Words for Life

Jonathan Douglas

Director

The National Literacy Trust

Where are we now…?• The new National Curriculum has re-

emphasised the importance of attitudes and behaviours around reading and literacy

• The Curriculum has embedded a rich model of reading and writing requiring at KS2 a deep understanding of authorial intention, inferential reading and the creation and reception of meaning

• SPAG is not going away, neither is phonics screening

But…

• What on earth will the Level Descriptors for English look like?

• What is the relationship between Teacher Assessment and testing?

• What will the new commission on life after levels say? • How will the new “middle tier” – academy sponsors,

regional school commissioners and Ofsted Regional Directors - impact on literacy practice?

• What does the EEF think actually works? • Will the General Election make any difference?

www.literacytrust.org.uk

Literacy a ladder out of poverty

Reduction in reliance on state benefits– An increase in literacy cuts the likelihood of

reliance on benefits from 19% to 6%

Less likely to own your own home– A modest rise in literacy level sees the

likelihood of a man owning their own house rise from 40% to 78%.

But poor literacy means you areMore likely to live in a non-working household

– 22% of men and 30% of women with literacy below entry level 2 live in nonworking households.

Less likely to have children– Individuals with low levels of literacy are more likely to lead

solitary lives without any children.More likely to live in overcrowded housing

– Individuals with low literacy levels are more likely to live in overcrowded housing with reduced access to technology.

More likely to experience divorce– A literate family is less likely to experience divorce, as divorce

rates amongst those with high literacy are low, and significantly lower than those with poor literacy skills.

Attitudes and behaviours matter as well as skills

“Enjoyment of reading has a greater impact on a child’s educational achievement than their parents’ socio-economic status.” OECD Reading for change 2002, 2009

“Overall, young people who enjoy reading very much are nearly five times as likely to read at the expected level for their age compared with young people who do not enjoy reading at all.”

Children’s and Young People’s Reading Today, 2012

Reading – KS2 at level 4

1998 2003

Boys 75% 82%

Girls 82% 87%

Enjoying Reading at Year 6

1998 2003

Boys 70% 55%

Girls 85% 75%

Source: Sainsbury & Schagen 2004

Literacy behaviours in the home are vital

• Impact size of home learning environment about 3 times that of high quality early education

• Critical time for language development, 0-2yrs• Poor home learning environment and/or poor

group care in first two years creates learning lag that makes catch up difficult (but not impossible)

• Early language efficacy strongly co-related with literacy skills throughout education

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www.literacytrust.org.uk

Research in the States has demonstrated that early language and communication patterns are the foundation of the early literacy/poverty gap

By the age of 4•Professional children had 50 million words addressed to them•Working class children had 30 million•Welfare children had 12 million

Professional children by the age of 4 have bigger vocabulary than welfare parents

By the age 10, differences fully reflected in school achievement

Meaningful differences in everyday experiences of young

American children (1995) Betty Hart & Todd Risley

Geography matters

So we need an approach that tackles

• Skills – new ways to support literacy teaching and learning in schools and settings

• Attitudes – promotions and partnerships which grow the demand for literacy and reading skills in schools and the community

• Behaviour – a campaign to change behaviour, especially in families

• A place-based approach – local leadership, focus and capacity needed

An ecological model

The policy contextCommunity servicesWider social influencersThe wider communitySchool lifeFriends and peersThe familyThe child

A local literacy campaign• Engages families and supports behaviour

change

• Works through and with local cultural and community partners

• Uses media and other partnerships to make literacy attractive and relevant and a priority for everyone

• Supports schools and settings with resources, skills and partnerships

www.literacytrust.org.uk

Peterborough Literacy CampaignFocus areas

•Early years work supporting families

•Transition from Key Stage 1 to 2

•Transition from primary to secondary school

www.literacytrust.org.uk

Hub Manager: Sally Atkinson sally.atkinson@literacytrust.org.uk

01733 863726

What does this look like?

What does this look like?

• Launch event was attended by the Mayor, Lord Mawhinney and the key local authority partners. • Love Peterborough poetry competition launched with local celebrity judges Warwick Davis and

Mark Grist. In partnership with Stagecoach.

Kyle Vassell (Peterborough United striker) at Leighton Primary School

Local author Guy Bass on a story telling tour of schools

www.literacytrust.org.uk

Partnerships across our HubsMedia partners Brand and community partners

• Activate your National Literacy Trust Network Membership• Apply for the school library makeover!• Contact sally.atkinson@literacytrust.org.uk for news and to

pass on your ideas• Create your own projects and activities to engage parents

and partners to get Peterborough Reading• Include a commitment to the campaign as a mechanism to

raise literacy in your school development plan• When you celebrate reading and literacy use the logo

What can you do?

“Why I read” - Richard Peck

"I read because one life isn't enough, and in the page of a book I can be anybody;

I read because the words that build the story become mine, to build my life;

I read not for happy endings but for new beginnings; I'm just beginning myself, and I wouldn't mind a map;

I read because I have friends who don't, and young though they are, they're beginning to run out of material;

I read because every journey begins at the library, and it's time for me to start packing;

I read because one of these days I'm going to get out of this town, and I'm going to go everywhere and meet everybody, and I want to be ready."

Thank you!

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Jonathan.douglas@literacytrust.org.uk

www.literacytrust.org.uk