Literacy and English consists of reading, writing, listening and talking. From the earliest days in Primary One, the children are taught reading skills using a range of methods including Jolly Phonics, Jolly Grammar and Reciprocal Reading Strategies.
Although our core reading scheme is Collins Big Cat Reading, teachers use a wide range of real books, both fiction and non-fiction, and other materials which are commercially produced or developed by the class teachers.
Listening and Talking skills are developed in a variety of ways including Circle Time Activities, role-play and working with Learning Partners. During such activities, children learn to listen and respond to their peers and to take turns to share their ideas and opinions. Children are also encouraged to speak in front of the class, at assemblies and to the wider community. This helps them to become confident, clear and fluent speakers.
Written competency is achieved by exposure to literature of a high standard, reflecting on the writer’s craft and by providing stimuli such as real life contexts and visits out with school as part of topic work. The ‘Big Writing Programme’ is used to support the development of children’s writing skills across all stages.
Children experience many different types of writing including:
- Personal: writing about own experiences
- Functional: writing for a purpose
- Imaginative: developing own ideas and thoughts
Modern Foreign Languages: Spanish is currently taught from P3 to P7. By 2020, all children from P1 to S3 will have an entitlement to a second language in addition to their native language.
At Our Lady of Peace, the second language is Spanish. In addition to this all children from P5 to P7 will be exposed to a third language (French). This will enable the school to implement the Scottish Government’s 1 + 2 Policy “Language Learning in Scotland : A 1+2 Approach.”
