Underpinning The New SEN Code of Practice, coming into force in September, is the need for schools to provide high quality teaching which is differentiated and personalised.

When a school is judged about the quality of their targeted literacy interventions, it will include a sharper focus on the quality of teaching support, including the use of published schemes. (Usually delivered by TAs)

Nothing that new you might say, but what really makes a difference to the quality of any literacy intervention in a school?

The Scheme you decide to buy and use? Or the core knowledge and understanding of the TA tasked with using it?

Whilst researchers continue to debate and report on the efficacy of various published schemes, it is a TA with the underpinning knowledge, skills and expertise around how children learn to read and write that will have a lasting impact.

One key task schools are undertaking at the moment is a review of the role of additional support within the school; is it being used in the most effective way? Would TAs benefit from some core literacy knowledge and understanding, thereby improving the quality of their work with groups and individual children?

To support TAs to deliver literacy interventions more successfully, (and therefore schools to meet the requirements of The New SEN Code more effectively), we are continuing to offer our popular two day literacy course for TAs and/or teachers.

Day One: Supporting Reading – this includes detailed work on reading strategies, including phonics and grammar as well as an understanding of the different pedagogical approaches useful for helping children who are currently struggling. The day maintains a focus on helping children become happy, confident readers.

Day Two: Supporting Writing – has a focus on sentence construction and the building blocks of crafting a piece of writing. But it also includes some wider, pertinent questions such as ‘What are our expectations of writing across the curriculum?’ and ‘What is the role of Speaking & Listening in improving the quality of writing? What are the processes of writing?’ and ‘Why do some children find it more difficult than others?’

Schools who have experienced our TA Reading & Writing Training days report an immediate and positive impact on TAs’ levels of confidence, their ability to interpret and maximise the published schemes in school and, more importantly, an impact on pupils’ reading & writing.

You can download a pdf of the Two Day course here

*NB. When both days are booked at the same time the total cost is discounted to £1700 (+VAT)

Dates are limited – so get in touch soon to book for 2014 -15.

Email: info@thinkingchild.org.uk
Tel: 01604 491511