literacy highlights
13th December 2020
It is wonderful to continue to share so many highlights with you all. Literacy simply enhances everything we do and along the way the highlights bring a smile to your face. Our students really are amazing! More and more I encounter students engaged in extended writing. We can not underestimate the power of this skill and I urge you ALL to continue to take every opportunity when planning to allow opportunities to develop extended writing.
It is heartwarming to have students that ask if they can share their literacy learning journey with you and then elaborate on how their writing has developed as a result of the guidance provided. This is then very quickly followed by a flurry of students beaming with pride and bursting to share their hard work. If we had a pyramid of literacy learning, this would be right at the peak. We can not underestimate the value of empowering our students. Thank you Mrs Sillis for your splendid work in providing a safe environment to foster learning for our students.
Calm, purposeful and an engaging learning environment with ALL students making progress absolutely absorbed in their work. Wonderful, just wonderful Miss Bedesha. Thank you for supporting all students to make progress.
A real highlight this week has been watching the students read all the 'I am reading..' book recommendations that have been shared by staff. As they eat their lunch the students have been taking the opportunity to ask about books that staff have shared. On the opposite screen it is wonderful to see students smile as they see their work displayed...just lovely. Thank you everyone for your support with this.
There have been assessments taking place this week and students take great pride in receiving feedback and achieving grades. EAL students have a real potential that we can unlock. As their literacy improves so will their grades. Thank you everyone for supporting our EAL students this term.
Providing leadership opportunities is so important. This week we had the interviews for our prefects in Year 7. The students articulated confidently as they were questioned by Mrs Thompson and the Year 8 students. I am sure this is a tough decision and we look forward to hearing which students are selected.
It is great to see students prepare for the Christmas concert. I am really looking forward to watching this. We can not forget that music is a key to unlock a child's potential with sounds, symbols, creating links to word recognition and decoding skills necessary for reading. Thanks Mr Jenkins for your continued effort with the students.
The excitement and enthusiasm around the Talent Show this week was electrifying. Students across year groups engage in heart stopping stunts, rapping, performing dance, playing instruments and singing. Truly inspirational! We look forward to seeing these performances and the students voting on their favourite. Thank you Miss Sandhu for your drive and organisation.
Let's not take our eye of the most important thing that we encourage...Read! Read! Read! It is splendid to see students engaged and reading during literacy time...just marvellous. Consistency with this and high expectations is essential.
I would like to share one final thing, Shaban I. (Dolphins) , who interestingly also performed in the talent show too, offered to create a resource to support all Year 8 students with their literacy oracy task on 'What is good sportsmanship?' Remarkable! This young man really peaked my interest with how he articulated and I have no words to describe my jaw dropping shock when I looked up his literacy journey at LBS. He started in Year 7 with a RAGE of 10.10 reading below his CAGE by 10 months. He has yielded a reading age of 15.10 in his September test this academic year. Could this be a blip in the data? No, because his reading test result for December is 15.11. Shaban is currently reading 36 months above his CAGE. Please congratulate him and continue to encourage him.
Thank you everyone for your continued hard work and commitment to support our boys.
Actions this week:
1. ALL students complete final HT2 spelling tests (Y10 to complete on Wednesday when they return).
2. ALL students take 1-3 library books home to read over Christmas by Wednesday 16.11.20
3. Reading Ages to be recorded in planners by Wednesday 16.11.20 (p18 and p34)
4. Return AR books to the library.
Thank you for your support, Mrs Kang.
Lordswood Boys' School • Hagley Road • Harborne • Birmingham • B17 8BJ
Tel: 0121 464 2837
Email: enquiry@lordswoodboys.co.uk
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