Post on 20-Nov-2021
English - Whole School Plan
Introduction:
This English whole school plan was prepared by the staff of St. Joseph’s N.S.
during the academic year 2017-2018 and will be implemented in full from
September 2018. It will be reviewed periodically.
Rationale:
In St. Joseph’s N.S, we are committed to the holistic development of all pupils.
We see the development of their fluency in the English language as being central
to this process. We believe that the ability of our pupils to communicate fluently,
confidently and effectively will contribute greatly to the development of their self-
esteem and their personal growth. We also believe that their academic progress
depends to a large extent on their ability to communicate orally and through the
written word. In our school, therefore, we attach a high priority to giving pupils a
command of English.
Aims:
1. To enable the children to speak, read and write independently and effectively.
2. To foster an enjoyment and appreciation of the English language.
Broad Objectives, Content and Methodologies:
The broad objectives, content and methodologies for the teaching and learning of
oral language, reading and writing are detailed in this document. Each of these
areas is presented under the four strand headings of the Revised English
Curriculum, and reflects best current practice and pedagogy.
Oral Language
Broad Objectives:
The aim of this plan is to provide a structured sequential programme for teachers
to enable children to:
1. Gain pleasure and fulfilment from language activity
2. Develop the capacity to express intuitions, feelings, impressions, ideas and
reactions in response to real and imaginary situations through talk and
discussion, and the development of ideas.
3. Develop fluency, explicitness and confidence in communication.
4. Develop listening skills, language conventions, vocabulary, aesthetic
response and language manipulation.
Approach to Oral Language
The school’s agreed approach to Oral Language will draw on three areas of
content:
Communicating
Understanding
Exploring and using
The oral language programme will be taught from Sep to June each year.
Conversations and discussions
Interest talks
Questioning and Interviews
Story telling
Arguments and Debates
Oral reports
Instructions
Developing listening and Speaking skills
Broad rules that govern
social interaction:
Paralinguistic skills: Extra linguistic skills:
Turn taking
The floor
Adjacency pairs
Repair
Volume
Intonation
Pitch
Pause
Pronunciation
Markers
Proximity
Eye Contact
Affective Displays
Kinesics
Phonics
A systematic phonic programme with daily instruction is recommended. An ideal
lesson should follow these steps:
1 Review of sight words containing the sound, shop, ship etc
2 Isolation and identification of the sound: sh
3 Blending of the sound with known endings, e.g. sh-ape, sh-ade etc
4 Spelling the new words/Dictation
5 Activities, e.g word building sh
Phonic method
An approach to reading instruction where the emphasis is placed upon the sound
value of letters as a means of word recognition
Analysis
Breaking down a word into its individual letter sounds, e.g. ship = sh+I+p
Blending
Linking together the individual sounds to form the whole word, sh+ee+p
Digraph
Two letters, vowel or consonant, which combine to make one sound:
chin meat
Diphthong
Two vowels blending to make one sound: oil
Phonics in Junior Infants
1. Jolly phonics programme to be completed by the summer. 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 Christmas
2. The following sounds to be introduced after Christmas ai, oa, ie, ee, or, ng
oo, ch, sh, th, ou, oi, ue, er, ar
3. Short vowels in initial positions (names and sounds).
Blending of initial sounds when 3 sounds taught, i.e. s-a-t = sat
4. Short vowels in medial positions = familiarization with short vowel sounds
5. Revision of initial sounds after Christmas
6. Continue blending to make 3 letter words, e.g. cab
7. Building up work families (cat, bat, mat etc)
8. Introduction of onset and rime, e.g. c = at
Phonics in Senior Infants
1. Teachers revises Junior Infant Jolly Phonic Programme, and the learning
support teacher teaches the PAT Programme focusing on onset and rime.
2. Concentrate on analysis and blending
Phonics in First Class
1. The learning support teacher teaches the Jolly Grammar Programme.
2. Consonants in initial positions : 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 st
6. Final blends : -nd -st -nt -ft
7. Initial diagraphs: ch- sh- th-
8. Final diagraphs -ch -sh -ng
9. Common irregular words: taken from reading scheme
10. Long vowels with silent e
Phonics in Second Class
1. Long vowels with silent e: mane, fine, bone, cure
2. Double e: -ee , bee etc
3. Initial blends: sm- sn- sc- sk- sw- tw- br- cr- dr-
fr- pr- gr- tr-
4. Final blends: -lt -sp -ld -sk -ly
5. Word endings: -er -est d -ly
6. Initial diagraphs: qu- wh- ph-
7. Final diagraphs: -th -tch -st -th -ck
8. Vowel diagraphs: -ay- -ea- -ie -oe-
Teach: when 2 vowels go walking, the first one does the talking
9. Simple two-syllable words: kitchen/hotel
10. Common irregular words, e.g. cough, ghost etc based on reading scheme
Phonics in Third and Fourth Classes
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, gentle
4. Diphthongs: -oe- -oy- -ou- -ow (bow tie/bow your head)
5. Endings: -le -ble -dle -ple etc
6. Compound words: lighthouse, searchlight etc
7. Simple homonyms: their/there see/sea no/know two/to/too etc
8. Words with silent letter: wr (write) kn(know) -mb(lamb) -t-
(listen) etc
9. -oo- -ow- combinations: soon/book town/gown
10. three and four syllable words: aeroplane television
Phonics in Fifth and Sixth classes
1. Root families e.g express/expressing/expression
2. Prefixes
3. Suffixes
4. Syllabication
5. Compound words
6. Simple homonyms
7. Irregular words based on reading scheme
Reading
Broad Objectives
The aim of this plan is to provide a structured and sequential programme for
teachers to enable children to:
1. Develop print awareness, phonemic awareness, word identification strategies
and sight vocabulary.
2. Develop their comprehension and analytical strategies.
3. Expand their understanding and usage of grammar, syntax and punctuation.
4. Develop their appreciation of the richness and diversity of reading material.
5. Experience the pleasure and fulfilment to be gained from reading.
Approach to Reading
In our approach to reading, we consider the following:
the children’s general language development
the central role of phonological and phonemic awareness
the planning of book related events such as book fairs and book weeks
the involvement of parents’ in children’s reading
These approaches will be recognised at all stages of children’s acquisition of
reading i.e. from the emergent reader, to the instructional reader and to the
independent reader.
1. Print-Rich Environment
A variety of examples of a print-rich environment are evident in our school
including big books in a range of genres, picture books, independent reading
books, charts of poems, songs and rhymes, labels and directions, name charts,
written materials produced by the children, jobs chart, timetables, word
charts, magnetic surfaces and magnetic letters, notice board (messages for
children to read), charts of days, months, seasons and festivals calendars and
theme charts.
2. Basic Sight Vocabulary
Basic sight vocabulary is an important component of the language base the child
needs before embarking on a structured reading programme. It will be acquired
from a number of sources, such as language experience material, large-format
books, environmental print, labeling, flash cards, etc. Sight vocabulary will be
developed through selecting common words, core words, words from the
reader, high interest words, Dolch list, and social sight vocabulary.
3. Phonological Awareness
Phonological awareness will be developed through:
Syllabic awareness – syllabic blending, syllable segmentation, syllable
counting, syllable isolation.
Onset and rhyme – nursery rhymes and rhyming poems, detecting rhymes in
stories, rhyme judgement, rhyme generation.
Phonemic awareness – identify initial sound – final sound – medial
sound; Phoneme blending, Phoneme deletion, Phoneme isolation, Phoneme
substitution, Phoneme transposition.
A range of specifically targeted Phonological Awareness Programmes will be
used e.g Jolly Phonics and The PAT Programme.
Assessment of Individual Phonological awareness: The class teachers and
LS/RT will use the results of Phonological Tests, along with other informal/ formal
tests and teacher observation to identify the needs of individual children.
4. Reading Fluency
The primary strategies recognised in this school to enable children to identify
words are their knowledge of letter-sound relationships (grapho/phonic cues),
their experiences and understanding of the world (meaning or semantic cues)
and their knowledge of the forms of language (syntactic cues). From the outset
children are encouraged to look at letters in words, the shape of words, for letters
they recognise, to sound out letters that they know, to look for little words in big
5. Phonics
The specific phonics programmes used in our school are The Jolly Phonics
Programme from Junior Infants to Second class. The Jolly Phonics Programme
is a Synthetic Phonics Approach. In order to develop reading fluency among our
children we ensure time is allocated daily to recreational reading activities.
6. Comprehension Skills
The comprehension skills that will be developed through language activity in our
school include analysis, synthesis, inference, deduction, summarisation,
evaluation and correlation. Teachers explicitly teach a number of strategies that
relate to factual texts and fictional texts including scanning, skimming,
search reading, reflective reading, brainstorming and categorising, sequencing,
predicting etc. by modelling the language and process for
children. Comprehension skills are developed through oral and written work with
an emphasis on discussion.
SRA: Children from First to sixth classes will use the SRA laboratory reading kit
to develop comprehension skills. Use the Use SQR technique from SRA
laboratory reading kit:
Survey picture, title, first sentence and last paragraph.
Question what the picture is about, why did the author write the story.
Read the story.
7. Reading Material
We aim to use a variety of reading material such as big books, class readers,
parallel readers, poetry anthologies, etc.
Big Books are used to expose children to reading in order to develop their
receptiveness to language. It also provides children with an opportunity to talk
about reading and expose them to the conventions of print. The class reader is
used to develop reading skills such as word attack skills, dictionary work,
comprehension, information retrieval skills etc. Teachers ensure that their use of
questioning on the class reader is differentiated to cater for the varying needs
within the classroom.
Parallel readers serve to give children the opportunity to read independently at
their level to ensure they view reading as an enjoyable activity, to develop
fluency and heighten their self-esteem. We endeavour to select reading material
that lends itself to group/individual recitation, and we aim to include
expository, narrative and diagrammatic/representational texts in our selection.
We recognise the importance of using reading material as a means to develop
our children emotionally and imaginatively and engage in activities such as
character development, discuss why they chose a particular text, respond to
material read through drama, art and music, etc We have adopted a variety of
approaches such as collaborative reading, independent reading, group reading,
whole class approach, etc and we aim to strike a balance throughout the year.
We have a celebratory Book Week for World Book Day each March. We
encourage Book Fairs to keep our reading material updated and contemporary
The school library is located next to the office. Children pick a book from the
library once a week. Senior classes endeavour to visit Dunboyne library every 3
weeks for a term.
Class novels will be used from Rang 3 to Rang 6. There are several sets of
novels currently available in the school, and a full list of these is available in the
Navan Library. When selecting a class novel, the following issues will be
considered
Suitability for reading level/age of pupils
Suitability of content/subject
Teacher’s own interest in a particular novel
Interests of a particular class
The class novels are currently banded according to class level. If teachers wish
to use a novel other than those on their own class bands, they are asked to
source a new title rather than using a novel from a different band.
Dictionaries will be used from Third Class up. Formal time will be devoted to
teaching the children how to use a dictionary correctly. For this purpose, a child
friendly dictionary will be selected, and all pupils will be encouraged to obtain the
same publication. The dictionary selected for use is Fallons Children’s Oxford
Dictionary, Irish Edition.
Children in 5th and 6th classes have access to thesauruses, and pupils will be
encouraged to use these.
Poetry
Junior and Senior Infants: nursery rhymes
First and Second Classes: acrostics and rhyming couplets
Third and Fourth Classes: adjective poems and limericks
Fifth and sixth classes: kennings, alliteration poems and haiku
3rd to Sixth classes learn a new poem or verse of poem by rote every month.
Children will write their own acrostic and adjective poems.
Writing
Broad Objectives:
The aim of this plan is to provide a structured and sequential programme for
teachers to enable children to:
1. Write clearly, correctly and fluently.
2. Use a wide range of vocabulary.
3. Use grammar and punctuation appropriately.
4. Write in a wide variety of genres encompassing differing styles, purposes,
audiences and level of formality.
5. Experience opportunities to develop presentation, editing and publishing
skills.
6. Engage in collaborative writing experiences.
7. Develop a high standard of penmanship.
Handwriting: Left handed Pupils
Children’s hand dominance will not be influenced. Children will be encouraged to
find a pencil grip that is comfortable, and allows good writing. In senior classes,
ball point pens may be more suitable for left handed children than ink pens.
Cursive Handwriting
Cursive handwriting will be introduced across the school in September 2018
using Brendan Culligan’s Go with the Flow scheme. This will enable children to
write fluently, quickly and clearly.
Writing for Junior Infants
Use of crayon and plastic materials
Scribbling and drawing shapes.
Free style drawing.
Displaying
Print with environment
Use of finger rhymes to prepare fingers for writing work
Prewriting letter patterns
Develop satisfactory grip using crayons progressing to pencils.
Use of hand hugger pencils
Emphasise posture
Introduction to cursive writing
Kinaesthetic approach emphasised
Forming individual letters in the same order as the Jolly Phonics
Programme is taught.
Formations of numerals
Creating awareness of left-right, top-bottom orientation
See teacher model writing as an enjoyable experience
By June, pupil will be able to write first name, cvc words and a sentence
Writing in 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 orientation
lower case letters
Writing from blackboard
Copy words from the environment
Writing dictation sentences
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 line
Writing in First and Second Classes
Consolidation and reinforcement of Senior infant work
Use of HB pencils
Emphasis on proper pencil grip
Emphasis on good writing posture
Emphasis on proper letter formation
Emphasis on quality presentation
Ruling margins
Writing in A11 copies
Introduction of cursive handwriting
Writing in Third and Fourth Classes
Use of HB pencils
Emphasis on proper pencil grip
Emphasis on good writing posture
Emphasis on proper letter formation
Emphasis on quality presentation
Introduction of modified letters r, k, e, f, d, b, p and q
Emphasis on quality presentation
Use of ink pen rather than ballpoint biro to facilitate good handwriting
Use of pen to be introduced in late 4th Class
Use of pen licence to encourage neat handwriting
Use of brackets plus one line to correct errors.
Use of B2 Handwriting copy
Writing in Fifth and Sixth Classes
Emphasis on proper pencil grip
Emphasis on good writing posture
Emphasis on proper letter formation
Emphasis on quality presentation
Ink pens rather than ball points to be used
Develop a fluent personal style of handwriting
Write for more sustained periods
Use of B4 Handwriting copies
Functional Writing in First and Second Classes
Use of capital letters at beginning of sentences and full stops at the end of
sentences
The children will be introduced to the concept of Proper Nouns and
Common Nouns
‘Special’ names such as John, Mary, Rex and Mallow get capital letters,
while ‘ordinary’ words such as boy, girl, dog and town get lower case
letters.
Use of the question mark.
Awareness of inverted commas for direct speech
Use of adjectives.
Masculine and Feminine nouns, eg bull/cow; king/queen; prince/princess.
Functional Writing in Third and Fourth Classes
All of the above.
Use of the question mark.
Use of commas in lists.
Use of inverted commas for direct speech
Use of apostrophe
Plural of nouns
Use of adverbs
Use of exclamation mark
Verbs. Verbs have tense. Past/present/future tense.
Functional Writing in Fifth and Sixth Classes
All of the above.
Collective nouns
Abstract nouns
Conjunctions
Similes
Metaphors
Definite and Indefinite Article
Writing Genres
Persuasive
Narrative
Report
Recount
Procedural
Explanation
Sample plan for implementation of a genre over a seven/eight week
timeframe
Familiarisation: showing the children lots of examples of this genre.
Discovery: engaging in focussed talk and discussion, questioning, etc.
Teacher models
Discovery: breaking down the text into its various subheadings, etc.
Teacher models – highlighting the structure, the language features,
grammar and so on.
Modelled writing
Independent construction
Presentation to audience
Spellings
Children are assessed in September and in June to record progress. The
convention of spelling will be achieved progressively through a multi-dimensional
approach. This will include:
Linking spelling with the development of phonological and phonemic
awareness (see page 58 Teacher Guidelines)
Linking it with onset and rime, see page 58
Building up a bank of commonly used words
Having a rich experience of environmental print
Compiling personal word banks, eg personal names, local place names,
seasonal words
Using dictionaries and thesauruses
Using strategies such as:
Predict, look, say, cover, write, check
Mnemonics
Rhythm and rhyme
Creation of word searches
Aide memoires
Spelling buddies
Breaking words into syllables
Exaggeration of the word
Becoming familiar with common spelling rules
Accepting approximate spelling in creative writing
Spellings in Junior Infants
Learn to form and name individual letters using various materials
Understand left-right orientation when forming words
Copy letters and words informally and from signs in the classroom
Write own Christian name
Use labels to name familiar people and things
Spellings in Senior Infants
Learn to form and name individual letters using various materials
Understand left-right orientation when forming words
Copy letters and words informally and from signs in the classroom
Write own name, Christian name and surname
Use labels to name familiar people and things
Write letters and simple words from memory
Become aware of lower case and capital letters
Develop the confidence to use approximate spelling
Begin to develop conventional spelling of simple words, eg 3 letter words
using onset and rime, e.g. c-at, b-at, r-at
Simple spellings based on phonic programmes
Word banks will consist of pupil’s own name, teacher’s name, simpler words
from Dolch Lists 1 and 2
Spellings in First Class
Learn about common word endings, word families and roots of words
Spell words in a recognisable way based on an awareness of the most
common word strings and patterns (page 58, Teacher Guidelines)
Use approximate spelling as an interim measure in mastering the convention
of spelling
Break longer words into their constituent syllables - maximum 2 syllable
words
Spell correctly a range of familiar important and regularly occurring words,
and use of variety of sources as aids to spelling
Develop Word Bank to include
Spelling lists will not be taken from reader
Children will be grouped according to spelling ability in order to achieve
success. This will be achieved by either reducing the number of spellings or
by the provision of easier lists for different groups.
Formal learning of spellings begins in Rang 1.
Total of words to be tested in a test will not exceed 8
Spelling tests will be marked by the teacher, and records of progress kept.
All children will be given the opportunity to experience success, and will learn
spellings at own ability level as above
Spellings in Second Class
Learn about common word endings, word families and roots of words
Spell words in a recognisable way based on an awareness of the most
common word strings and patterns (page 58, Teacher Guidelines)
Use approximate spelling as an interim measure in mastering the convention
of spelling
Break longer words into their constituent syllables - maximum 3 syllable
words
Spell correctly a range of familiar important and regularly occurring words,
and use of variety of sources as aids to spelling
Develop Work Bank to include
Commonly used words which are opposite, e.g. large – small
Commonly used question words, e.g. when, what, where, how etc
Dolch list 1-7
Spelling lists will not be taken from reader
daily segments, eg 2 /3 per night
Total of words to be tested in a test will not exceed 10
Spellings from Third to Sixth Classes
Learn about common word endings, word families and roots of words
Spell words in a recognisable way based on an awareness of the most
common word strings and patterns (page 58, Teacher Guidelines)
Use approximate spelling as an interim measure in mastering the convention
of spelling
Break longer words into their constituent syllables
Spell correctly a range of familiar important and regularly occurring words,
and use of variety of sources as aids to spelling
Develop Word Bank
Spellings lists will be taught over a two week period. The children will be
texted on week 1 and then complete dictation on week 2.
Lists of spellings to be memorised will be divided into daily segments, eg 3 / 4
per night
Total of words to be tested in a test will not exceed 12
Full sentence testing will occasionally be used at this level
Marking – children may occasionally be involved in marking their own work or
the work of their peers at this stage, under the guidance of the teacher
Children will enjoy recording their progress on a graph template
Children having difficulty with spellings
Children attending learning support will complete the SNIP Literacy Programme
levels 1 and 2. They will also complete the PAT Programme Levels 1/2/3
studying word families.
Assessment and Record Keeping
Assessment is used by teachers to inform their planning, selection and
management of learning activities so that they can make the best possible
provision for meeting the varied mathematical needs of the children in our school.
Teachers select from the following range of assessment approaches:
Teacher observation of knowledge, skills development and participation in
activities· Teacher designed tests and task
Work-samples, portfolios and projects
Children will be encouraged to assess their own work on a continuous
basis.
Teacher Observation
The curriculum makes reference to the validity of teacher observation as a
means of building a broad understanding of a child’s strengths. Teachers will
note anything that they feel is important in relation to a child’s progress in
English.
Observations may include the following:
The level of engagement in or attention to activities
Strengths and concerns in relation to written work
Involvement in discussions
The response to and initiation of questioning during class or group-work.
Standardised Testing
Criterion referenced standardised tests are used as follows: Children are formally
assessed by means of the MIST in April of Senior Infants.
Drumcondra Reading tests are given to all classes from 1st to 6th every May.
The results of each child’s tests will be uploaded on to Aladdin.
Results are communicated to parents through the end of year reports.
In line with the school’s policy on record keeping school files are kept until the
child reaches the age of 21.
Children with Special Needs
The English programme aims to meet the needs of all children in the school. This
will be achieved by teachers varying the pace, content and methodologies to
ensure learning for all children.
The performance of pupils on the standardised tests, in conjunction with the
recommendations of the class teacher will determine their suitability for learning
support for English. The availability of supplementary teaching for English,
however, depends on the case load of the Learning Support Teacher.
Diagnostic tests may also be administered where the need arises. Parental
permission must be obtained before these tests are administered. The progress
of such children will be reviewed on a regular basis.
For children of exceptional ability, opportunities will be provided to work on
extension activities. Parents will be consulted and opportunities for further
development will be explored i.e. contact with the Centre for Talented Youth.
Khan Academy has exercises based on grammar that can be completed.
Children with exceptional ability will have differentiated homework and classwork
activities and may be using a higher reading scheme to his/her peers.
Equality of Participation and Access
All children are provided with equal access to all aspects of the English
curriculum. Boys and girls are provided with equal opportunities to engage in
mathematical activities.
Homework
In this school Homework should be line with the approaches as set out in the
curriculum for English. Homework allocated should take account of the differing
levels of ability in the class and should be a positive experience for all.
Textbooks/workbooks
Textbooks are selected as part of the Book Rental Scheme and will reflect the
objectives of the curriculum. The scheme currently in use throughout the school
From Junior Infants to 3rd Class is the Big Box of Adventures and Reading Zone
from fourth to sixth classes.
Individual Teachers’ Planning and Reporting
Teachers should base their yearly and short term plans on the approaches set
out in this whole school plan for English. Work covered will be outlined in the
Cuntas Míosúil which will be submitted to the principal monthly.
Teachers will address the three questions when preparing termly and fortnightly
plans:
1. What should the children know after a period of learning? (Learning
Outcomes)
2. How will I recognise their progression? (Form three broad groups using
the Progression Continuum)
3. What will I do to get them there? (Schemes of work and support materials)
Staff Development
Teachers are made aware of any opportunities for further professional
development through participation in courses available in Education Centres or
other venues. Skills and expertise within the school are shared and developed
through inputs at staff meetings.
Parental Involvement
Parents are encouraged to support the school’s programme for English.
Individual parent/teacher meetings are held annually in November. Teachers and
parents are afforded this chance to discuss each individual child’s progress, and
ways of assisting that progress. Parents and teachers are welcome to make
individual arrangements to discuss matters of relevance at other times
throughout the school year. Parents with particular expertise may be invited to
address classes.
Success Criteria
The success of this plan will be measured using the following criteria:
Implementation of revisions in the English curriculum will be evident in
teachers’ work
Continuity of content and methodology will be evident in teachers’
preparation and monthly reports.
School Self Evaluation Action Planning for Literacy will determine
success.
Implementation
(a) Roles and Responsibilities: Class teachers are responsible for the
implementation of the English programme for their own classes.
(b) Implementation Date: September 2018
Review Date June 2021
Ratified by the Board of Management
Signed:_______________________ Chairperson, Board of Management
Signed: ______________________ Principal
Date: __________________