Training session 11 - Early Literacy 2: Focusing on speaking, listening, writing and the role they play for all learners

Induction tutor materials

Duration: 90 minutes

Outcomes

1. Learn that synthetic phonics is evidence-based.
2. Learn that phonics is understanding the relationship between letters and sounds.
3. Learn that spelling involves segmenting words, and reading involves blending.
4. Understand that handwriting fluency is developed through overlearning by frequent short doses of practice.
5. Learn that handwriting bad habits are difficult to unlearn, so careful monitoring is required.
6. Learn that oral language skills support the development of reading and writing skills.
7. Practise modelling, planning, drafting and editing different forms of writing (relevant to their subject and phase).
8. Reflect on and share implications on their teaching and on their own development.

Preparation

These resources provide information to support the session plan options below:

• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF): Preparing for Literacy
• Department for Education: Letters and Sounds: Principles and Practice of High Quality Phonics
• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF): Improving Literacy in Key Stage 1
• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF): Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools
• The Early Years: Foundations for life, health and learning
• The Science of Early Learning: How Young Children Develop Agency, Numeracy, and Literacy
• Ofsted: Reading by six; How the best schools do it
• American Educator: Principle of Instruction: Research-Based Strategies That All Teachers Should Know

Before this session takes place, early career teachers (ECTs) should have the following:

1. Exposure to key knowledge from ITT Core Content Framework on relevant sub-standards.
2. Information on the science of learning and the 5 habits of planning.
3. School input as needed.
4. Relevant conversations with colleagues.

The following self-study materials provide context and exemplification:

• Pairs and Groups
• Practice, challenge and success
• Classroom talk
• Developing pupils’ literacy

This session reiterates the need to revisit content in a number of different ways.

ECTs should be supported to have further conversations with colleagues to ensure that they develop the required understanding to meet the needs of all learners in their context.

Welcome and recap (10 minutes)

Provide a relevant recap on previously taught content, particularly training session 6 which focused on reading and phonics.

Set up the norms for this session.

Developing Early Literacy Skills (5 minutes)

This time can be used to make sure all ECTs understand why this session is relevant to them.

Reasons include:

• it's an early careers framework requirement
• all subjects benefit from improved literacy skills
• learning adaptable techniques for older pupils
• providing a consistent approach across phases
• improves understanding of how to support pupils with SEN, EAL and disadvantage

Learning the meaning of the alphabet to spell (20 minutes)

You could:

• revisit materials from training session 6 which looked at developing early literacy skills for reading, but this time with a focus on spelling
• recap the evidence supporting the use of systematic synthetic phonics in schools to teach letter-sound relationships
• recap the ECTs’ understanding of technical terms including phonemes, graphemes, letters, the 2 key processes, blending for reading and segmenting for spelling
• cover strategies such as using the etymology and morphology of words to help older pupils to remember and spell subject-specific vocabulary
• cover how pupils also need to be taught irregular, high frequency words to develop sight vocab for spelling and reading
• if relevant - share the phonics schemes and interventions currently used in your school

Handwriting (15 minutes)

You could:

• briefly introduce the development of fine motor control for very young children in their first steps towards writing (describing the development of handling writing tools and mark making, for example)
• look at how phonic schemes teach letter formation alongside reading and spelling, but handwriting needs to be taught separately
• state that fluency is developed by overlearning and practising handwriting, so that working memory is free for generating ideas for writing
• explain the importance of frequent, small doses of handwriting practice to develop fluency, rather than long repetitive sessions
• highlight that bad habits can be difficult to un-learn, so careful monitoring is required to encourage pupils to produce letters accurately and efficiently
• discuss the product versus the process of handwriting

Oral language and writing (15 minutes)

You could:

• introduce the importance of supporting pupils’ oral language skills to improve their early writing, and suggest ways of achieving this
• discuss the mutual influence of reading and writing skills on each other
• look at how teachers prioritise and effectively teach Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary, emphasising the importance of this for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds

Modelling different forms of writing (20 minutes)

You could:

• explain and exemplify how to teach different forms of writing by modelling, planning, drafting and editing, so that pupils are able to plan and monitor their own writing
• provide exemplification of this gathered from experienced colleagues for different subjects and phases
• explore the use of ‘worked examples’ to support novices by reducing the cognitive load on their working memory, and the gradual withdrawal of such support as they master these skills

Action planning and next steps (10 minutes)

This section provides ECTs with time for reflection, quizzing, and action steps. You can also look ahead to the next training steps.