Literacy Interventions – Literacy Interventions – developing functional literacydeveloping functional literacy

““Maximising learning potential through Maximising learning potential through inclusion and support”inclusion and support”

Work at Twyford CE High School, Acton. Jan Salter, Head of Learning & Inclusion

Strategic VisionStrategic Vision Twyford is a school with a very wide ranging student

community. A higher than average percentage of the school community have statements of educational needs (bands A – E) and the majority of these are for Specific Learning Difficulties and Communication difficulties, many students having Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

In addition to ensuring that statemented students have individualised programmes which match the requirements identified in students’ SEN statements and annual reviews, the school also has a clear policy of early intervention targeted at years 7 & 8.

Our strategy aims to equip students to access the main school curriculum as fully as they are able and to pre-empt students becoming disaffected.

Exam Analysis 08-09Exam Analysis 08-09Year 11 No Exceeded Met Under VA

Statemented 9 (8) 3 3 2 +P 3 2 1 +LAC 2 (1 stat) 1 (stat) 1 +

GCSE – 13 students

Literacy SupportLiteracy SupportManaged by the Literacy Co-ordinator1-1 Reading years 7 - 11 by TAs &

Yr.11 reading mentors“Catch-up” Reading“Toe-by-Toe”Year 8 & 9 Literacy groups7 literacy groups supporting reading

comprehensionWriting Organisation groups – for

students with a level 3 in writing (English KS2 SAT)

Spelling groups

Identification of studentsIdentification of studentsFrom testing reading & spelling

during the transition day visitKS2 SAT resultsGroups are set up in July ready for

teaching to begin in SeptemberLetters are sent to parents inviting

them to a Literacy Talk prior to the Year 7 Evening of Welcome

Parental support is Parental support is valuablevaluableAttendance at the Literacy evening is

high (taking place an hour before the Year 7 evening of welcome)

Parents are given a reading list and a set of helpful hints (part of handout)

Letters are always sent to inform parents of group or individual interventions and permission is sought (if there is no reply, it is taken to mean tacit consent)

1:1 Reading1:1 ReadingYear 10 students apply for the position of

reading mentor in May.Students are interviewed by Advanced

Literacy TA, who runs the scheme.Students are offered training by the SENCO Students are given a trial in the summer

termStudents are allocated two days each week

and particular students to pair up withOlder students gain responsibility; younger

students enjoy the relationship of a year 11 reading mentor

Students have badges to wear on their blazer and a reward trip the following April – pizza lunch and bowling – in school time

Year 7 Reading Comprehension Year 7 Reading Comprehension groupsgroupsEach Year 7 class has 6 English lessons –

one is a reading lesson.The Literacy Coordinator is also an English

teacher. She does not teach a Year 7 English group so has these periods available & liaises with teachers about the timing of these lessons.

6 of the 7 groups are taught by her. Instead of a reading lesson, a group of 6-8 students are withdrawn for reading comprehension work at that time.

Students are tested in December. If they have made enough progress they graduate from the group. Most students graduate after one year on the programme.

KS3 Nurture provisionKS3 Nurture provisionManaged by the KS3 SENCONurture Literacy – takes place

instead of MFL in years 7 & 8 (6 lessons per fortnight)◦Learning to Listen, language

development◦Reading Comprehension◦Writing development◦Talk Time – developing social skills◦Enrichment, creative activities

Learning to ListenLearning to ListenGood listeners make good learners.Games and exercises where listening is

important – to develop listening comprehension skills

Main content this year has used classical music, poetry & oral story traditions – to develop writing.

For example Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture was used as inspiration for writing about War.

“Timothy Winters” was used to listen for rhyme. The students did not have the poem in front of them but still remembered the end rhymes.

Next year will incorporate popular music and develop work using stories.

Talk TimeTalk Time Developed by the KS3 SENCO in response to the

large numbers of students with communication needs.

Aims to help students listen to each other, share ideas, take turns and promote good communication leading to more opportunities fore friendship.

Opportunities to share good news – raise self-esteem.

To trouble shoot – students can share a problem and help each other to solve it – usually around friendships.

Use of role play – social situations Use of Games, turn taking. “Twister” has been surprisingly good even with

our ASD students.

Analysis of literacy results over KS3 Analysis of literacy results over KS3 – Year 9 (June 10) – Year 9 (June 10)

Data based on 176 students. The progress in reading is markedly better than in spelling. This suggests

that vocabulary development and the explicit teaching of subject specific vocabulary would be useful.

10:00 is the level needed to independently access a GCSE exam paper and is used as the measure of functional literacy. (LB Ealing sets this at 9:00). 2 yrs 10 months elapsed between the two tests.

Spelling 21 students were below 10:00 in spelling on entry. In year 9, 4 students

are still below 10:00 (3 have statements of SEN).  For the 21 students given intervention the average progress in spelling

was 1 yr 9 months. 2 students made 2yrs 10 months or more progress in spelling over the key stage; one made 4yrs, 7months .

58 students made 1 yr 6 months progress or more in spelling and 147 students now have a spelling age above 12.0

Reading 30 students were below 10:00 in reading on entry. In Year 9, 4 students

are still below 10:00 (1 has a statement of SEN).  For the 30 students given reading intervention the average progress in

reading was 3 yrs 5 months; 14 made over 4 yrs progress and one, 6yrs 10 months .

113 students made 2 yrs 10 months or more progress in reading over the key stage & 168 now have reading ages over 12.0.

Interventions for InclusionInterventions for InclusionBreakfast clubs (10 & 11)Lunchtime clubs

◦Maths Games (7)◦Board games (7)◦Year 8 board games (8)

Support at break & lunch time◦KS3 – Old Chapel, TAs on duty break

& lunch◦KS4 – A19, TAs on duty at lunch time.