed Literacy Co-ordinators Course Aims:  To provide a clear and practical guide of the role and responsibilities of the Literacy Co-ordinator  To provide an update of various NLS publications, developments and approaches

The sessions will be taking place at the following schools. Date Time Venue No Literacy Consultant 4.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 New Briars 573 Kathy Little 6.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 Parkgate Infants 738 Jenny Plastow 6.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 Our Lady's 527 Kathy Little 7.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 Cherry Tree Primary 720 Jackie Ashley 11.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 St Pauls Walden 68 Rina Sondhi 12.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 The Leys 162 Jackie Ashley 12.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 Crabtree Junior 495 Rina Sondhi 12.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 Thorn Grove 215 Brigid de Rivaz 14.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 George Street 825 Jenny Plastow 19.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 London Colney 452 Usha Dhorajiwala 20.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 St Cross 289 Ann Keen 21.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 Abel Smith 249 Ann Keen 21.3.02 4.00 - 5.30 Parkside Primary 621 Usha Dhorajiwala

Literacy in Reception

Hertfordshire Literacy Newsletter co-ordinator Rina Sondhi – Email [email protected] http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/literacy  Wheathampstead Development Centre Page 5 of 7/27 May 2018 Intended audience: All Reception Teachers Course Aims:  To introduce the Developing Early Writing Reception Units  To introduce the Reception module from the Early Literacy Support materials Date Time Venue 25.2.02 9.00 - 4.00 Wheathampstead Development Centre 26.2.02 9.00 - 4.00 Wheathampstead Development Centre 27.2.02 9.00 - 4.00 Wheathampstead Development Centre 28.2.02 9.00 - 4.00 Wheathampstead Development Centre 1.3.02 9.00 - 4.00 Wheathampstead Development Centre

School Focus NEW IN THIS EDITION - LONGMEADOW JUNIOR , Stevenage Midsummer Night’s Dream Study: Year 6

Year 6 studied this Shakespeare play over 2 weeks, using the text from a big book and the animated version. For their writing task, the pupils rewrote a scene into modern language, with a new setting and characters. Since Shakespeare plays could be argued to be the soap operas of their day, the children prepared for the task by brainstorming ideas for character replacements from the soaps. This allowed them to explore Shakespeare’s characterisation: in what ways was Sharon from Eastenders like Titania? Justifying their choices gave rise to some really in depth discussions about each characters’ qualities. The pupils then used the extract from the text where Bottom wakes Titania, inserting their soap characters and transferring the whole scene to a modern setting. Amy Gammon, Longmeadow Junior School, Stevenage Can you guess which Shakespearean Act and Scene this is from a Midsummer Night's dream?

Midsummer Madness

In another part of Milton Keynes Shopping Centre, a bloke from the Bear factory and his best mates are going food shopping after their shifts. Suddenly, Barry gets his head stuck in the lift and when he gets it out it is all flat! His mates, Martin and Asif are making fun of him. Barry, however, does not know about his head.

MARTIN: (laughing lots) What happened to you? Ha Ha, you look so funny! Ha Ha!

ASIF: (a bit shocked) Are you all right, mate? You don’t really look yourself, does he Martin?

(Martin and Asif run off laughing)

BARRY: Wait a minute, oh no, my bruises must be showing, already! That’s why they were scared, so they ran away! Wait, you two, it’s only bruising on my face! (looks across to Sainsbury’s) Hello, hello, hello! Who’s that girl that’s collapsed? Is she okay? Maybe I should go to try to wake her up.

(Barry goes to try and wake her up)

SHARON: (waking up) What lovely flat–headed person awoke me from my grubby pavement bed outside Sainsbury’s? I love you, gentle Bear Factory boy. Whatever would I do without my Barry?

Sharon tells Barry that she loves him so much that he must stay with her in the supermarket. She calls four of her barmaids from her pub at the front of the shopping centre. Kat, Zoe, Janine and Nicola – to be Barry’s waitresses.

SHARON: (looking at the women) Serve my lover, girls! Treat him the best that you can! Give him all the shopping he needs, then take it back to his University and unpack it!

Hertfordshire Literacy Newsletter co-ordinator Rina Sondhi – Email [email protected] http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/literacy  Wheathampstead Development Centre Page 6 of 7/27 May 2018 Now give a beer, And some food to keep him pleased, When he’s got all he wants I’ll definitely be relieved, The man I adore needs to open the door Of my heart to stop my boredom. To tell you about my love for you, I shall read out a poem: Roses are red, Violets are blue, For you, for you, is there anything more we can do? Faye Ward Year 6 WELL DONE FAYE!

If you have any ideas or contributions for the literacy newsletter or literacy website – please email them to [email protected] – The Literacy Website address is www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/literacy – we now have a range of downloadable documents in our resources section – including Writing Mats!

Hertfordshire Literacy Newsletter co-ordinator Rina Sondhi – Email [email protected] http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/literacy  Wheathampstead Development Centre Page 7 of 7/27 May 2018