English Department Year 7
The following is an outline of the programme of study for your daughter in her first year.
The scheme of work covers all the key objectives for Year 7 as defined by the National Curriculum and by the framework for the National Literacy Strategy. The English Department follows the lesson structure recommended by the National Literacy Strategy.
Your daughter will study 6 units of work during the course of the academic year, though the order of the units may not be as follows. The National Literacy Strategy requirements are integral to the units of work:
- Study of Literary Texts: the Novel: pupils will learn to appreciate how writers’ language choices affect meanings. They will study how a particular novel is structured and the ways in which character is conveyed. Using the novel as a springboard, pupils will be encouraged to produce a well structured narrative which entertains. They will be encouraged to use figurative language and to craft and redraft their work.
- Poetry: pupils will read a selection of poetry and write poems of their own.
- ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’: Pupils will learn to appreciate features of Shakespearian drama. There will be particular emphasis on how Shakespeare conveys character.
- Writing to Persuade and Inform - the Leaflet: pupils will learn how to write to inform, explain and describe through a study of the media, with particular reference to the leaflet. They will begin to recognise the importance of purpose, audience, language and layout in all forms of written communication. Pupils will use ICT to produce work of a professional standard.
- Media: Pupils will examine visual narratives and the moving image. They will be taught media specific vocabulary and will become confident in using this vocabulary. They will develop skills in understanding the conventions that are used to create narrative development in film and TV. They will develop their own film sequence in basic storyboard form.
- Literacy Objectives: Pupils will study and analyse a range of texts for different audiences and purposes in line with the National Literacy Strategy.
Your daughter will be given regular homework, which may be writing, reading, preparation or research for a pending task. The homework may involve using the Internet and ICT skills.
At the end of each unit your daughter will complete a specific task which will be formally assessed by the teacher and given a level commensurate with the National Curriculum levels. This assessment task will be filed in a progress folder and kept as a record of your daughter’s work until the end of Year 9.
Currently we have a summative assessment in June, using the Optional SATS for Year 7. These are internally marked and are intended as early practice for the National SATS examinations in Year 9.
Please encourage your daughter to use a dictionary and a thesaurus to develop her vocabulary. Sometimes she may have to learn spellings and you may be able to help her with this. We also encourage pupils to take a pride in their written work. Please help us by allowing your daughter the appropriate space and time to complete her homework purposefully and diligently.
Above all, we want your daughter to enjoy the subject and to gain access to a wide range of reading.