LITERACY FOR LEARNING

LITERACY FOR LEARNING

Thinking Talking Listening

Reading Writing

April 20, 2023

GEOFF BARTON


THE FORMAT OF THE SESSION

1: The key stage 3 strategy

2: The Literacy Club

3: Teaching writing

•Recognising good writing

•Teaching it

•How much grammar?

Note:Please heckle!

www.geoffbarton.co.uk


GROUND-RULE

Think practically - what can I use in my own teaching?


Basic assumptions

We are part of the literacy club

Literacy today is different from when we were younger

Literacy is taught - it

doesn’t just happenEvery

teacher in English is a teacher OF

English (like it or

not)


We are part of the literacy club

Language oddities

Please don't smoke and live a more healthy life



DOGS MUST BE CARRIED

ON THE ESCALATOR


Sign at Suffolk hospital:

Thieves operate in this area


ICI FIBRES

Churchdown parish magazine:

‘would the congregation please note that the

bowl at the back of the church labelled ‘for the sick” is for monetary

donations only’



ICI FIBRES

GUESS THE TEXT TYPE


Proud mum in a million Natalie Brown hugged

her beautiful baby daughter Casey

yesterday and said: “She’s my double miracle.”I FIBRES

1


The blood vessels of the circulatory system,

branching into multitudes of very fine tubes (capillaries),

supply all parts of the muscles and organs with

blood, which carries oxygen and food necessary for life.

2


Ensure that the electrical supply is turned off. Ensure the existing circuit to which the fitting is to be connected has been installed and fused in accordance with current

L.L.L wiring regulations

3


Literacy today is different from when we were younger

•Multi-media dominates

•Most ‘classic texts’ are known through film

•Reading extended writing is rare

•A visual culture dominates

•The notion of ‘accuracy’ is being challenged

•None of this is a bad thing


TEXT MESSAGING

Wud u go out wiv him if heasked? find out hoo hefancies becoz I reckon itz uelse he wudn’t say all thatstuff to u!!! don’t say nuffin 2no 1 bout clair plz. Y won’the let u c his fone do youmean u dunno if u fan-c himor u don’t wanna say bcuz udo!


Why is literacy such an issue?


The literacy context ...

•7 million UK adults cannot locate the page reference for plumbers in the Yellow Pages

•1-in-16 adults cannot identify a concert venue on a poster that contains name of band, price, date, time and venue

•A 1997 survey showed that of 12 European countries, only Poland and Ireland had lower levels of adult literacy

BBC NEWS ONLINE:

More than half of British motorists cannot interpret road signs properly, according to a survey by the Royal Automobile Club.

The survey of 500 motorists - conducted to mark the 70th anniversary of the publication of the Highway Code - highlighted just how many people are still grappling with it.

According to the survey, three in five motorists thought a "be aware of cattle" warning sign indicated …

an area infected with foot-and-mouth disease.

Common mistakes

•No motor vehicles - Beware of fast motorbikes

•Riding school close by - "Marlborough country" advert

•No motor vehicles except motorcycles - No Ford Populars

•Wild fowl - Puddles in the road


• 60% of all jobs now require reasonable reading skills (e.g. being able to understand and act on written instructions, obtain simple information and understand a price list …)

•The cost of low literacy levels is over £10 billion per annum

(Ernst & Young, 1993)ECONOMIC ARGUMENTS


The great divide in literacy is not between those who can read and write and those who have not learned how to.

It is between those who have discovered what kinds of literacy society values … (and those who have not)

(Margaret Meek)EQUAL OPPS ARGUMENTS


National data on pupil performance:

11 year olds – Key Stage 2

•The percentages of children reaching Level 4 and above in 2001 in Key Stage 2 tests

by subject are as follows:• English 75%• Mathematics 71%• Science 87%

•Girls outperform boys in English, reading, writing and science

by ten, seven, fifteen and one percent respectively. Boys,

however, have a one point lead over girls in mathematics.


National data on pupil performance:

14 year olds – Key Stage 3

•The percentages of children reaching Level 5 and above in 2001 in Key

Stage 3 tests by subject are as follows:•English 64 per cent.•Mathematics 66 per cent.•Science 66 per cent.

•Girls have a 17 percentage point lead over boys in

English and a 2 point lead in mathematics. Girls and

boys perform at the same level in science.


KS3 results show that pupils:

•Are inclined to recount rather than explain

•Are stronger at narrative rather than non-narrative writing

•Have difficulties structuring writing

•Only 75% of sentences are properly demarcated using full stops


So what’s in it for you..?


•Literacy supports learning. Pupils will understand and respond better to your subject

•You’ll see improvements in the quality of their work

•You’ll see increased motivation, especially from boys

•Better literacy increases pupils’ self-esteem and behaviour. It helps them to learn independently

TEACHING WRITING


ACTIVELY TEACHING WRITING

TEACHING WRITING


•How we’ve often (not) taught writing in the past

•Recognising good writing

•Actively teaching writing

Documents

LITERACY FOR LEARNING