Primary English: Knowledge and Understanding - Medwell Jane A. 2014

Introduction

About this book

This book has been written to cater for the needs of primary trainees on all courses of initial teacher training in England and other parts of the UK. In order to gain qualified teacher status (QTS), teachers must demonstrate that they have the knowledge, skills and values necessary to be effective classroom teachers. Secure subject knowledge in English is required for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or its equivalent. This book will also be useful to Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) and other professionals working in education who have identified aspects of their English subject knowledge that require attention.

This book has been written with the Teachers’ Standards firmly at its core. The Teachers’ Standards in England (DfE, 2013) came into force from 1 September 2012, replacing the standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), the Core Professional Standards and the General Teaching Council for England’s Code of Conduct and Practice for Registered Teachers. These standards define the minimum level of practice expected of all teachers from the point of being awarded QTS.

At the time of writing this book, as at most other times in education, changes are underway in the structures of school governance and assessment requirements which affect the curriculum in schools. The Department for Education (DfE) has recently reviewed the primary National Curriculum and the majority of this new National Curriculum will come into force from September 2014. From September 2015, the new National Curriculum for English, mathematics and science will come into force for children in Years 2 and 6.

The revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, which details the Early Learning Goals set nationally for children from birth to 5 years old, became statutory in September 2012 (DfE, 2012). This framework is mandatory for all early years providers, including maintained schools, non-maintained schools, independent schools, and all providers on the Early Years Register.

This book includes information on the programmes of study for National Curriculum English, which maintained schools (but not academies, free schools or independent schools) must follow from September 2014, and on the Early Learning Goals for children in the Early Years. In any transitional period, you will need to understand about what curriculum requirements were in place before the new arrangements as the teachers you work with may well retain in their practice elements of the earlier ways of working. You will almost certainly hear colleagues discussing the differences between curriculum initiatives and referring to former frameworks, for example the Primary National Strategy for Teaching Literacy and Mathematics.

Each chapter of this book addresses particular areas of English knowledge that primary teachers need in order to become effective teachers of English and communication, language and literacy (CLL). Issues of pedagogy (how to teach English to primary aged children) are addressed in the companion volume, Primary English: Teaching Theory and Practice (Learning Matters, 2014). However, the authors of this book have attempted to make clear links between the knowledge you, as a teacher, need and how you will use it in teaching.

Features of the main chapters of this book include:

✵ clear links with the Teachers’ Standards;

✵ information about the curriculum context, including the National Curriculum for English in England and the Early Years Foundation Stage;

✵ English knowledge and understanding;

✵ pedagogical links;

✵ reflective and practical activities for you to undertake;

✵ research summaries that give additional background insights;

✵ a summary of key learning points;

✵ suggestions for further reading.

The book also contains a glossary of terms and a useful appendix of irregular verbs. There are also self-assessment questions so that you can check on how well you have assimilated the knowledge and understanding.

English subject knowledge really does matter!

It is a basic training requirement that all trainee teachers (and serving teachers) in the UK can use spoken and written Standard English well. However, research into English teaching in primary schools has shown that in the past, some teachers seemed to have poor subject knowledge (Medwell et al., 1998). This apparent anomaly refers to the fact that even when we use English very well ourselves, we may still be unable to discuss, analyse and reflect on our use of English. As teachers we are responsible for planning, teaching and assessing English lessons, setting learning outcomes, choosing appropriate activities and resources, identifying children’s errors and misconceptions, asking and responding to questions, and so on. All these tasks require teachers to be able to analyse just how English is used effectively, and to be able to discuss it. This cannot be achieved without a sound, explicit knowledge of English and, probably, some knowledge of the terminology to discuss it.

In primary schools there has been an ongoing drive to raise standards of English achievement through raising expectations, target setting and a focus on assessment. The National Curriculum is intended to support the development of a coherent and progressive English curriculum in schools. A key part of this drive to raise pupils’ standards of English is the need for teachers to have the necessary subject knowledge to teach confidently and effectively, motivating, challenging and extending their pupils’ knowledge, understanding and experience.

The Teachers’ Standards

This book refers mostly to the English-related subject standards underpinning the effective teaching of literacy and language you will be required to demonstrate in order to be awarded QTS. The book explicitly addresses the following Standards:

A teacher must:

3. Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge

✵ have a secure knowledge of the relevant subject(s) and curriculum areas, foster and maintain pupils’ interest in the subject, and address misunderstandings

✵ demonstrate a critical understanding of developments in the subject and curriculum areas, and promote the value of scholarship

✵ demonstrate an understanding of and take responsibility for promoting high standards of literacy, articulacy and the correct use of Standard English, whatever the teacher’s specialist subject

✵ if teaching early reading, demonstrate a clear understanding of systematic synthetic phonics.

4. Plan and teach well structured lessons

✵ impart knowledge and develop understanding through effective use of lesson time

✵ promote a love of learning and children’s intellectual curiosity

✵ set homework and plan other out-of-class activities to consolidate and extend the knowledge and understanding pupils have acquired

✵ contribute to the design and provision of an engaging curriculum within the relevant subject area(s).

8. Fulfil wider professional responsibilities

✵ take responsibility for improving teaching through appropriate professional development.

It is always difficult to decide where to begin when writing about English. Should we start with really good examples of English texts and analyse what makes them successful? Or should we begin with the smaller units of language and ’build up’ to larger units? Both approaches are useful in teaching English.

In this book we begin by considering the nature and role of Standard English, because this is the variant of English generally referred to in English teaching. We then consider how spoken and written language are constituted and related and include chapters on word and sub-word units; sentences, grammar and punctuation; cohesion and text types; and finally examination and appreciation of literature. We devote substantial space to consideration of different text types because whole, successful texts (spoken and written) are the aim of English teaching. We want children (and you) to understand how language works so that they it can be used effectively.

Curriculum context

As we said at the start of this chapter, the curriculum is changing in 2014 and this sort of change may very well happen several times in your career as a teacher. Because of this, we have focused in this book on the core areas of English subject knowledge and understanding that you will need in order to develop the language and literacy of the children you work with. This will enable you to ensure that they develop effective speaking and listening skills, and become successful readers and writers. You can use your knowledge of English to underpin your planning for whatever curriculum is in place in your teaching setting. However, you will need to know about the context of the curriculum prior to any new initiatives so that you can understand how your children have been taught and why. Therefore, we have included contextual information about the primary National Curriculum programmes of study, and the Early Learning Goals for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

English in the National Curriculum

English in the National Curriculum is organised on the basis of five key stages: Foundation Key Stage (part of the Early Years Foundation Stage) for 3 to 5 year olds; Key Stage 1 for 5 to 7 year olds (Years 1 and 2); and Key Stage 2 for 7 to 11 year olds (Years 3 to 6) refer to primary and early years teaching. The components of the Foundation Key Stage are set out as Early Learning Goals (ELGs), which set targets for the end of the Foundation Stage and stepping stones, which set out how children can achieve ELGs. Key Stages 1 and 2 include Programmes of Study, which set out the English that children should be taught. These Programmes are organised over four age phases:

1. Key Stage 1 — Year 1;

2. Key Stage 1 — Year 2;

3. Lower Key Stage 2 — Years 3 and 4;

4. Upper Key Stage 2 — Years 5 and 6.

Within each age phase the material to be taught is split into five strands:

1. Reading — word reading;

2. Reading — comprehension;

3. Writing — transcription;

4. Writing — composition;

5. Writing — vocabulary, grammar and punctuation.

There are also requirements for the teaching of spoken language which span Years 1 to 6, and two statutory appendices — one about spelling and one about vocabulary, grammar and punctuation — which give an overview of the specific features that should be included in teaching the programmes of study.

The National Curriculum is intended to be a minimum statutory entitlement for children and schools have the flexibility and freedom to design a wider school curriculum to meet the needs of their pupils and to decide how to teach it most effectively. As The National Curriculum in England (DfE, 2013) itself puts it:

The national curriculum is just one element in the education of every child. There is time and space in the school day and in each week, term and year to range beyond the national curriculum specifications. The national curriculum provides an outline of core knowledge around which teachers can develop exciting and stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills as part of the wider school curriculum.

All schools are required to set out their school curriculum for English on a year-by-year basis and make this information available online.

Statutory assessment of English attainment will continue to occur at various points in the primary phase after the introduction of the new National Curriculum, although with some significant changes. Following a phased change, from 2015 onwards the statutory assessment of primary pupils, in English, will involve reporting of assessment at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. This assessment will include teacher assessment and some tests.

At Key Stage 1, schools may order and use the Key Stage 1 tests and tasks for English in 2014 and 2015, but they do not have to and many schools will make their own arrangements to assess reading, writing, speaking and listening. Schools are required to report the results in the summer. In addition, Year 1 pupils must do the nationally set, but teacher-administered, phonics screening check.

At Key Stage 2, Year 6 pupils will do Key Stage 2 tests in English, including nationally developed tests of English reading and English spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG), and teacher-administered assessments of writing.

In 2016 a new national assessment regime will be introduced which will dispense with the National Curriculum levels and sub-levels. The new approach to assessment will aim to assess annual progress and will be related to the content of the 2014 National Curriculum.

Early Years Foundation Stage and the Early Learning Goals

The Early Learning Goals (DfE, 2012) describe what most children should achieve by the end of their Reception year. This document identifies features of good practice during the Early Years Foundation Stage and set out the early learning goals in three prime areas and six specific areas of learning. One of the prime areas is that of Communication and Language (including Listening and Attention, Understanding and Speaking) and one of the specific areas is Literacy (including Reading and Writing).

There are thus five areas within the Early Learning Goals which specifically concern us in the present book. These are:

✵ listening and attention;

✵ understanding;

✵ speaking;

✵ reading;

✵ writing.

English also includes exploring and using media and being imaginative.

Specific reference will be made to these Early Learning Goals where relevant in the book.

At the end of the EYFS (the end of Reception), all providers of early years care and education complete the Early Years Foundation Stage profile, which summarises and describes children’s attainment at the end of the EYFS. It is based on ongoing observation and assessment in the three prime and four specific areas of learning, and the three learning characteristics.

Outcomes

By using this book to support your subject knowledge development, you will be able to learn the knowledge you require to teach primary English and Communication Language and Literacy in the EYFS successfully. We hope that understanding a little about the different systems inherent in English and the way the ’parts’ of English work together to create successful texts will enable you to develop an enthusiasm for the language and for your own reading and writing of English. Such enthusiasm is an invaluable asset to a teacher and can bring English alive for children. We hope this book will stimulate your curiosity and help you to investigate language and texts with children. Teachers who know about and enjoy all aspects of English can pass their positive attitudes to children, as well as the skills and knowledge those children need to do well.

So that you can check on how well you have assimilated the subject knowledge, you may wish to try the self-assessment questions related to each aspect that we address. You will find these in a separate section towards the end of the book. The answers to these questions are provided for you in a separate chapter.

For those undertaking credits for a Masters Degree, we have included suggestions for further work and extended study at the end of each chapter in a section called ’M-Level Extension’.

Statutory and exemplary documentation

To support you in understanding the curriculum context, you may find it helpful to refer to some of the following documentation:

DfE (2012) Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Runcorn: DfE. (www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/AllPublications/Page1/DFE-00023-2012)

DfE (2013) 2014 Key Stage 2 Tests. London: DfE. (http://education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/assessment/keystage2/b00208296/ks2-2013/ks2-2014)

DfE (2013) Teachers’ Standards. London: DfE. (www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/208682/Teachers__Standards_2013.pdf)

DfE (2013) The National Curriculum in England. London: DfE. (www.gov.uk/dfe/nationalcurriculum)

DfE (2013) The 2014 National Curriculum. London: DfE. (www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum)