Teachers get new guide to help them teach writing

| 13/10/2014

(CNS): The education ministry has published a new guide for teachers, which officials have said will give them the tools they need to teach children. The new document, Guidance on Effective Writing Instruction: KS1, is available on the ministry’s website and was developed to act as a professional learning tool to support for teachers’ planning and practice when it comes to teaching kids in the first three years of primary school to write. Meant to supplement and expand on the National Curriculum, officials said the guide “explores the essential components necessary for the development of an effective early years writing programme that will set the foundation for future student achievement.”

The guidance includes a number of key sections, ranging from study programmes to quality standards-based assessment and the education possibilities that teachers can draw upon to support their practice. The ministry stated that, as a whole, the guidance document provides a comprehensive package that teachers can use to inform their teaching and creates consistency in writing instruction across all government primary school Key Stage 1 classes (Years 1-3).

Officials said that each school’s literacy coach will work with teachers to embed the best practices and objectives that are outlined in the document. These coaches help teachers with model lessons, planning, and professional development and were described in a release as “a key resource to improving teaching and learning” in the local education system. Resources have also been purchased by the Department of Education Services (DES) and provided to all schools to help with guidance implementation.

This guide will be followed by another one for Key Stage 2 that will cover the next three primary years. That guide, officials said, would be launched in the next few months. Work has already also started on guides to show teachers how to teach reading, which will be launched in 2015. 

See the guidance document here and below.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Children are somewhat like computer, what you put in is what you get back! Yes I agree some parents are loosy, and charity begins at home, and the writer also mentioned above that we do have our home grown rude children "which is a fact"! BUT in this instance the person is merely expressing a situation where apparently a child is being bullied by an adult! Don't just sit around and think for one instance "All" teachers are nice, they are indeed not and there is always room for improvement. I feel if a teacher is rude, they should be repremanded for such attutudes. Simple! When my child were at Savannah, then on to High School I had no problem with my child nor the teachers (as a single parent I did my home work and it was mandatory to respect the teachers), that was many many years ago, Miss Joanne Clarke time. In fact those were the days that children made every effort not to have their teachers call home! That interest that was shown to our children by all our teachers is unforgetable, from the era of teachers I can today look around in my family and feel proud of a pilot, a lawyer, 2 bank tellers, an insurance broker, an accountant and the list goes on "thanks to good teachers". May God bless you all, present and retired teachers to have patience and endure to the end, never give up on the bad eggs, a reward awaits you.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Perhaps they should learn to write first?

  3. Anonymous says:

    This is all good, but I am looking forward to seeing a new Guide for some foreign teachers to behave themselves in an appropriate matter in classrooms, and learn to respect the chidren. Respect from human being are a virtue earned, and not dragged into being. A few days I came across a grandmother asking her 12 or 13 year old grandson "how was school" ok he replied, but Grammie do teacher "A" knows you. The grandmother replied not really but I know her when I see her. The grandson replied she was in the kitchen a few days ago and said I must wash my hands which I did, then she repeated I must wash my hands I said to her I just did. The teacher replied with a stern body language to the child "this is not your Sis …….." using thegrandmother's name. These teachers have no reason to disrespect our children and bring in their family names. I personally know we have some homegrown rude children who are extremely difficult to handle, but why do some children have to suffer persecution from some teachers. You would be surprised what is dished out to our children and this can cause the child a learning disability. In all fairness I think Government should have a one on one with children across the island, no wonder our children feel unwanted and subsequently end up in correctional institutes, while Miss Prick walks away with government salary every month! Our children are our future even after these monster teachers return to their homeland or just why not get the Status!

    • Anonymous says:

      Teachers are NOT respected and are not listened to when concerns are raised etc.

      The Ministry and members of Cabinet do not respect our educators or value their efforts.

      So, teachers lose their passion as a result of not having the proper support and respect they deserve. It is a domino effect!

       
    • Anonymous says:

      Please will posters read through what they have written before pressing "Save".

      I'm sure that in this posting there's an interesting, relevant and possibly cautionary story about something that was said in some kitchen or other, but I can't find it.

      If, upon a read-through, it makes no sense to you, it won't make sense to anyone else.  

    • Anonymous says:

      Sounds like you are angry at teachers for paying attention to your children at a level you nor your parents did when you were young. Relying on foreigners to do your dirty work where you are too cool for school to gain favoritism of your child is a whole new low for parents of this country. Fess up to parenting your own kids and stop dumping on education to be your babysitters.You and many others are scarred to support teachers becasue you are in denial at just how your culture is deficient on the global scence and how that carries through to your children who will also play the game of denial you, and that includes high ranking educational management, are so very helpfully nurturing in your kids and generations to come.

    • Anonymous says:



      The teacher knows the grandmother? Foreign? Student needed to do as told. RESPECT the title "TEACHER". 

       

    • Anonymous says:

      Disrespecting a child, although not proper, does not cause a learning disability.

      Calling a teacher "Miss Prick" is not very respectful whether you like her ot not.

      Why should Government have a one on one with children? If the child is homegrown rude and extremely difficult to handle, shouldn't the parent or guardian being having a one on one with the child?