School: Poole Grammar School, Dorset, United Kingdom
School Website: www.poolegrammar.com
Level: Upper/Senior
Poole Grammar School's Literacy Initiative
AIMS:
to improve the literacy of the boys through dedicated Literacy lessons
to engender a reading habit and a love of reading
to improve the boys' reading skills
to embed literacy as a focus to permeate the school's curriculum
To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries.( Prof. A.C. Grayling)
The road to knowledge begins with the turn of the page. (Anonymous)
The incalculable benefit of reading to the fulfillment of personal educational potential is the inspiration for this initiative.
It is erroneous to make the assumption that the language skills of boys on entry to PGS are well developed simply because they have passed an entrance test to grammar school. PGS has 'Maths and Computing' as its first specialism and many of the boys gain entry to the school through their abilities in maths. This year the school has been awarded a second specialism in 'Cognition and Learning' and this will further support the literacy initiative, as boy centred literacy strategies are explored with active reading at their core. There will then be a mission to share good practice with our partners across the Borough of Poole.
For 57% of the present Year 8, the English mark was their lowest mark in the entrance examination. Their functional skills i.e. their grammatical skills are often weak. Their ability to write a well structured, well organised, thoughtful, cogent, coherent essay is frequently poor. Similarly at GCSE and A-level, boys have difficulty in responding to questions in examinations appropriately, constructing essays, researching topics in sufficient depth and detail and taking and keeping useful sets of notes. These are, therefore, points of concern.
Modern lifestyles also pose certain threats to language development. Boys, especially, can become language victims in other words their language development does not progress and they become functionally illiterate or inept as their language competency does not keep pace with their academic / cognitive ability.
It is necessary to take a multi stranded approach in order to inspire and so produce fully literate students.
INSET has been used to highlight the importance of the meaning of literacy as a process to facilitate thought and, therefore, learning. Starting with the Chemistry department we have begun to redesign lesson plans and revise teaching and learning styles to incorporate this process.
Through using special days/events a culture of reading has been created through using whole school initiatives. This year we have celebrated the following to support The National Year of Reading:
National Poetry Day (Click for photos and comments.)
World Book Day 'Favourite Authors' Party.
Shadowing the Carnegie
The following reading related activities also support reading for pleasure:
a. 'Scholastic Book Club'
'Readathon'
Tutor Group Book Box
The launch of 'PGS Book Club' for parents and boys on 9th July 2008
A 'Scholastic Book Fair' will happen in Autumn Term 2008
To be effective literacy skills have to be presented with enthusiasm and commitment. The Headmaster, his SLT and the staff in all areas of the curriculum are enthusiastic and have been invaluable in their support from the beginning. To help the boys to establish a reading habit and to improve their functional skills (writing with technical accuracy) and reading for meaning Literacy lessons have been introduced to each Year 8 and 9 class for one double period a cycle. The lessons are split into two areas:
Reading for pleasure within a Reading Award Scheme
Reading for meaning and writing with technical accuracy
Two teachers run the sessions -- 
one a specialist English teacher and the other a non-specialist one. As the class is split in half, the teacher has the opportunity to work closely with the student and, therefore, get to know them very well and so get to know their interests and their strengths and weaknesses in these areas.
This has been beneficial in several ways. The boys develop a regular reading habit and are rewarded with a certificate for the Reading Award they are following. Moreover, a Headmaster's Certificate for Excellence in Reading is awarded to those boys who have completed the Award particularly well. The boys are involved in recommending good reads and suggesting new books for the library which are then purchased by the librarian. The library is used as the base for reading and has a very conducive atmosphere for this as well as, of course, being a practical venue.
The non specialist teachers find the scheme interesting and enlightening. It emphasises to them the crucial role reading plays in personal and academic development. It shows the boys that staff across many curriculum areas have an interest in reading. It, therefore, aids the understanding of the importance of reading across the curriculum to both staff and boys.
I think the structure of the lesson is excellent. The period of time in the library allows the boys to read an ample amount of their book ... It's also nice to touch base with each pupil in the lesson. Steve Llewellyn (P.E. teacher
I've been a big fan of the Literacy lessons I've got a lot out of them and I think the students have too. I think the Light Reads is an important section as they are the ones named by my most reluctant readers ... they are fun and accessible. Kath Myers (Head of SEN, Physics teacher)
These show the enthusiasm with which this scheme has been welcomed. These lessons ensure that reading habits are established certainly within the lesson and hopefully outside. They also aid understanding of a variety of textual structures and styles and this in turn, enables choices, of reading materials to become more varied..
The use of the library as a place to read and enjoy books has dramatically improved. The library lending figures have risen significantly. By November 2007, 64.9% of the Year 8s were borrowing books regularly and many borrow several books at once.
For more information, please contact Mrs. Karen Mallace-Goulbourne, Literacy Advisor at PGS, email: mallacegk@poolegrammar.com.
