Janet brennan new eng curric 12 march15

New NC for English

Janet BrennanMaking a difference for your pupils The new English curriculum

1Janet BrennanMaking a difference_new English curriculumNovember 2013

ObjectivesBy the end of this session, you should:be familiar with five key aspects of the new National Curriculum for English that particularly support EAL pupils and low attainers in primary schoolsbe able to refer to evidence to underpin the abovehave had an opportunity to discuss your schools English provision with others and identify action points.

Making a difference_new English curriculumNovember 2013Janet Brennan2

Context

Number and percentage of EAL pupils in primary schools January 2013 Rank Local authority EAL Pupil roll N %

Source: National Pupil Database, quoted in Strand et al. English as an Additional Language (EAL) and educational achievement in England: An analysis of the National Pupil Database, Strand, S. et al. EEF, January 2015.

9th highest

EAL: two very recent reportsThe Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), Unbound Philanthropy and The Bell Foundation commissioned research to investigate:

Who are the most at-risk groups of learners with English as an Additional Language (EAL) and what are the predictors of low attainment for these learners? What are the most promising programmes and interventions to address EAL achievement gaps on the basis of causal evidence?

Strand, S., Malmberg, L. & Hall, J. (2015). English as an Additional Language (EAL) and educational achievement in England: An analysis of the National Pupil Database. London: EEF. Murphy, V. & Unthiah, A. (2015). A systematic review of intervention research examining English language and literacy development in children with English as an Additional Language (EAL). London: EEF.

Both reports, and an executive summary, can be accessed at: www.educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk


English as an additional languageIt is proficiency/fluency in the English language that is the major factor associated with variation in the attainment of students recorded as EAL Fluency in English is also the biggest factor influencing the degree of support an individual student will require, and schools need to be able to assess this need accurately using their own procedures and expertise. However, we have been able to point to various risk factors for low attainment among EAL students. In most cases these are the same risk factors as apply for FLE students, but it is notable that recent international arrival, school mobility and particular first languages groups within the White Other and Black African ethnic groups are associated with much higher risks of low attainment for EAL students. Source: Executive Summary of the Strand and Murphy reports (EEF)


EAL risk factors (Key Stage 2)special educational needsinternational arrival during the key stagepupil mobilityethnic groupentitlement to free school mealsneighbourhood deprivationregion (EAL pupils in London tend to achieve higher scores than those in other regions.)agegender.

S. Strand, L. Malmberg, J. Hall (2015). English as an Additional Language (EAL) and educational achievement in England: An analysis of the National Pupil Database. Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).


Five key aspectsFive aspects of the new National Curriculum for English that particularly support EAL and low-attaining pupils

Reading and vocabularyHart and Risleys important research in the 1990s showed the massive gap between the vocabulary of children from low-income backgrounds and others. Children who can read independently are already building up their vocabulary and success breeds success. Children who struggle are likely to continue to struggle, unless someone intervenes swiftly. It is therefore vital that children crack the alphabetic code early on, learn to read fluently and, importantly, want to read for themselves.

Hart, B. and Risley, T. R. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Paul H Brookes Publishing.


The Matthew EffectKeith Stanovich (1986) has referred to the Matthew effect, that is: the-rich-get-richer and poor-get-poorer patterns of reading achievement. Children who have good, early educational experiences, including reading, are able to take advantage of new experiences more effectively.

You can watch Stanovich discussing this here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF6VKmMVWEc


So five key aspects to make a differenceDistinguish between decoding and language comprehension.Teach spelling in detail, including: phonic knowledge and common exception words at Key Stage 1morphology, etymology and word lists at Key Stage 2.Actively build up childrens vocabulary (in speech and through written text).Promote reading for pleasure: the essential foundation for vocabulary growth and independence.Teach English grammar and the terms needed to discuss it: show children how the English language works and talk about it in the context of words, sentences and whole texts.

1. Decoding and comprehension: The Simple View of ReadingThe Simple View of Reading underpins the two dimensions of the programmes of study for reading in the NC:word reading: grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs) and common exception wordscomprehension: both listening and readingThe Simple View of Reading is a conceptual framework based on very substantial research.

The Simple View of Reading

Good word recognition, good language comprehensionGood word recognition, poor language comprehensionPoor word recognition, poor language comprehensionGood language comprehension, poor word recognition

SVoR: implications for teachersAll teachers should understand the SVoR framework, which is especially important in teaching EAL and low-attaining pupils.The conceptual framework makes it explicit that different kinds of teaching are needed for decoding (word reading) and for comprehension.Teachers should not necessarily expect pupils to show equal performance or progress in each dimension.Performance and progress in each dimension can be assessed separately to identify learning needs, further teaching, and intervention when necessary.


Some component processes of readingScarborough, H. (2001); Oakhill, J. Cain, K. & Elbro, C. (2014)

2. SpellingWhen we teach phonics, we are teaching children how we use the 26 letters in the English alphabet (singly or in groups) to represent sounds in English. This is the English alphabetic code.

The Rose Review of early reading said:

It cannot be left to chance, or for children to ferret out, on their own, how the alphabetic code works.

Rose, J. (2006), Independent review of the teaching of early reading. London: DfES.

Phonics for spellingPhonics is vital for spelling at Key Stage 1, as well as for reading. In the later stages of learning to spell, children also need to learn how to use other aspects of language:morphology the bits of words, such as roots, prefixes and suffixes (including how to form plurals)etymology a words history and its relationship to other words.

Spelling

However phonic knowledge should continue to underpin spelling after key stage 1; teachers should still draw pupils attention to GPCs that do and do not fit in with what has been taught so far.

This is particularly important for low attainers, late arrivals into a key stage and those still learning English.

DfE (2013), The national curriculum in England. Framework document September 2013

3. Vocabulary in the National CurriculumOpportunities for teachers to enhance pupils vocabulary arise naturally from their reading and writing. As vocabulary increases, teachers should show pupils how to understand the relationships between words, how to understand nuances in meaning, and how to develop their understanding of, and ability to use, figurative language. They should also teach pupils how to work out and clarify the meanings of unknown words and words with more than one meaning.

DfE (2013), The national curriculum in England. Framework document September 2013


Teach vocabulary directlyGood readers are able to use vocabulary to support their comprehension, so:teach vocabulary directly and explicitly before reading to build background/content knowledgetalk about words as you read to show how they relate to the content you are teachingpronounce words and let pupils practise them aim for pupils automaticity in reading these words to contribute to fluent decodingask pupils to define new vocabulary in their own words


Teach vocabulary directly (cont.)develop vocabulary actively: increase word storemake links across words; discuss shades of meaningaim for depth of vocabulary as well as breadth because expanded vocabulary provides choice for writing and support for sophisticated comprehension.Also:teach the meaning of instruction verbs (academic vocabulary or command words) for tests and give examples so that pupils know what they have to do.


Consolidate vocabularyRevisit new words in different and relevant contexts to consolidate understanding and embed conceptual knowledge (e.g. attract in English and science).Explain how vocabulary differs in different contexts (e.g. plain in English and geography).Show how new words link to known words, so building up networks of meaning and understanding, and supporting spelling e.g. sign, signal, signature, signet (ring), signify. Discuss how prefixes and suffixes relate to root words and alter meaning(s) e.g. structure, structures, obstruct, obstructive, construct, destructive, destruction, restructure, restructuring.


Common English sayings and idiomsCommon sayings and idioms are another type of vocabulary knowledge. The wider context determines whether the meaning is literal or figurative. For example:Aisha had a piece of cake in her lunchbox.Jo thought that the maths was a piece of cake.

The blackbird sat on the fence near the playground.Their father did not make up his mind; he just sat on the fence about the money for the trip.

EAL children and children on the autistic spectrum need particular help with understanding idioms that native speakers take for granted.

For further discussion, see Oakhill, J., Cain, K. and Elbro, C. (2014). Understanding and teaching reading comprehension: a handbook. London: Routledge.


4. Reading for pleasureThe National Curriculum says that teachers should teach pupils to:develop positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they read by:listening to and discussing a range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or text books

We have already seen that children who can read independently build up their vocabulary. Success breeds success.

5. English grammar: words and sentencesThe National Curriculum is explicit about teaching English grammar, as well as the terms needed. It says pupils should:

acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language.

In writing, this is particularly important for articulating and communicating ideas.In reading, this is important as pupils begin to read texts using structures with which they are less familiar.

Spoken versus written languageA written text, even if it is read aloud, is not everyday language for any children. The grammatical structures are less familiar to them, often more formal and more complex; vocabulary might also differ. Compare these two examples:Some animals sleep in winter so they dont use up energy. withIn order to conserve energy, some animals hibernate in winter.

Same meaning, different grammar and vocabulary, including :Latinate vocabulary (conserve, hibernate)Different conjunctions (so v. in order to)Subordination to start second sentence

26Janet BrennanMaking a difference_new English curriculumNovember 2013

Spoken versus written language (cont.)As well as understanding vocabulary in a text, children need to understand how grammar affects meaning.

The police rescued the drowning boy. active The drowning boy was rescued by the police. passive

The sentences look different on the surface, and are grammatically different, but their meaning is the same. Children need to be taught directly to understand less familiar grammar, such as passive verbs, as well as to use such grammar in their own writing for particular effects.

Grammar as a tool for reading and writingLow-attaining children and those who speak English as an additional language are very unlikely to encounter these forms of language by chance.

As the National Curriculum says, listening to and discussing a range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or text books gives children access to these more formal written forms.

Grammar: implications for professional developmentIt is helpful for teachers to understand how the grammatical choices a writer makes underpin the effectiveness of writing. Helping children to understand how grammar is being used supports their understanding of what they read and gives them a toolkit to apply to their writing.The terminology gives them the words they need to refer to what they are writing and reading.This has implications for professional development.

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Discussion and questions

DiscussionWhat did you prioritise in your school in preparing for the new English curriculum?What changes might still be needed, perhaps in the light of this presentation or discussion today?What sticking points or challenges are you facing? What might help?What are the implications for professional development?


Questions and feedback


Janet BrennanLondon West Alliance12 March 2015

Making a difference for your pupils The new English curriculum


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Janet brennan new eng curric 12 march15