Letter And Sounds Staffmeeting

[Guest]

Went on half a day training for Letter and Sounds last week, and finally got to see a copy. Went back to school and said they'd said this would have implications for the whole school. Head has asked me to deliver a staff meeting next week! Has anyone done anything like this? I've not got a lot of time (any) to prepare as I'm finishing off reports, finalising profile scores, having meeting with new parents, and receiving new intake, trying to visit feeder nurseries AND have a class assembly at the end of the week. ARGHHHH!

 

Any ideas, suggestions, help will be MOST GRATEFULLY RECEIVED

 

Harricroft

[catma]

there is a phonics cpd ppt on the revised frameworks coordinators DVD if you can locate it - Litco or numco may have a copy.

 

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primaryfr...undation/early/

 

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/local/clld/index.html

 

also may help

 

 

 

 

 

CX

[Guest Wolfie]

I'm going to a meeting about it tomorrow, led by an advisory teacher, so I'll let you know if she has any good ideas!

[Guest]

I attended our phonic training a month ago and am doing half a day session on one of our training days in Sept. Not really thought much about it yet as I am planning to do it over the holidays (how sad am I?) but I'm going to start with a quick quiz (20 questions - what is a phoneme? what is a diagrpah? e.g? how many phonemes in the word twenty? Write down at least 4 different ways of representing /ae/? etc etc) to get people thinking about phonics and about their own subject knowledge. Next I plan to go through the main findings of the Rose Review and synthetic vs. analytic phonics, inlcuding the searchlight model and the simple view of reading. Will then look at the statutory requirememnts. Next we'll look at the complexities of the lang, spelling patterns and rules, the importance of enunication and the lang of phonics. I am planning to use some of the clips off the letters and sounds DVD will also be introducing a new phonics tracking sheet. If you only have an hour then I'd try not to worry too much - there's only so much you can do in a hour. I guess you'll have to pick the things that you think are most important to your colleagues. I've never done a training before so will be a bit nervous about it beforehand but I'm going to keep things as fast paced as possible with lots of chances for people to participate and am I certainly NOT going to read to people off the handout as this drives me MAD!

Edited June 17, 2007 by Guest

[luluj]

Hi Harricroft. When I went on course for Early Reading and Phonics in March,feedback from those trialling with LEA was very positive about children's progress. Have been trialling renewed Phonics teaching based over past term to present. Increased expectations,pace and 20 minute discreet time has made a notable difference in both reading and writing in comparison with earlier cohorts though summative assessments imminent!

Simple view of reading from Rose Report might make a good start. The quadrants are useful in helping to recognise the 2 key points of the renewed Phonics programme(Letters and Sounds -Notes and Guidance p.9) Children need to be be able to have access to word recognition processes. Children need to understand what they have read.

Our aim is for our children to be in the top right 'golden quadrant.' Its diagonal is where we'd least like them to be. Poor word recognition and consequently poor comprehension.

Phonics and their importance have been around 'forever' but what I like about this new document in particular are the clearly structured Phases that give practitoners a common indicator to gauge progress. I also like the very structured development but this does not mean it's prescriptive and we can develop our own ideas. So the phases might be your next step.

The Letters and Sounds document also have clear indicators for each phase of assessment. There is alot of commercial stuff out there too but this is free. Will use this as a basis for developing long term plan.So asessment could contribute to make a simple 3 step presentation.

Implications for the school are justified. In order for this to work successfully children need to be accessing the right phonic phase for it to work! Consequently,there are implications for setting issues:timetabling,parental feelings that may result if this decision is made as a whole school approach. We are still working through these at present. How your head views a kind of 'whole school reform' is really important but personally I don't see any other way it could successfully work. Gauging the feelings of the other staff too. You have enough going on already but with such a major development could you try and find time to talk to your head about ideas you have. Discuss having a trial period within your own class and go from there. I'm still 'on the move' but have made some progress. If your head is supportive he will recognise that this has major repercussions for the school and support you in your time to develop your thinking and practice. As I still am. Sorry to go on. luluj

[Guest]

Thanks for the thoughts so far. catma - will ask lit and num co-ordinators about the powerpoint as that may be a way in. Wolfie, would love to hear if you find anything useful from your meeting tomorrow. Ariel, you sound really organised (not sad at all ), I like the idea of the quiz - might do this with 'talking partners' so staff don't feel pressured luluj - please don't apologise for 'going on' I'm just soo grateful that people on this site are always so willing to give their ideas/time to help others - assessment generally has been highlighted as an area to develop whole school, and I know our head will support us in this.

 

Just need to focus on what it's possible to get through in one hour, and what are the major things to get across.

 

Thanks for all the help so far, keep them coming guys. xxx