Getting started – support for reflection and

engagement

literacy and English

What changes have been made since the publication of the draft literacy and English framework?

What was said?

• Not all lines of development show a clear line of progression, in particular enjoyment and choice.

• Single document for literacy and English not conducive to promoting literacy as ‘responsibility of all’.

• Role of the school librarians not acknowledged.

• Support required for literacy across the curriculum.

What was done:

• Experiences and outcomes reworded to clarify progression.

• There are now two separate documents – Literacy and Literacy and English.

• The importance of school librarians is acknowledged in the literacy across learning principles and practice.

• The principles and practice provides support for all practitioners; this is further enhanced by the literacy across learning principles and practice.

Overall, feedback was positive.

Reflecting on the principles and practice inliteracy and English

• What is meant by literacy?

• What is meant by texts?

• What effective learning and teaching approaches can you build upon and use in literacy and English?

• What might be some of the challenges/opportunities that you will face in promoting literacy across the curriculum?

• How can you ensure progression within and between levels?

How are the experiences and outcomes structured in literacy and English?

In literacy and English there are three organisers and they are subdivided as follows:

Listening and talking Reading Writing

Enjoyment and choice Enjoyment and choice Enjoyment and choice

Tools for listening and talking

Tools for reading Tools for writing

Finding and using information

Finding and usinginformation

Organising and using information

Understanding, analysing and

evaluating

Understanding, analysing and

evaluating

Creating texts Creating texts

Experiences and outcomes in literacy and English

• Why do some statements cross more than one level?These describe learning which needs to be revisited, applied in new contexts and deepened over a more extended period.

• Why is there a dotted line between third and fourth level?This is to demonstrate the close relationship and likely overlap between the two levels. Fourth level will provide the depth of experiences based on prior learning from third level.

• Why are some statements in italics?The statements in italics highlight the literacy experiences and outcomes which are the responsibility of all practitioners.

Getting started in literacy and English:some questions for discussion

• Building on your current practice, what are the implications for what and how you teach?

• How will you ensure the needs of all learners are met?

• Which experiences and outcomes could you link within literacy and English, across other curriculum areas and the world of work to provide a coherent experience for learners?

• How might you ensure that learning and teaching reflects the values, purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence?

Where do you go from here?

The journey may be different for everyone, but you may wish to consider some first steps towards change, for example:

• identifying and sharing effective practice

• identifying and prioritising professional development needs

• experimenting with learning and teaching approaches.