Galbally National School English Plan Introductory Statement All teachers of Galbally National School were involved in the updating of this plan at a planning evening in Spring 2012.

STRANDS AND STRAND UNITSThe English curriculum is structured according to the strands and strand units. To aid clarity the staff has chosen to plan through the strand units:

o Oral Languageo Readingo Writing

Teachers use the curriculum objectives in planning their work. They refer to them regularly, use them for assessment purposes, and ensure there is a balance between the strands as listed below:

o Receptiveness to languageo Competence and confidence in using languageo Developing cognitive abilities through languageo Emotional and imaginative development through language

ORAL LANGUAGE

FIVE CONTEXTS OF ORAL LANGUAGE

Teachers help children to develop their oral language through the following contexts:

o Talk and Discussiono Play and Gameso Poetryo Story and Improvisational Drama

STRATEGIESOral Language is used as a basis for reading and writing. All lessons are introduced with an Oral Language activity. The development of Oral Language takes place across all subjects and throughout the whole school day. Sometimes oral language is used as an alternative to written exercises in developing children’s comprehension skills. In an effort to develop higher order thinking skills the teachers use questions:

o To gain maximum informationo To seek and to give explanationso To discuss different possible solutions to problemso To argue a point of viewo To persuade otherso To examine fact and fiction, bias and objectivity etc.

DISCRETE ORAL LANGUAGE TIME:Form, structure, use of language and grammar are addressed during Discrete Oral Language time. Children are encouraged and taught to use correct pronunciation, grammar etc. when speaking. On occasions this may need to be done discretely by the teacher. Teaching strategies are carefully selected with the ultimate aim to develop children’s confidence in speaking in small group/large group situations.

ORGANISATIONAL SETTINGTeachers use a range of organisational settings for development of Oral Language such as pair work, group work, whole class discussion, formal and informal debates and circle work.

PRESENTATION

Children are encouraged to present their work to a range of audiences such as classmates, other teachers, and school visitors as well as the Christmas Concert and assembly.

RESOURCESJunior/Senior: Starways Now you’re TalkingChatterbox (Juniors & Seniors)IWB ResourcesStarways Rhymes & Playing Cards

1st/2nd: Starways Oral Language posters and IWB resources. Chatterbox, Listening & Speaking(Folens)

3rd/4th: Starways Oral Language posters and IWB resourcesPosters – cross curricularOral exercises/debating topics from class readerPowerpoint presentationsListening & Speaking(Folens)

5th/6th: Folens Oral BoxPosters used in SPHE and SESEPowerpoint presentationsActivites/exercises from class readerListening & Speaking(Folens)

READING In every class there are children with different reading abilities. The teacher caters for these different abilities in a sensitive manner and strives to develop confidence in the child as they learn to read. It is imperative that children taste success while reading. This is done by ensuring that the material they read is appropriate to their ability.The class reader is gauged towards the average child. The purpose of using a class reader is to develop reading skills such as using picture cues, word attack skills, dictionary work, comprehension, information retrieval skills etc. Teachers cater for the different needs in the classroom when using the class reader by asking questions gauged at different levels of ability.

Class novels ( C 39, 51, TG 66 – 68) The novel is used from third class up to give children the experience of using real books. Novels can be read independently or used in a group or class setting. Carefully selected class novels help to encourage children to read and draw the child’s attention to descriptive text, development of characters, plot etc. It is expected that class teachers have read and are very familiar with novels before using them for class discussion. Real books are also used from Junior Infants, with Big Books being used in the early years.Outside the set novels listed teachers use their own discretion in using novels in the classroom to develop skills in English.

Class level Year 1 Year 2

3rd The Twits Fantastic Mr Fox

4th Stanley Matilda

5th/6th A Girl called Blue I am David

5th/ 6th Silver Sword Faraway Home

Supplementary/ancillary/parallel readers are used to give children the opportunity to read at their level. At an early age children become aware of their different abilities. Teachers make every effort to instil confidence in children, and help them to identify and use their talents. It is very important that children with difficulties in reading are affirmed, encouraged and supported in taking the next step. Parents have a very important role in encouraging their children to read. Time the children spend reading together with parents should be a pleasurable experience where the parent and child use an age appropriate book set at the

child’s level of ability. Parents are given advice in September as to how they can best support their children with reading and how they can reinforce what is done in the classroom.

Supplementary Readers Learning Support

Fuzzbuzz Scheme – Seniors – 4th

Wellington Square Series – Seniors – 3rd

Go Books - Juniors – 2nd

P M Readers (gems) Juniors – 2nd

Sails (Heinemann) Seniors – 3rd

Flying Boot (Nelson) Juniors – 4th

Literacy Links Seniors – 3rd

Sunshine Spirals Seniors – 1st

Ginn Reading 360 1st & 2nd

Oxford Reading Tree Seniors – 4th

Story Chest: Seniors – 1st

Storyworlds Seniors – 1st

ORGANISATION OF READING IN THE CLASSROOMTeachers use a variety of organisational settings when teaching reading including whole class reading, paired reading, group reading, independent reading, individualized reading, teacher reading aloud, silent reading etc.Alternative strategies such as ‘Reader’s Theatre’ where children have pre- prepared the section they will be reading in front of their peers is encouraged for the following reasons namely:

• Because practice precedes performance, the quality is improved• Children provide their best performance for each other• Speed increases with practice• Rehearsal enables poor readers to give their best• Children enjoy participating and listening• Planning and rehearsal around the whole text promote sensitive and thoughtful responses and increased understanding and appreciation.

Children can be asked in advance to prepare particular paragraphs/ sections or take on character roles, narrative roles etc. Children can be given photocopies of scripts and asked to highlight the section they will be reading, mark places they need to pause with a couple of slashes, // etc.

PRINT RICH ENVIRONMENT (C. 18, 27, 39, 42, 51, 54) In our classrooms and school children are surrounded by print. Everything in the classroom is labelled at a level appropriate to the age of the children in the class. Teachers use posters, charts, dictionaries, newspapers etc. to provide an appropriate print rich environment for the children. From Infants children are able to use the labels and posters in their classrooms as cues for writing.

LIBRARYThe staff in the local village library are very supportive, helpful and welcoming to teachers. They regularly supply the junior classes with books and the senior classes visit fortnightly.

Alternative Reading Material: Ancillary/Supplementary ReadersIn Infants – 3rd the Oxford reading Tree and the Oxford Literacy web are used in parallel with the reading programme. Restocking class libraries is done frequently. All books have been covered with plastic covers from Ryco Jackets. Special Needs Assistants list and cover all books. It has been noted that children are reading at their level and really enjoying these books.Juniors Terms 2 & 3 – Go Books – stages 1-3; Sunshine Spirals (A,B,C,D); Oxford Reading Tree Stage 1 &

2.Seniors Sunshine Spirals (1,2,3,4); Oxford Reading Tree (Stage 3); Rocket Readers (Green, blue, Yellow

levels) 1st class Nelson- Flying Boot Series; reading 350 little books; Gumdrop; National Geographic windows on

literacy

WORD IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES ( C 18, 25 TG 57) From Junior Infants children are encouraged to look at letters in words, to look at the shape of words, to look for letters they recognise, to sound out letters that they know, to look for little words in big words etc.A variety of stories (with the letters themselves as main characters) are used to help children identify blends/diagraphs/words etc.

Other strategies used with the children every day are encouraging the children to look at the shape of the word, look for small words, breaking the word into syllables etc. The following word identification strategies are used in: Junior Infants/Seniors 1 Cueing strategies – Grapho/phonic cues (letter/sound), Semantic cues (meaning of text etc.) Syntactic cues (what word should come next)Seniors 2 & 1st class: SCUBA – Sound it out – Use main idea and picture clues; ask for help; check for clues in sentence; break word into parts; “Word hunt” games on IWB – choose correct word to match picture/sound2nd & 3rd - if cannot pronounce a word – sound out letters in word. Break work up into syllables; finding a sound that they know eg. “sh” “cl” in a word.

PHONOLOGICAL AND PHONEMIC AWARENESS ( C 18, 25, TG 58) Phonological Awareness is an umbrella term which includes Phonemic Awareness (focused on sounds of letters and letter blends), Syllabification (focused on breaking words into syllables) and Onset and Rime (focused on rhyme). A structured spiral programme has been devised by the Special Needs Team in consultation with the staff for implementation. All teachers have a copy of this programme and are expected to implement it. Teachers may teach sounds during the year in whatever order they wish. However, the whole programme must be taught by the end of the school year.

The Jolly Phonics programme is used in Junior and Senior infant classes in addition to elements of Letterland and PAT.Children in Junior Infants learn the following:• Letters A-Z: recognise letters and their sounds• Recognise ai, oa, ee, ea, ou, ue, er, ar, or, and their sounds from term 2 onwards.Children in Junior and Senior Infant classes learn the following :• Sounds: children revise the sounds learned in Junior Infants. They also learn the following two blend sounds

- sh, ch, th, oo, ie, ng, qu, oi, er.• Children learn to blend consonant and short vowel sounds (cv)• Children are taught to blend 3 letter words (cvc) The magic ‘e’ rules is also explored using words ending with

Ace ile Ake ive Ate Are Ide Ike

Juniors & Seniors 11. In Juniors from September a letter folder is sent home with the new letters and matching pictures. Children

and parents match letters to pictures 2. Stories are used to demonstrate relationships between letters/diagraphs/blends based on letterland characters3. Seniors have homework copies with PAT words (parental involvement increases confidence)4. Flashcards – after English lessons children in pairs/groups test eachother on letters/words etc.)

Seniors 2 & 1st1. 1st have phonics in Treasury Book also supplemented from A Way with Words and Sounds in Action2. Seniors – do a sound a week e.g. “at” words, based loosely on PAT; spelling workbook; powerpoints with

letters and sounds.2nd & 3rd

1. Phonics is covered in Treasury eg pin and an ‘e’ becomes pine – e soundAssessment of individual Phonological awareness: A phonics test, devised by the Special Needs team for assessment purposes, and based on the programme above, will be given to all classes (Infants – 6th) before the end of June. Class teachers assess children informally, regularly, on what has been taught. The class teachers and Special Needs teams will use the results of these tests, along with other informal/ formal tests and teacher observation to identify the needs of individual children. Seniors – Mist

BASIC SIGHT VOCABULARY ( C18, TG 57) From 1st - 3rd classes an agreed basic sight vocabulary - the Dolch list & 100 most frequently used words with a combination of sight words from the Starways scheme is used regularly with all children. Assessment of basic sight vocabulary will take place before the end of June for 1st – 6th classes. From 4th class upwards this checklist is used only with the below average readers. All teachers have a copy of these checklists. The class teachers and Special Needs teams will use the results of these tests, along with other informal/ formal tests and teacher observation to identify the needs of individual children. Junior Infants Sight Vocabulary

At middle and end of each book the Starways assessment sheets are used Dolch sheets Juniors – 1st (Green/Pink/Orange)

2nd & 3rd 200 most frequently used words for 2nd or copy of 300 most frequently used words for 3rd

LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE CHARTS (TG 55) Flip charts/ boards are used to record basic words children use in their every day experiences. These words are used to help develop basic sight vocabulary. In junior classes teachers compose sentences using these words and subsequently model the reading process

READING SCHEME: Starways Reading Scheme is used throughout the school. Emergent Reading (C 18, TG 50; Drumcondra English Profiles 91 – 93, 96 – 97: Learning Support Guidelines 80 – 81) Children begin a structured reading programme in Term 2 of Juniors

Big Books, Picture Books etc. are used so that children are given many opportunities to hear reading, talk about reading, appreciate the usefulness and pleasures of reading, to help them understand the conventions of text and the terminology of books (letter, word, sentence, page number, reading from left to right) etc.Basic sight vocabulary will be taught in Junior Infants including the vocabulary used in the Starways Reading scheme in preparation for the time when the children will be introduced to the reading scheme. However, if children are able to read when coming to school they will be encouraged to continue reading at their level and suitable reading material will be available for them in their classrooms.

Junior Infants: 1st term Focus is on developing pre-reading skills. Appropriate library/ancillary books are read in school and at home depending on the child’s ability as follows:

• Picture books – no script• Books with one or two words• Books with one sentence• Alphabet books e.g. Everything in book beginning with cJunior Infants: 2nd termCharacters from the first three books reading ‘Hello’, ‘Len likes to Hide’, ‘Jen plays tricks’ are introduced to the children. Sight words to the children using flashcards.

Junior Infants: 3rd termIndependent reading activities are introduced from week 2 where children read simple commands/instructions and demonstrate understanding through gesture, writing or orally. Read cloze texts and complete based on new words etc. Read stories based on particular blends (ch/sh/th/uh)Ancillary Readers: Oxford Reading Tree/Go Books

Senior Infants – word attack strategies will be developed with specific emphasis placed on word endings (1 per week – 8 words learned from group. Writing activities will incorporate these.

1st/2nd classesThe class reader will be used 4 times a week and Ancillary/Supplementary readers will be used on Friday. Children will be grouped according to their ability. The class reader will be used for Oral Language, Comprehension, Word attack strategies, Grammar/Phonics, writing activities and reinforcement of key words.3rd – 6th classes:Reading skills, word attack skills and dictionary skills will be taught using the class reader. Teachers will use a variety of approaches sometimes grouping children according to ability, sometimes using mixed ability groups depending on the needs of the children and the focus of the reading lesson.The Special Needs team will work with class teachers and assist them when working with reading groups.

COMPREHENSIONComprehension skills are developed through a combination of reading the text, reflecting on the text, discussing it, and writing about it. In the early years children are encouraged to use picture cues when answering questions. For developing comprehension skills teachers use a variety of methodologies such as the following:• SQ3R • KWL: What is it you Know? What is it you Want to know?What have you Learned?

Teachers are aware of the higher-order comprehension skills listed below( C 42, 54, TG 61 – 68)

Synthesis Analysis Deduction Correlation.

In a whole class situation during an oral language lesson teachers cater for all abilities through clever use of well thought out questions. Teachers use a variety of organisational settings when striving to develop the pupils’ comprehension skills: sometimes children working individually, in pairs, in groups or with the whole class. Comprehension skills are developed through oral and written work with an emphasis on discussion. Workbooks and class readers are used selectively and judiciously by teachers as a tool to develop the pupils’ comprehension skills. Comprehension skills are developed across the curriculum in all subject areas.

SILENT READING DEAR time – Drop Everything and Read. Silent Reading was introduced in September 2005 and teachers have noted its success. Teachers ensure that all children have a book they can read. In acting as a good role models the teacher reads silently as well. DEAR time finishes after 10 minutes. Teachers of 1st classes use their discretion in deciding the amount of time children spend reading silently.

PAIRED/SHARED READING Fifth/Sixth classes occasionally do Shared Reading with children from 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th classes. The children from 1st – 4th classes are chosen by the class teachers. They are children who have reading problems due to learning difficulties or children whose second language is English. TY pupils coming to our school also do a lot of shared reading as do SNAs when they have an opportunity. In the infant room the senior infants read for a Junior infant partner. This nurtures the reading skills of both.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT Teachers recognise that the parent’s support is crucial and parents support teachers primarily by showing an interest in their child’s learning: listening/talking with their children, talking about pictures in books, listening to their children reading, asking them questions on what they have read, checking spellings, encouraging them to become members of the local library etc. Parents are asked to sign their children’s homework diaries. Some class teachers may ask parents to sign reading logs. If parents are concerned about their child’s progress they should discuss this with the class teacher at the earliest opportunity.

AssessmentMist programme: MIST is a screening programme for Senior Infants. It tests listening skills, initial sounds, written vocabulary, blending 3 letter words and sentence dictation. It is given to Senior Infant children after Christmas. Children who are experiencing difficulties are selected for the MIST Forward Together Programme. This programme is taught to parents over a number of weeks by the Learning Support teachers and parents use the programme to help their children at home.

SPECIAL NEEDS/ ROLE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEAMSee school policy on Special Needs.

BOOK RELATED EVENTS• Book week: Children are sometimes encouraged to dress up as their favourite character.• Authors/Poets/Journalists are occasionally invited to read and speak to the children• The children visit the local library to hear books read

SPELLING – All classes from 1st – 6th use the following approach P.A.T. (weekly word groups taught and reinforced using - Look, Cover, Say, Write and Check. It is felt by teachers that if this is consistently taught and used by children from Seniors – 5th classes the process should be automatic by the time children reach 6th class. The school’s structured phonics programme will help children learn spelling. The Senior Infants use the P.A.T./Jolly Phonics programme taking a different word ending every week and exploring the different words created using it. However teachers are aware that phonics alone cannot be used to teach spelling and a consistent multi-dimensional approach is used in order to ensure that children do not become over reliant on phonics when spelling. Teachers encourage children to use a combination of Look, Cover, Say, Write and Check, Phonics and Word Attack skills when teaching spelling.

All classes from 1st to 6th use the Fallons Spelling book.In Juniors/Seniors 1 Infants we give weak pupils marks for good attempt especially when writing as this really increases children’s confidence and improves their appropriate spelling.Seniors 2 : Word Wall Charts: list of 50 frequent words; Differentiated objectives for weaker pupils; differentiated tasks/worksheets

1st use - 100 words of Dolch list off Sparklebox; also class list made up of frequently misspelled words.

First/Second classesTeachers will try to ensure that all pupils will be able to spell the 200 most frequently used words from Brendan Culligan’s book Improving Children’s Spelling Children will be tested weekly. Pupils are rewarded with a star/homework for good attempt.Third/Fourth classesDepending on class needs supplementary spelling material will be chosen by the class teacher

Fifth/Sixth classesTeachers will try to ensure that the children know how to spell Brendan Culligan’s corewords lists 1 and 2 (see attached). Sentences will be outlined each week and dictated for the test at the end of each week. Children set their own targets with guidance from the class teacher. Depending on the class needs supplementary spelling material will be chosen by the class teacher. In conjunction with Corewords 1 and 2 as referred to above, topic words will be chosen from cross curricular reading material.

Assessment of SpellingTeachers in the school use a variety of approaches.

When spelling tests are corrected teachers give marks for attempted spelling e.g. teachers highlight correct letters used in words. Teachers use their professional judgement when correcting spellings, depending on the child’s ability.

Teachers teach spelling and give spelling tests weekly. However, depending on the ability of the children or the length of the week they may choose not to give a spelling test. Spelling still needs to be monitored and children with difficulties identified.

Teachers give children lists (taking differentiation into account) to learn and cater for different abilities by asking children to set realistic targets for themselves. If children chose to learn 5 spellings and get them all correct they get 100% the same as the child who gets 20/20. However, percentages need not be used for marking spelling tests. Children are then encouraged to set a new, more challenging target for the next week.

In Seniors there are daily and weekly oral and written assessments of the weekly P.A.T./Jolly Phonics word endings.

Schonell graded spelling test is administered to 1st – 6th classes in June, giving a spelling age to each pupil.

POETRY (C. 18,27) Teachers and pupils have their own individual personal tastes in poetry. It is important that there is some flexibility in the selection of poetry by an individual class. However the following core set of poems will be taught during the year:Junior InfantsBased on Starways and teacher chosen poems.Eg :

On the Ning Nang None – Spike Milligan Outdoor song – AA Milne A Cough – Robert Graves The Caterpillar – Christina Rossetti My Name is …. Pauline Clarke Hey Diddle Diddle – Roald Dahl Witch, witch – Rose Fylenan The Dark – Adrian Henr Autumn woods – James S Tippett Summer Song – John Ciardi Rickety train Ride – Tony Mitton Breakfast – PH Kilby Daddy Fell into the pond – Alfred Noyes The Swing – Marchette Chute Snail – John Drinwater

Senior InfantsBased on Starways and teacher chosen poems.

1stBased on Starways and teacher chosen poems.

2ndBased on Starways and teacher chosen poems.

3rd/4th Based on Starways and teacher chosen poems.

5th/6thBased on Starways and teacher chosen poems.

EMOTIONAL AND IMAGINATIVE DEVELOPMENT ( c 21, 31, 44, 56)

Teachers foster the emotional and imaginative development of the children in the school through story, poetry and drama. The Christmas Concert, School Masses, Sacraments and Open night are just some examples of where children have an opportunity to show their work.

Grammar:A developmental programme is in place and based on the skills book from the reading scheme.Infants& 1st - grammar from the skills books. Simple cloze texts (ie generally sentences are completed by Senior Infant children to display understanding of verbs/nouns/pronouns etc.2nd class - sentences- joining sentences nouns plurals verbs alphabetical order3rd class - as above plus compound words contractions syllables comparisons word traps adjectives word opposites uses of dictionary describing words4th class - as above plus masculine + feminine adverbs collective nouns singular + plural 5th class - above plus proper + common nouns abstract + concrete nouns tenses conjunctions pronouns prepositions prefixes suffixes homonyms antonyms syllables abbreviations direct speech synonyms6th class – all the above are further developedGrammar books used: Word Study 2 Reading made Easy 1.2.3.4. Grammar Skills 4Onwards & Upwards 4 & 5 Alpha to Omega Treasury: Core Skills in English

Penmanship.Junior InfantsSeptember• Use of crayon, plastic materials and pencil.• Scribbling and drawing shapes. • Free style drawing. • Displaying, Formation of letters covered• Print with environment• Use of finger rhymes to prepare fingers for writing work• Prewriting letter patterns

October to December• As above plus…• Develop satisfactory grip using crayons progressing to pencils.• Use of hand hugger pencils• Emphasise posture• Kinaesthetic approach emphasised• Write numerals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5• Use of number picturesThe approach below is taken to the introduction of new letters • Forming individual letters in the following order:C o a d g q I j l k tr n m h b p u v w y xz e f s• Formations of numerals 3 4 5 0• Creating awareness of left-right, top-bottom orientation• See teacher model writing as an enjoyable experience• By December, pupil will be able to write first name

Teacher Resource : Teacher Manuals/Charts• Pupil Resource :

The following recommendations are made regarding pencil grip, pencil type, copy choice, introduction of pens:

• Crayons. • Hugger pencils, • Handwriting copies, • Modern Handwriting Book, • Scaffolded sheet From January – writing – Poems, news, homework from blackboard, labels etc.

Senior Infants• Children will be encouraged to write and draw frequently throughout the year

• Emphasis on proper pencil grip• Posture will be encouraged• Greater emphasis on left-right orientationSeptember – DecemberRevise lower case letters. Writing homework from blackboard. Copy words from the environmentOctober to December• Capital letters introduced in alphabetical order• Write labels to name families, people and things• Write his/her full name• Awareness of lower case and capital letters and full stops• Awareness of ascenders and descendars• Awareness of spacing between words• Trying to keep writing on the lineResourcesRecommendations are made regarding pencil grip, pencil type, copy choice, introduction of pens: Hugger pencils

.Modern Handwriting Handwriting copyPenmanship Resource BookThe Modern Handwriting books by Folens are used by 1st - 6th classes.

First ClassConsolidation and reinforcement of Senior infant work. Emphasis on proper pencil grip.Good writing posture Proper letter formation Quality presentation.ResourcesModern Handwriting Handwriting Copy.

Second ClassConsolidation and reinforcement of above Use of HB pencilsEmphasis on proper pencil grip .Good writing postue Proper letter formation Quality presentationJoined writing will be introduced at the end of the second term, as in the text book Modern Handwriting.Resources Modern Handwriting & Handwriting CopyThird ClassEmphasis on proper pencil grip good writing posture Use of brackets plus one line to correct errors. Proper letter formation Quality presentation Revision and consolidation of joining Introduction of modified letters r, k, e, f, d, b, p and q Joined handwriting in all written work January onwards.ResourcesModern Handwriting 3A. Handwriting Copy

Fourth ClassEmphasis on proper pencil grip , good writing posture , proper letter formation , quality presentationUse of pen to be introduced in late 4th Class Use of brackets plus one line to correct errors. Resources.Modern Handwriting 3A. Handwriting Copy

Fifth and Sixth ClassesEmphasis on proper pencil grip , good writing posture proper letter formation quality presentation .Develop a fluent personal style of handwriting Write for more sustained periods Felt tip pens

PROCESS WRITING At a planning meeting teachers discussed the Writing Process under the following headings:• Emphasis on the process• Variety of audience• Children have some control over subject• Children have consistent practise at drafting, editing and redrafting• Teacher acts as mentor and guide.

Teachers manuals were purchased in May 2007. An agreed Editing/Correction Key was developed by the teachers and all 1st – 6th class teachers use this checklist when correcting children’s work. Teachers agreed to display a chart showing these symbols in their classrooms. P. Punctuation … , “ “ ? !C. Capital letterGr. Grammar: Tenses 1st/2nd classesS.S. Sentence structure [ ] New paragraphR. Repetition: Using the same word again and again e.g. Then …………… and then.

Phonics TestThe Jackson Phonics test is administered by the special needs team to pupils whom class teachers have observed as having difficulties in reading.Information is obtained from these tests to provide the pupil with an individual programme of work to last for several weeks.E.Y.E.S. – Early Years Easy Screen is also used with pupils in Junior Infants if difficulties have been observed. Six key skill areas are observed:

1. Pencil co ordination skills2. Active body skills3. Number skills4. Oral language skills5. Visual Reading skills6. Auditory Reading skills

Success CriteriaThis plan will make a difference to the teaching and learning of English in our school. The criteria that will indicate success are:

Teachers’ preparation based on this plan Procedures outlined in this plan consistently followed

We will know that the plan has achieved its aims by: Feedback from teachers/parents Inspector’s suggestions/report Feedback from second level schools

ReviewIt will be necessary to review this plan on a regular basis to ensure optimum implementation of the English curriculum in the school.

TimeframeThis policy was reviewed at a staff planning evening in Spring 2012.

Ratification and CommunicationThis policy was ratified at April 2013 meeting of the Bord of Management .It is available for inspection by appointment with the principal.

APPENDIX A

JUNIOR INFANTS1. Consonants in initial positions (names and sounds) s, t, p, n, c, k, h, r, m, d, g, l, f, b, j, z, v, y, x, qu (as in

Jolly Phonics Programme) to be introduced by Christmas2. Short vowels in initial positions (names and sounds).

Blending of initial sounds when 3 sounds taught, i.e. s-a-t = sat3. Short vowels in medial positions = familiarization with short vowel sounds4. Revision of initial sounds after Christmas5. Continue blending to make 3 letter words, e.g. cab6. Building up work families (cat, bat, mat etc)7. Introduction of onset and rime, e.g.c = at8. Depending on readiness, introduce sounds

Ai oa ie ee or

NB Word Lists based on 3 letter words ( on page 143 – 154 or Jolly Phonic Manual)

SENIOR INFANTS1. Teachers revises Junior Infant Phonic Programme, and finishes sounds2. ai oa ie ee or ng oo ch sh th ou oi ue er

ar3. Pay particular attention to discriminating between vowel sounds4. NB word lists on page 143-154 of Jolly Phonics5. Concentrate on analysis and blending

RANG 11. Consonants in initial positions : 2. g(hard) k v y j (fun, king etc)3. Final double consonants: -ss -ll (mass, hill etc)4. Common endings: -ed -ing -s (singing, sings etc)5. Initial blends bl cl fl gl pl sl sp st6. Final blends : -nd -st -nt -ft7. Initial diagraphs: ch- sh- th-8. Final diagraphs -ch -sh -ng9. Common irregular words: taken from reading scheme10. Long vowels with silent e

RANG 21. Long vowels with silent e: mane, fine, bone, cure2. Double e: -ee , bee etc3. Initial blends: sm- sn- sc- sk- sw- tw- br- cr- dr- fr- pr- gr-

tr-4. Final blends: -lt -sp -ld -sk -ly5. Word endings: -er -est d -ly6. Initial diagraphs: qu- wh- ph-7. Final diagraphs:-th -tch -st -th -ck8. Vowel diagraphs: -ay- -ea- -ie -oe-

Teach: when 2 vowels go walking, the first one does the talking9. Simple two-syllable words: kitchen hotel10. Common irregular words, e.g. cough, ghost etc based on reading scheme

RANG 31. Vowel digraphs and combinations: -ue- -oe- -igh- -ew- -ur-2. Initial blends: scr- str- thr- shr- spl- sch-3. Soft c and soft g: city, gentle4. Diphthongs: -oe- -oy- -ou- -ow (bow tie/bow your head)5. Endings: -le -ble -dle -ple etc6. Compound words: lighthouse, searchlight etc7. Simple homonyms: their/there see/sea no/know two/to/too etc8. Words with silent letter: wr (write) kn(know) -mb(lamb) -t-(listen) etc9. -oo- -ow- combinations: soon/book town/gown10. three and four syllable words: aeroplane television

RANG 4As in rang 3, plus

1. Vowel digraphs and combinations: -ue- -oe- -igh- -ew- -ur-2. Initial blends: scr- str- thr- shr- spl- sch-3. Soft c and soft g: city, gentle4. Diphthongs: -oe- -oy- -ou- -ow 5. Endings: -le -ble -dle -ple etc6. Compound words: lighthouse, searchlight etc7. Simple homonyms: hole/whole eight/ate deer/dear not/knot8. Words with silent letter: wr (write) kn(know) -mb(lamb) -t-(listen) etc9. -oo- -ow- combinations: soon/book town/gown10. Irregular words: busy etc. take irregular words from scheme

RANG 51. Root families e.g express/expressing/expression2. Prefixes3. Suffixes4. Syllabication5. Compound words6. Simple homonyms: extension of work in Rang 3 and Rang 4. More challenging groups 7. Irregular words based on reading scheme

RANG 61. Root families2. Prefixes3. Suffixes4. Syllabification5. Compound words6. Simple homonyms: revise earlier work, plus more challenging lists7. Irregular words based on reading programme

Initial Steps in Phonics Teaching – Galbally National School Appendix B

4. The Phonological Awareness Training (PAT) Programme adopted by the junior and middle classes reinforces again the letters sounds, blends, diagraphs and spelling patterns through ‘onset and rime’ lists. A particular word ending is focused on each week in home and at school.

1. Sounds, letter names and handwriting verses are introduced through medium of story with Letterland Characters

(2 per week)(Follow Jolly Phonics Order)

3.The children’s prior knowledge of sounds, letter names and characters are built upon as blends, diagraphs and spelling patterns are taught. Stories involving relationships events between the Letterland characters help children in the younger classes learn the necessary phonics rules. (All of which re occur at every class level – See lists attached – Appendix C

2. ‘Alphabet Grid’ with corresponding pictures are used by children and families to reinforce letter sounds and names ( e.g. c is for cat etc.)

These phonics skills and concepts are continuously

reinforced through oral, reading and writing activities both in

school and at home (word lists used = Jolly Phonics Group 1-7,

Starways sight vocab, Dolch List)

Appendix CPhonics Stories Galbally NS

Blend/diagraph/spelling pattern Letterland Character Storych When Clever Cat sits beside the Hat Man he always

sneezes.sh The Hat Man hates Sammy Snake’s loud hissing noise

and always hushes him up (Shhhhhh!)*th (a) Talking Tess, who is always in a rush, makes tea for

Hat Man but is rushing and does not put the milk in. he burns his tongue(thongue)(b)Tess and Hat Man are both afraid of Thunder. Whenever they meet they ask each other if there is any Thunder on the way.

*wh (a)Wicked Witch, who always plays tricks, blows off the Hat Man’s hat every single time she is beside him!

ng This is the sound the Letterland bells make. Noisy Nick and Golden Girl are in charge of ringing bells. No one else has permission.

Magic e(e.g. _ike/ _ade/_ake/_ale/_ine/_ile/_ate etc)

“It’s always the same, the vowels will say their name, When magic e puts the spell on them, they’ll always say their name”

Vowels Out Walking(e.g. ai, ay, ea, ee, ie, oa, ue)

When two vowels go walking the first one does the talking (the other is looking out for The Robot Robbers who take vowels when they aren’t looking)

*oooo = shoot, hoot, pool, school, spoon etc.oo = foot, hood, good, look, took

(a)Oscar Orange thinks he is the only orange in the whole of Letterland. When he bangs into another orange they both say “Oooo! Whooo are you? You are an orange toooo!”(b)The Fighting boot and foot Twins: “he says oo I have your boot and I say oo just look at my foot” (Who won each fight?)

*qu Quarrelsome Queen has beautiful hair but is very cross. You can imagine how cross she would get if her hair got wet. That is why she NEVER goes ANYWHERE without Uppy Umbrella

*ew Wicked Witch used to say nasty things. Once she said “Ew! I’ve never seen anyone with a nose like that” to Eddy Elephant. He blew his trunk so loud that she decided never to say mean things again. Every time they meet she thinks of it.

*ow Oscar Orange doesn’t like when he’s at the end of a word with Wicked Witch because she loves eating oranges and might try to peel him when no one is looking! OW!!She never gets to because the other letters hear him call! (OW)

*ou There’s someone else in Letterland who loves oranges, not eating them, just hugging them. Yes Uppy Umbrella loves hugging Oscar Orange! But Oscar doesn’t like it much. Uppy’s pointy edges hurt him too much (OU!)

er/ir/ure.g. bird/herd/burn – same sound

We are the Er Brothers we take turns. We sound the same in many many words. Is it er, is it ir, is it ur….You better watch because we take turns

Kne.g. knee, knight, know, knew

If you want to know who upsets the King and why he might not kick. Then look no further, just ask Noisy Nick (Story: The King of Letterland hates loud noise…)

*phe.g. phone, elephant, photo, Philip

(a)When Fireman Fred is on holidays Harry Hat Man takes the hose but cannot find the fire without Peter puppy’s excellent nose (ph = f)(b)When Peter Puppy is feeling sad the Hat Man makes him laugh, by asking him to smile and taking his photograph

*ugh If Peter Puppy can’t help Hat Man Golden Girl will

e.g. laugh, cough, rough, tough smell the fire but will not go near the hose without the umbrella to save her hair (ugh = f)

*ighe.g. high, night, light, height, sight

When Golden Girl and Hat man are finished their shift at the firestation they go to sleep. Mr I listens for the alarm and they don’t make a sound.

*tion If anyone finds their maths a little tricky they can get help from the letterland Maths Champs (tion-Talking Tess, Mr.I, Mr. O and Noisy Nick). They teach addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and fractions.

*wre.g. wrong, write, wrinkle etc.

The only person that the witch is a little afraid of is Robber Red/Robot Red. She doesn’t say a word when she meets him (wr=r)

One and Two Wicked witch likes number tricks in the number one you can hear her but you can’t see her. In the number two you can see her but you can’t hear her.

oi and oy When Oscar Orange meets Impy Ink or Yo Yo Man he always shouts their favourite chant; “Oi, Oi, Oi, Oi, Oi Hear us when we cry, cry cry ….Oi!