Purpose of Study (EYFS Statutory Framework & National Curriculum): Communication & Language

 Communication and Language EYFS

The development of children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development. Children’s back-and-forth interactions from an early age form the foundations for language and cognitive development. The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial. By commenting on what children are interested in or doing, and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added, practitioners will build children's language effectively. Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive. Through conversation, storytelling and role play, where children share their ideas with support and modelling from their teacher, and sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate, children become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.

Spoken Language Years 1-6

The national curriculum for English reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are vital for developing their vocabulary and grammar and their understanding for reading and writing. Teachers should therefore ensure the continual development of pupils’ confidence and competence in spoken language and listening skills. Pupils should develop a capacity to explain their understanding of books and other reading, and to prepare their ideas before they write. They must be assisted in making their thinking clear to themselves as well as to others, and teachers should ensure that pupils build secure foundations by using discussion to probe and remedy their misconceptions. Pupils should also be taught to understand and use the conventions for discussion and debate.

All pupils should be enabled to participate in and gain knowledge, skills and understanding associated with the artistic practice of drama. Pupils should be able to adopt, create and sustain a range of roles, responding appropriately to others in role. They should have opportunities to improvise, devise and script drama for one another and a range of audiences, as well as to rehearse, refine, share and respond thoughtfully to drama and theatre performances.

School Curriculum for Communication & Language

This describes your subject’s intent, the WHAT, i.e. what children will learn in your subject

Knowledge and skills build through:

The progressive curriculum outlined in the Scheme of Work

Spoken Language is taught by: The application of a progressive curriculum designed with some reference to The Oracy Framework (Voice 21 Project).

Exposes children to: opportunities to discuss, debate, present, role-play, enlarge vocabulary, study play-scripts, perform in plays, watch a live theatre performances.

Children develop:

The confidence to ask and answer questions, justify arguments, explain thinking, speak clearly and intelligibly, use a widening vocabulary, perform in front of an audience, make themselves understood.

Communication

& Language

Provides:

Meaningful opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills across the curriculum

Spoken Language is taught through: a blend of specific teaching in English lessons, e.g., learning about debates and preparing for a class debate, and opportunities to practise skills across the curriculum (e.g., preparing a spoken presentation about global warming in geography).

Build:

Vocabulary associated with spoken language, such as audience, pitch, intonation, discussion, debate, presentation, justification, argument, speculate, hypothesise, imagine, perform.

Communication & Language EYFS

Children’s communication and language skills will be developed through:
Adult modelling
Adults commenting on what children are doing
Adults actively supporting children to widen and deepen their vocabulary
Everyday back-and-forth interactions
Quality conversations
The provision of a language-rich environment where children can practise their skills and use new vocabulary
Adults reading a range of books to children daily
Opportunities for discussion and role-play
Opportunities to explain thinking and respond to others’ ideas.
Opportunities to speak and present in front of a group.

Spoken Language Years 1 - 6

Pupils should be taught to:
listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge
use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments
use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas
speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play/improvisations and debates
gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)
consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others
select and use appropriate registers for effective communication 

IMPACT (What children will have learned)

By the end of EY: 

Experiences –

Children will have had many opportunities to develop their spoken language skills through meaningful interactions with adults and play-based activities with both adults and children (including role-play).
Children will be used to working with a ‘talk partner’.
Children will have opportunities to speak about their learning and experiences across the curriculum.
Children will have watched a live performance (e.g., a short production written for young children).
Children will have taken part in a performance to parents/carers (e.g., a Christmas Play).

Skills & Knowledge-

Listening, Attention and Understanding

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions.

• Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding.

• Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers.

Speaking

Children at the expected level of development will:

• Participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary.

• Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate.

• Express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher.

By the end of KS1:

Experiences: Children will have had many opportunities to participate in role-play, presentations and performances.
Children will have taken part in a performance to parents/carers, including taking on speaking-parts (e.g., in a Christmas Play).
Children will have watched a live performance (e.g., a pantomime or play).

Skills:

Physical – Start to use gesture to support the delivery of ideas; Use the appropriate pace, tone and volume for the context

Linguistic – Learn how to adapt speech for different situations/audiences; Learn and use subject-specific vocabulary;

Cognitive - Ask questions to find out more about a subject; Articulate, explain and explore ideas/concepts/ speculations in a small group;

Build on, and challenge, other people’s ideas, imaginings and speculations during discussions;

Make connections between what has been said and own experiences; Paraphrase what has been said; Choose relevant content when conversing.

Social & Emotional - Start to develop an awareness of audience (e.g., what might interest certain people);

Be aware of others who have not yet spoken and invite them to join in; Confidently deliver short, pre-prepared material; Begin to engage with an audience; Articulate and express feelings and responses.

Knowledge:

Show some understanding of the difference between colloquial and Standard English; Have an expanding vocabulary and understanding of the meanings of words.

By the end of KS2:

 Experiences: Children will have had many opportunities to participate in role-play, presentations, performances, improvisations and debates; Children will have taken part in a performance to parents/carers, including taking on speaking-parts (e.g., Y6 End-of-Year Performance); Children will have watched a live performance (e.g., a stage-adaption of a core-text, such as ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’).

 Skills:

Physical - Speak fluently in front of an audience; Have a stage presence; Purposefully adapt tone, pace and volume of voice to suit the situation.

Linguistic –Vary the structure and length of sentences for effect when speaking; Carefully consider and select the words and phrasing used to express ideas and how this supports the purpose of the talk (e.g., to persuade, inform, entertain); Demonstrate an increasing command of, and fluency in, Standard English.

Cognitive – Construct and articulate a detailed argument or complex narrative; Spontaneously respond and ask increasingly complex questions, citing evidence, where appropriate; Without prompting, confidently use all the different roles during a discussion (e.g., challenger, summariser).

Social & Emotional –

Use humour effectively; Read a room and act accordingly; Speak with flair and passion; Articulate well-structured descriptions of, and explanations for, different feelings and responses;

 Knowledge: What is meant by Standard English; how performers engage an audience; how to communicate for a variety of purposes and to a variety of audiences.