Language & Literacy Policy

Aims of the Policy

The aims of the Language and Literacy Policy are:

  • to adopt a whole-school approach to literacy across the curriculum in keeping with the principles and practices established in the National Curriculum Framework (2012);
  • to empower learners to access the full curriculum which will thus lead to the mastery of the key competences of lifelong learning;
  • to enable all learners to reach their potential in the key literacy skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening;
  • to help learners express their ideas through speaking and listening;
  • to encourage learners to develop the necessary skills to become fluent independent readers and to develop appropriate writing skills.

Introduction

The school’s Language & Literacy Policy is in line with the general aims as stated in the National Curriculum Framework. This policy includes strategies for the teaching of both the Maltese and English language.  It has been developed from an action research proċess, whereby the  school stakeholders examined routine practices, analysed existing context and implemented innovative practices before finalising the current Policy.

The Language & Literacy Policy is the responsibility of all educators: only through the everyday commitment of the educators in class can the desired effects become a reality. In order to keep this policy relevant, it will be reviewed at the end of each scholastic year and innovative practices will be introduced to facilitate language acquistion.

Language learning does not only take place in formal settings and during the specific subjects.  Language learning also takes place in each and every activity across the curriculum, whether we are conscious of it or not (DCM115/2006).

Policy Statement

In the primary years, language is linked to all aspects of the curriculum.  STMC Marsaskala St. Anne Primary School commits itself to strenghtening the four basic skills related to language development, namely the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.  The strategies mentioned below are not restrictive.  Each teacher is expected to enhance language teaching through a variety of strategies depending on the children’s level, class dynamics and other situations may arise from time to time.

As language is part of ones’ identity the recognition of the mother tongue and the culture associated with it will increase a child’s self-esteem and general sense of wellbeing.  As highlighted in the NCF, the skilful use of the Maltese language will help children appreciate their own national identity and it strengthens their capacity as responsible citizens.

STMC Marsaskala St. Anne Primary School recognises that the development of the mother tongue is central to the whole development of all cognitive skills in children.  This Language & Literacy Policy strives to provide learners with every opportunity to develop their first language since the development of the first language facilitates the development of other languages.  

Bilingualism

Normally, learners with a good grasp of the mother tongue develop good linguistic skills.  Thus, importance should be given to the first and second language.  The NCF clearly states that: In the primary years, while the first language is respected, promoted and strenghtened, they begin their journey of the second official language of the country in meaningful ways which serve to promote learning and understanding of the world beyond language itself (NCF pg 27).

At STMC Marsaskala St. Anne Primary School, educators will encourage students to speak in  both Maltese and English.  Educators are encouraged to use English when teaching English and Maths.  However, in situations when teaching these subjects in English causes a problem, language mediation can be used.

Developing Listening and Speaking Skills

In the guidelines below, the various competences related to listening and speaking are outlined:

  • providing good models of spoken language to help children widen their vocabulary and learn;
  • making eye-contact with speakers;
  • asking the kind of questions attentive listeners would ask;
  • giving immediate feedback;
  • teaching learners to wait before they speak;
  • listening attentively to others;
  • reflecting on what has been said;
  • gathering one’s thoughts and framing one’s replies;
  • providing opportunities for learners to extend their spoken communication;
  • enabling learners to listen appreciatively and to respond in a variety of ways to stories, poetry and rhymes;
  • providing good models of the spoken language to help learners understand how to structure sentences, speak confidently and clearly and sustain dialogue;
  • encouraging learners to participate in performances using appropriate language e.g. role-play, drama and presentations;
  • encouraging and preparing learners to participate in assemblies and other school activities.

Developing Reading and Writing Skills

The following guidelines address the various competences related to reading and writing:

  • auditory discrimination (e.g. identifying and matching sounds);
  • visual discrimination (e.g. matching pictures and shapes.);
  • left to right orientation;
  • sorting activities;
  • classifying (e.g. odd one out);
  • sequencing activities;
  • recalling (e.g. what is missing);
  • helping learners to reflect on the form and content of the book;
  • encouraging learners to predict the story from the illustrations;
  • developing and supporting learners’ curiosity about the text and the meaning it conveys;
  • encouraging learners to examine the print and how texts are structured;
  • using learners’ skills in speaking and listening to explore, articulate and extend their understanding of texts;
  • asking inferential questions to help develop in depth reading skills, including learning to read between the lines;
  • discussing the set-up and asking learners to summarise what happens;
  • understanding the sound and spelling system and using this to read and spell accurately;
  • reading and writing with confidence, fluency and understanding;
  • using a variety of strategies when they come across new words;
  • understanding the conventions of different information text types and being able to use these conventions confidently as readers and writers;
  • planning and organising by means of:  spider, squashed web, lists, senses;
  • adapting learners’ their writing to suit a variety of audiences and purposes;
  • being confident users of subject specific vocabulary and correct spellings;

Learners are taught that proper writing involves having a purpose, deciding what needs to be written, planning their thoughts, drafting, proof-reading and presenting work neatly. Teachers will :

  • teach pupils how to understand and be able to write in a range of genres and be familiar with ways in which those genres are constructed;
  • set writing tasks that have clear purposes, are objective-driven and which are age- and ability- appropriate;
  • teach pupils how to structure their writing using a variety of sentence structures, paragraphs and a wide range of punctuation;
  • ensure that pupils are familiar with the appropriate style and conventions to write in a particular genre e.g. newspaper report;
  • provide good models of particular kinds of writing.

Developing Handwriting Skills

In the Early Years, children will be encouraged to do a great deal of scribbling and inventive writing and to discover letter shapes and movement.  At this stage children will:

  • be allowed plenty of practise of pre-writing skills involving scribbling and pattern word which will help develop perception and hand-eye coordination.  This can also link in with art and craft work;
  • practise in pencil control and fine motor movements before being introduced to letter formation. 

Specific attention will be given to: 

  • physical development
  • postural control
  • shoulder stability
  • development of web space (The web space refers to the circle that forms with the tip of the index finger and the thumb touching)
  • pencil control
  • pencil grip
  • different needs of left-handed children.

Handwriting and Spelling

It has been shown that good handwriting and spelling go together: the work of Cripps and Cox (1989) indicates that when the two skills are taught together, children do become more confident in looking at and writing words and more able to identify misspellings. Therefore, at STMC Marsaskala St Anne Primary School the teaching of spelling and handwriting will be linked together.

Specific attention will be given to:

  • letter formation
  • letter size
  • order of letters
  • capital letter sequence
  • cursive handwriting
  • different needs of left-handed children

If handwriting is the means of communication, then it means it must be easy to read with letters properly formed.  Therefore, the first priority is legibility.   Since some children will always find cursive handwriting difficult, and since in the early stages of spelling children rely on segmentation skills, at STMC Marsaskala St Anne Primary School print form will be taught during the first two years of formal schooling.

At a later stage, students will be introduced to the cursive form. Once mastered cursive handwriting is quicker and easier than print.  Besides it reduces the chance of reversing letters by removing the need to lift the pen between letters in a continuous flow from left to right.  It assists with retaining spelling patterns due to its multi-sensory effect.