Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl asap

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ourmaminhavana
Posts: 966
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl asap

Post by ourmaminhavana »

Hi,
Circumstances have led me to be rushing back into the classroom after many years' break. I asked if I could visit a school to which I am thinking of applying (even tough it's miles away) expecting to go next week, but I'm going first thing tomorrow. :shock:
I'm therefore having a big panic in between collecting children and cooking dinner and I'd be very grateful if any teachers out there could answer the following:
What exactly is RAISE? (I know it's come up at governors' meetings, but I'm a bit hazy!! :oops: )
What particular intervention strategies do you employ with less able students in the teaching of literacy?
Is there a particular grid to fill in which states whether they are meeting all of the learning objectives and presumably showing what is required at each NC level eg 4a 4b etc? I expect when you set a piece of work you are targeting one or maybe two key objectives?
I'm supposed to have ' up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the different types of qualifications and their suitability for meeting learners’ needs (SEN, G&T etc…)' Obviously Iknow SEN G and T (Gin and Tonic :lol: )but I don't think I even understand the question!!
Finally could some kind soul please direct me to the English syllabus for Years 7 and 8 please?

Obviously if I get an interview I'll be going through all of this with a fine toothe comb, but in the meantime I'd be very grateful for any pointers here so that I don't make any terrible gaffes tomorrow!!
OMIH
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl a

Post by Guest55 »

RAISE = Reporting and Analysis for Improvement through school Self-Evaluation

https://www.raiseonline.org/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Each school has a user name and password and it reports on how well the school's attainment in APS (Average points score) matches national averages for various groups e.g. girls, SEN etc.

It also looks at pupil progress from starting points ie KS1 to KS2 matrices.

APP (Assessing pupil progress) is used to level teacher assessment - google it - there are assessment guidelines at each level.

In KS1 the most common intervention for the lowest ability is Reading Recovery - as a maths specialist I don't know that much about anything else -
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl a

Post by mystery »

If we are talking about reading difficulties, yes Reading Recovery is used in a lot of schools ... it's a bit confusing because the government is promoting phonics and has put an understanding of phonics into the new teaching standards for teachers who are involved in early reading (so maybe a secondary teacher with a child who his level 2 or 1 reader might be expected to have an understanding of synthetic phonics) but then a lot of money is poured into Reading Recovery which is a whole word / language approach to learning to read.

Literacy difficulties could encompass difficulties with one or more of:

- reading
-handwriting
-spelling
-grammar
-getting thoughts down on paper
-language difficulties
-comprehension etc etc

There are numerous different "interventions" which are commercially available depending on the difficulty - different schools use different ones - sorry to be so non-specific. Some schools just work out what the child needs to learn / be taught next and put something bespoke together. And it kind of depends on the school's theoretical standpoint on how reading, writing etc is acquired which interventions they use.

Also schools also differ massively at the point they do something at school action / school action plus e.g. how far behind the child is and how they measure this.

What's the job? A subject teacher or SENCO?

Do you need to be familiar with the SEN Code of Practice?

Are you going to meet the SENCO? Maybe you could grill the SENCO on the school's approach and come away with a copy of their SEN policy etc.
ourmaminhavana
Posts: 966
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Re: Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl a

Post by ourmaminhavana »

Thanks for the link Guest55. That's one for my late night reading!
Thanks Mystery one is a nurture teacher for Year 7 and 8 students who are struggling, the other is a Literacy Intervention teacher basically setting up a system to identify and provide intervention for pupils who are having difficulties keeping up and also engaging in some one to one and small group teaching.
(I was a former HOD English and am English and Special Ed trained so it's very much current developments that I need to brush up on.)
Meeting the SENCO and getting a copy of the SEN policy is a great idea, Mystery. :)
Have just come across Ppit too. Does anyone's school use this? Also an Ofsted report on the effectiveness of APPs.
PS Could anyone who is able to log in to RAISE show me one of these please?? 2012 Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4 transition matrices ...
Think I'm going to drown in acronyms.Never mind watching my P's and Q's. :lol:

Have now read the SEN reports and school action pupils seemed to do Ok, but school action plus didn't. What's the difference between School action and SA+ please??

Right 49% have a reading age 2 years below their chronological age so clearly reading is going to be a priority. Is there a specific reading recovery programme currently in vogue?
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl a

Post by Amber »

The ones on SA+ are likely to be 'worse' to start with so that might explain the worse results.

How did it go?
Brave woman, say I. :wink:
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl a

Post by mystery »

If you google you will find quite a bit on school action and sa plus. The plus involves some support etc from outside the school. I find it all very interesting but very grey. I guess it is all written like this so that it's affordable.
ourmaminhavana
Posts: 966
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Re: Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl a

Post by ourmaminhavana »

Thanks. Have Pm'd you Amber.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl a

Post by mystery »

Is there a reading recovery programme currently in vogue? Think there are quite a few in use at the moment - some take a whole word / whole language approach, some take a phonic approach, some take a mixed approach, some are very personally adapted to the individual child and their current reading strengths and weaknesses and likes and dislikes. What age children and what read ages are we talking e.g. 11 year old with reading age of 9 years or less will be different from 16 year old with reading age of 14 or less.

A lot will also depend on whether you are tutoring them individually or in a group, how often each week you can work with them, whether the work can be continued at home with another adult etc etc.
ourmaminhavana
Posts: 966
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Re: Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl a

Post by ourmaminhavana »

Hi,
Just a quick update to say that I was offered the job today and have therefore cancelled my interview for tomorrow! Thanks to everyone for their help. :)

Sorry Mystery I've just realised that I didn't reply to your last post. I have a class of 16 or so with a TA. I doubt home support is reliable. They're class 7 (6 hours a week) and class 8 (3 hours a week).
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Literacy intervention programmes - teachers' advice pl a

Post by yoyo123 »

Congratulations ourmam...

intervention is hard work, but fantastically rewarding, it has been my job for the past 4 years and I love it.
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