We know that many English departments nationally have fantastic literature curriculums at Key Stage 3, but how does their language teaching look?
Teachers we work with have told us that student comprehension of vocabulary and grammar is a concern, and some Heads of Department report that their teams are not as confident in teaching language constructs compared to literature.
This has massive implications for the development of these skills in students and will have repercussions on closing the word gap. A poor mastery of the fundamentals of language can often inhibit young people’s ability to say exactly what they mean and express how they feel. We want students to be able to articulate complex ideas with clarity, accuracy and creativity.
Our Writing Mastery programme will provide English departments with a fully-resourced language curriculum that is designed to:
The programme will support both experienced English teachers and non-specialists to confidently deliver their language lessons and improve student outcomes.
Underpinned by extensive research around principles of instruction, deliberate practice and student motivation, the programme offers a comprehensive set of professional development resources to develop teachers’ understanding of syntax and grammar, helping them to attain a deep understanding of student comprehension.
The accompanying suite of curriculum resources allows students to focus on how language functions, and how to apply it in creative and imaginative ways.
The programme will launch in Summer 2021 - register below to find out more.
As with all our programmes, Writing Mastery includes everything that your team will need, including:
Our full Writing Mastery programme will launch in Summer 2021.
If you are interested in becoming an early adopter or to talk through the programme in more detail and receive a quote, email our friendly partnerships team partnerships@arkcurriculumplus.org.uk or click below to book a call at a time that suits you.
The Writing Mastery programme has been informed, delivered and refined by expert English teachers from across the country. Their experience has contributed to the development of the programme as a practical, powerful driver of pupil attainment.
Our lessons are based on deliberate, discrete grammar teaching and repeated practice. Students keep returning to the same rules in familiar and unfamiliar contexts again and again across the course. This is what true mastery looks like – practice becomes habit and habit becomes long-term learning.
Email our friendly partnerships team partnerships@arkcurriculumplus.org.uk to receive a sample pack of Writing Mastery resources.
Watch our webinar: What can Picasso and Anthony Joshua teach us about writing?
Recent studies show Year 7 students' writing skills are 22 months behind age-related expectations.
The team at English Mastery share our approach for closing the grammar knowing-doing gap and examine what 'writing well' really means.
As teachers ourselves, we understand how extraordinarily difficult this period has been for all schools. We have made some important changes to our mastery programmes this year to help support you in the months ahead.
