The document describes a literacy project between the University of Derby and partner schools. The project aims to improve students' teaching of early reading through observation of exemplary practice, analyzing effective strategies, and teaching literacy lessons under mentor guidance. Student and school feedback was positive, praising the support from mentors and opportunities for professional dialogue. The university plans to enhance early reading instruction in its teacher training program based on lessons from the project.

1. EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
Leading Literacy Project
University of Derby
Dr Des Hewitt & Ani Thomas
d.m.hewitt@derby.ac.uk
a.thomas@derby.ac.uk
www.derby.ac.uk

2. Practical Aims of Project
• Observe good practice of the teaching of Early reading
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Analyse good practice of the teaching of Early reading
• Explore and understand the wider view of reading in the
classroom
• Plan and teach suitable learning sequences in the teaching of
early reading including the teaching of phonics
• Adapt their own practice under the guidance of experienced
teachers of early reading
• Evaluate their own performance including assessment of
children’s progress
• Engage in professional dialogue in order to reflect and
understand effective practice in the teaching of early reading
• Reflect on their own progress against their personal goals
www.derby.ac.uk

3. University of Derby Leading Literacy Schools’ Project
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
• 1. Input and reinforcement of teaching of early reading.
• 2. Experience of teaching of early reading on main placement.
• 3. Post placement evaluation of the student’s teaching of early reading.
• 4. Phase 1 of Leading Literacy Project.
• 5. Phase 2 of Leading Literacy Project.
• 6. Return and evaluation of Leading Literacy placement journals.
• 7. Leading Literacy Conference, school and student feedback
disseminated.
www.derby.ac.uk

4. Identifying Students
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• PGCE and BEd Yr 4
• Student Audit: Teaching of Early Reading Post-
Placement Support.
• Self Assessment: students asked to provide evidence of
progress they had made in the teaching of Early
Reading.
Key part of the process. Add on placement and students
needed to be keen to engage. However..
• Guidance provided: recommended that some students
should undertake placement
www.derby.ac.uk

5. Identifying Schools
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Identified 11 partnership schools that had
excellent model of Early Reading Skills
Teaching
www.derby.ac.uk

6. Timings
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Issue around when to undertake project
• Difficulties with timetabling
• Future: reconsider when to undertake project e.g. end of
Year 2, Year 3?
• Four visits into school
• First two visits were observation of good practice, wider
view of reading, classroom and school environment,
analysing good practice, professional dialogue
• Following two visits were engaging with planning,
teaching, assessment under guidance of mentor
www.derby.ac.uk

7. Phase 1: analyzing good practice in
teaching and learning of early reading
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Focus on children’s learning
– What do we know about progress in reading?
– How do we know that (evidence)?
– What are the expectations of early reading for these
children?
• Modelling good practice to develop early reading skills,
attitudes, understanding etc in children
• Analyzing application of early reading skills across the
curriculum
• Working with others.
• Meet to discuss professional thinking behind the teacher’s
practice
• Agree targets with students
www.derby.ac.uk

8. Phase 2: applying principles and
practices in the teaching and learning
of early reading
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Give the students an area of reading to develop
• Be specific about LO’s and any associated resources
• Adapt and apply the principles and practices of early
reading with a group of children
• Plan, teach and evaluate learning in an area of early reading
for a group of children according to above
• Receive written feedback from your LLS mentor/ class teacher
• Meet to discuss students’ application and practice of skills
• Agree targets with students
www.derby.ac.uk

9. Post Placement Overview
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Student feedback of Project from their
journals and their evaluations
• School feedback from school evaluations
• Impact on future developments in Initial
Teacher Education (ITE) with regards to
the teaching of Early reading
www.derby.ac.uk

10. Student Feedback – Personal
Targets
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Knowledge and understanding of teaching
strategies
• Familiarity with ‘Letters and Sounds’ document
• Understand Phases and expected progress for
each phase
• Assessment of phonics
• Understanding the terminology used in
phonic teaching
www.derby.ac.uk

11. Student Feedback – Personal
Targets
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• How to teach phonics using a multi-
sensory approach
• Planning for phonics; understanding the
process of plan, teach and assess
• Observing good practice in the teaching of
early reading
• Getting over the ‘fear’ of teaching
phonics
www.derby.ac.uk

12. Student Evaluations
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
The process of selection for project:
• It enabled the students to reflect on their strengths and
weaknesses
• Perhaps some students that would have benefitted from the
project were not identified during selection process
The input from sessions on the project:
• Clear and informative
The usefulness of the journal:
• Glossary of terms
• Information on the simple and wider view of reading
www.derby.ac.uk

13. Student Evaluations
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
Experience and support in school:
• Supportive and informative mentors
• Good opportunities to observe
effective practice
• Excellent professional dialogue
www.derby.ac.uk

14. School Evaluations
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Guidance and information regarding the Project
from the University was informative
• Information for students about the project’s aims
was good
• Funding was welcomed and used efficiently to
allow teachers and students to engage in
professional dialogue
• Liaison between Leading Schools would be
welcomed
www.derby.ac.uk

15. Implications for our provision of the
teaching of early reading on our ITE
Programme
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Provide opportunities for students to observe and learn
from effective teachers and practitioners
• Providing a bank of expertise for ITE for the teaching of
Early reading which can be drawn on to support school
and centre-based training
• Explore and evaluate our current provision in the
teaching of early reading and use the project’s outcome
to enhance the students’ understanding of effective
teaching of early reading
www.derby.ac.uk

16. Implications for our provision of the
teaching of early reading on our ITE
Programme
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Review timing of project, possibly implement earlier in
programme
• Improve professional development for mentors in
supporting the students
• To continue to develop the partnership between
ourselves and the mentors within the Leading Literacy
Schools
• To forge further liaisons between the Leading Literacy
Schools and develop future research projects
www.derby.ac.uk

17. Possible future research
areas
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Improving boy’s attainment in reading and writing
• Provision for the teaching of early reading skills
being continued into Key Stage 2
• The use of story telling through role-play
www.derby.ac.uk

18. The schools
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
• Griffe Field Primary, Littleover DH
• Alvaston Infants, Derby DH
• Mickleover Primary, Derby JB
• Stenson Fields Primary, Derby JB
• Heathefields Primary, Hatton DH
• Silverhill Primary, Derby AT
• Borrow Wood Infants, Borrowash JB
• Findern Primary, Findern AT
• Hilton Primary, Hilton AT
• Pear Tree Infants, Derby, JB
• Kirk Langley Primary, Kirk Langley, DH
www.derby.ac.uk

19. Financial support
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SCIENCES
TDA payment of £900 paid to University
• £450 will be paid to each school via invoice as for all Partnership
payments
• £450 will be used by University to:
– manage LLS arrangements;
– organise an LLS conference in Summer 2009;
– Pay supply for one teacher from each LLS school to attend
conference;
– Evaluate LLS arrangements and disseminate via Mentor
training/ Partnership meetings
www.derby.ac.uk