Embedding Literacy and Numeracy across the Curriculum

October 2014

Context• Apprentices now enrolled on L2 FS or working towards this

through L1 following initial assessment

• Advanced apprentices must be doing L2 FS (no proxy qualifications)

• Students up to age 19 should be offered GCSE English and mathematics if they do not have a GCSE Grade C

• FS must be contextualised in vocational areas

• Providers need a strategy to deliver these new rules

Today

An introduction to improving literacy and numeracy skills across the Curriculum

Ofsted

• Inspecting and reporting on English and mathematics is fully integrated across the Common Inspection Framework

• Inspected and commented on in each subject area

Inspection Findings (Feb 2013)

• This is an area for/recommendation for improvement in 21/29 published reports of inspections of colleges and sixth form colleges in the new framework

Inspectors frequently identify the teaching of English and mathematics as:

• one of the reasons why good Colleges are not outstanding

• an area for improvement in colleges which require improvement

So what are the problems identified by Ofsted?

• Not all learners develop their skills in English and mathematics effectively

• Attention to correcting grammar, spelling and punctuation is increasing but is not consistently effective

• Too many learners do not succeed on courses to develop their English and mathematics

• Learners do not develop specialist vocabulary

• English and mathematics skills are not sufficiently applied to vocational context

• Colleges need to raise the profile of functional skills in English and mathematics across the whole College and place a much stronger emphasis on its management and development for all learners

What does this mean?

It is everybody’s responsibility to promote, reinforce and embed

English and mathematics in their subject area

To discuss:

1. What do you do routinely in lessons to promote literacy and numeracy skills?

2. What planned opportunities are there in your SoW to develop literacy and numeracy skills? e.g. student presentations to develop construction of arguments

3. How do you know that these are effective?

Do you…• give students bookmarks with specialist key terms for your subject?

• ask students to look up words they or you can’t spell?

• write specialist terms on the board as they emerge during the lesson?

• have a glossary for your subject – on the VLE/in student files?

• have a dictionary in the classroom?

• give students laminated reference cards with commonly misspelt words?

• correct S P and G in all marked work?

• check that the students spell the key terms correctly?

• refuse one word answers to questions?

• ask students to calculate % and averages when looking at data?

• ask students to interpret graphs?

• check your hand outs and course documents are grammatically correct and spell checked?

• have posters in your classroom to help develop literacy and numeracy skills?

Punctuation

. Full stop − Marks the end of a sentence.

, Comma − Separates items in a list or clauses in a complex sentence.

‘ Apostrophe − Shows belonging or missing letters in words like don’t and can’t.

‘’ Inverted commas − Show quotation.

? Question mark − Ends a question sentence.

: Colon − Joins two related clauses where one clause cannot stand alone.

; Semicolon − Joins two equal clauses that are closely related but could also stand alone.

Have I used an appropriate style with no slang or informal language?

Is my work in paragraphs?

Do my sentences start with capital letters and end with full stops?

Are my quotations in inverted commas?

Have I used capital letters for names and places?

Have I used specialist vocabulary correctly?

Have I checked that my sentences make sense and my meaning is clear?

Did I check my spelling against words in the question paper?

SPaG Checklist

Quality of Written Communication

Commonly Misspelt Words

across

argument

basically

beginning

business

completely

definitely

disappear

embarrass

environment

friend

government

independent

knowledge

necessary

occurred

occasion

politician

propaganda

publicly

really

religious

remember

sense

separate

successful

surprise

tomorrow

tongue

truly

unfortunately

until

wherever

Have I checked

my work?

Homophones

There: I’d love to go there.Their: Is that their cat?They’re (they are): They’re here.

To: I’m going to work.Too: Are you coming too?Two: I have two hands.

Your: What’s your name?You’re (you are): You’re welcome.

New: She has a new phone.Knew: I already knew that.

Right: Is that right?Write: Can you write that down?

Which: Which colour do you like?Witch: She was a wicked witch.

Peace: I wish for peace on Earth.Piece: Do you want a piece of pie?

Rain: It’s pouring with rain.Rein: I led the horse by the reins.Reign: The King’s reign ended.

Where: Where are you going?Wear: What should I wear?

For: Is that present for me?Four: I’ll take four of these.

Connectives

Because − But − Although − Then − However − Next − Since − Therefore − Also − Despite − Furthermore − Whereas − On

the other hand − So − As long as − For example − Such as − So far − Moreover −

Apart from − Meanwhile − In addition − In contrast − Moreover − Alternatively −

Nevertheless − Afterwards − Consequently − As well as − For example − What is more − As a result of this − Firstly − Secondly −

Thirdly

Punctuation

. Full stop − Marks the end of a sentence.

, Comma − Separates items in a list or clauses in a complex sentence.

‘ Apostrophe − Shows belonging or missing letters in words like don’t and can’t.

‘’ Inverted commas − Show quotation.

? Question mark − Ends a question sentence.

: Colon − Joins two related clauses where one clause cannot stand alone.

; Semicolon − Joins two equal clauses that are closely related but could also stand alone.

Topic Words

Commonly Misspelt Words

across knowledge successfulargument necessary surprisebasically occurred tomorrowbeginning occasion tonguebusiness politician trulycompletely propaganda unfortunatelydefinitely publicly untildisappear really whereverembarrass religiousenvironment rememberfriend sensegovernment separateindependent

Have I used an appropriate style with no slang or informal language?

Is my work in paragraphs? Do my sentences start with capital letters

and end with full stops? Are my quotations in inverted commas? Have I used capital letters for names and

places? Have I used specialist vocabulary correctly? Have I checked that my sentences make

sense and my meaning is clear? Did I check my spelling against words in the

question paper?

SPaG Checklist

Quality of Written Communication

Have I checked

my work?

To discuss:

Complete your personal action plan

What ideas/strategies could you implement in your subject?

How are judgements formed?

How do you know that you are developing literacy and numeracy skills effectively?

Student files should show clear evidence of routines and planned activities to promote

these skills

Final Point

In lessons there should be no missed opportunities to develop literacy and numeracy

skills