PROMOTING LITERACY

1. PROMOTING LITERACY ONE SCHOOL’S APPROACH Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

2. PROMOTING LITERACY • AIM: THE FOSTERING OF A READING CULTURE • THE PROBLEM:ILLITERACY, DEPRIVATION, LACK OF INTEREST IN BOOKS AND READING, LACK OF ROLE MODELS, Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

3. Promoting Literacy • The cycle of frustration reads slowly reads less doesn’t enjoy reading finds it difficult to read Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

4. Promoting Literacy • ACTION: • To promote a reading culture by providing accessible and ability- appropriate reading materials • Making the library a pupil-friendly environment • Provide one–to-one teacher- pupil interaction to improve reading Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

5. Promoting Literacy • Cycle of growth enjoys reading reads quickly reads fluently reads more Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

6. PROMOTING LITERACY • BACKGROUND • SURVEY [2003] • INCLUDED QUESTIONS LIKE ; • DO YOU BORROW BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY? • HOW OFTEN DO YOU READ AN ENGLISH BOOK? Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

7. PROMOTING LITERACY • SURVEY RESULTS 2003 • SHOWS % OF PUPILS WHO READ REGULARLY • SAMPLE 2003: 624 STUDENTS FROM F1 TO F 5 Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

8. PROMOTING LITERACY • ISSUES ARISING FROM SURVEY • READING WAS DIFFICULT • VERY FEW READING RESOURCES AVAILABLE • BORROWING WAS NOT AN OPTION FOR FEAR OF LOSING THE BOOK AND BEING FINED Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

9. PROMOTING LITERACY • RELATED PROBLEMS • READING ALOUD FOR ORAL EXAMINATIONS • LACK OF CREATIVITY IN WRITING • LIMITED VOCABULARY IN SPEAKING AND WRITING • PARENTAL DISINTEREST IN READING AS A WORTHWHILE ACTIVITY Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

10. PROMOTING LITERACY • SO WHAT DID WE DO? • IMPLEMENTED A READING PROGRAMME FOR FORMS 1 -3 • TRIED TO ENLIST PARENTAL SUPPORT • CREATED READING DISPLAYS • ENCOURAGED CROSS CURRICULAR SUPPORT • FOSTERED A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LIBRARIANS Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

11. PROMOTING LITERACY • RESOURCES • INITIALLY LACKED SUFFICIENT RESOURCES • HAD BOOK BASKETS FOR CLASSES TO SHARE • ACTIVELY SOUGHT DONORS FOR BOOKS IN THE COMMUNITY • NOW: SHELF OF BOOKS/MAGAZINES/COMICS PER CLASS • APPROXIMATELY 5000 BOOKS – MOSTLY DONATED BY ENGLISH STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

12. PROMOTING LITERACY • PROBLEMS • DAMAGE TO / DEFACING BOOKS • LOSS OF BOOKS • SPLIT SHIFTS • STALE STOCK Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

13. PROMOTING LITERACY • SOLUTIONS • CARE OF BOOKS – YEARLY STOCK TAKE AND REPAIR CLINIC • TRUST SYSTEM – STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOOKS • UGAMA CLASSES WERE ENCOURAGED TO BORROW AND MAINTAIN THE CLASSROOM LIBRARIES • SWAP BOOKS BETWEEN CLASSES ONCE A TERM Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

14. PROMOTING LITERACY • READING DURING REGISTRATION • SYSTEM OF BOOK LOGS SUPERVISED BY FORM TEACHER • 15 MINUTES EVERY MORNING TO BE RECORDED IN READING LOG • ENGLISH LESSONS STARTING PERIOD 1 AND 5 [AFTER BREAK] BEGIN WITH EXTENDED READING Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

15. PROMOTING LITERACY • LIBRARY SESSIONS • F1 -3 DEDICATED LIBRARY PERIOD ONCE A WEEK • TEAM TEACHERS • EVERY STUDENT READS SILENTLY • STUDENTS READ ALOUD TO THE TEACHER THUS EVERY STUDENT IS HEARD READING • BOOK DISPLAYS IN THE LIBRARY • BOOK BOXES TO FACILITATE EASE OF CHOICE • HIGH INTEREST AND LOW ABILITY RANGE OF BOOKS Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

16. PROMOTING LITERACY • READING AT HOME • PARENTAL SUPPORT BY DEDICATING HOMEWORK TO READING • 30 MIN PER DAY FOR F 1 • 45 MIN PER DAY FOR F 2/3 • RECORDED AND CHECKED BY ENGLISH TEACHER • FORM 4/5 ARE ENCOURAGED TO READ FOR 45 MINUTES A DAY Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

17. PROMOTING LITERACY • CELEBRATING ENGLISH AND READING • DEDICATED WEEK [ IN 2007 A MONTH] TO READING AND LITERACY • COMPETITIONS RUN FOR READING CHAMPIONS/ BEST DISPLAYS • SCHEME OF WORK DESIGNED TO ENABLE TEACHERS TO DO LITERATURE BASED WORK IN THIS TIME • HIGHLIGHT – ENGLISH ASSEMBLY WHERE STUDENTS PRESENT READINGS, POEMS AND DRAMA • MEDIA – FILMS AND RADIO- USED TO PROMOTE AN INTEREST IN BOOKS Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

18. PROMOTING LITERACY • DID IT WORK? • STUDENTS SURVEYED IN 2007 Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

19. PROMOTING LITERACY • OTHER FINDINGS • Only 9% of the students came from homes where the parents read regularly • 32% of all students said that they had no quiet place in which to read at home • 34% had no English/Malay books in the home Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

20. PROMOTING LITERACY • SUCCESSES • 87% now enjoy reading • 74% enjoyed reading both in English and Malay • Library usage has increased • Students now read on a regular basis Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

21. PROMOTING LITERACY • The way forward • ABILITY GROUPS • SRA- INTENSIVE READING PROGRAM • OPTIONAL EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS [AUSTRLIAN ENGLISH EXAM] Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

22. PROMOTING LITERACY ABILITY GROUPS The school is on of the few to stream pupils according to ability. Initially PMB/PSR results directed the settings. We envisage using reading ages in future. Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

23. PROMOTING LITERACY • SRA • Initially used with selected groups in form 1 and 3 students • Student’s reading ages will be tested at the beginning of the next academic year Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007

24. PROMOTING LITERACY • AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH EXAMINATION • For advanced students to extend reading and comprehension skills Kay Wilson/ Yasmin Bhamjee BELTA/CfBT AUGUST 2007