WHY WE TEACH ENGLISH
We believe that English is at the heart of children’s learning and that language and communication skills are a priority for the success of our children, as they will provide access to the whole curriculum. It is our intention that through our teaching of English, pupils will develop skills and understanding in all areas of language which will enable them to become confident speakers, readers and writers and to express themselves confidently and effectively by articulating opinions, ideas and feelings.
It is our intention that all children learn to speak and listen with the confidence and accuracy necessary to articulate feelings, opinions and ideas and with the expression necessary to communicate meaning effectively.
We strive to offer all of our children access to a wide and varying range of texts by aiming to create a reading rich environment that promotes a love for reading and enables children to form personal responses about a wide range of texts that they read with independence and confidence. We aim for all children to read regularly to a high standard across a range of subjects and to confidently discuss books and extracts.
Through our curriculum, we aim to provide children with experiences and opportunities to develop their skills to write imaginatively and creatively. We want our children to confidently edit and improve their writing and to adapt their language and style for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences so that they reach their full potential.
At Ravenscroft, we aim to provide purposeful activities for reading, writing and discussion as we believe that skills in these areas are essential to everyday life.
HOW WE TEACH ENGLISH
English lessons at Ravenscroft develop pupils’ spoken language, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary and are planned using the Power of Reading, using quality texts as a tool to support and develop both reading and writing skills and to introduce a wealth of new vocabulary. The texts used cover a range of genres and provide opportunities for children to apply reading skills for different purposes such as, extracting information, undertaking research, forming opinions, making links, forming arguments.
English skills are transferred across our curriculum giving children the skills to access all subjects, such as providing them with the reading skills to access reading materials and carry out research, to write up experiments and to recall significant events in History.
Our curriculum is carefully sequenced and planned to teach pupils to write and speak fluently so they can communicate their ideas and emotions and, through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them.
Our English lessons develop pupils’ spoken language, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary, teaching them how to write within specific genres and which structural and language features to include to be successful. Example texts are used to start this process to enable pupils to use other similar writing as models for their own.
Lessons also focus on teaching specific spelling, grammar and punctuation skills to enable our pupils to apply the skills they have been taught to their extended writing and writing across the curriculum.
WHAT YOUR CHILD WILL LEARN
Speaking & listening:
- Listen carefully, discriminating sounds, following directions, understanding expectations and making sense of oral communication.
- Develop an increasing store of words, simultaneously making links between known and new vocabulary.
- Speak clearly and convey ideas confidently using Standard English.
- Justify ideas with reasons, asking questions to check understanding, developing vocabulary and building knowledge, negotiating, evaluating and building on the ideas of others.
Reading:
- Read easily, fluently, silently and with good understanding.
- Develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information.
- Develop a wide range of vocabulary.
- Build an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage.
Writing:
- Write accurately and coherently, in the appropriate form, for a range of contexts, audiences and purposes.
- Write at length through the development of writing stamina.
- Write with accurate spelling and punctuation.
- Use a variety of grammar correctly.
