The Student Room Group

Year 5/6 Literacy

How have people taught the literacy hour with a split 5/6 class?

Next Year the new Y6s will have followed our Y6 scheme, having been in a straight Y5 class. Next Yr
they will be mixed. I think I will have to follow the Y6 scheme, to avoid duplication, but some of
the texts are hard, and some of next yrs 5 are quite weak. In shared text work, how will they cope,
what may be the best way to deliver the text.

Won't be much opportunity for setting.

Essex produces a Literacy mid term planner for split classes, but not for
Y5/6.
--
Sarah
Reply 1
In article <[email protected]>, "Sarah" <[email protected]> writes:

[q1]>How have people taught the literacy hour with a split 5/6 class?[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]>Next Year the new Y6s will have followed our Y6 scheme, having been in a straight Y5 class. Next Yr[/q1]
[q1]>they will be mixed. I think I will have to follow the Y6 scheme, to avoid duplication, but some of[/q1]
[q1]>the texts are hard, and some of next yrs 5 are quite weak. In shared text work, how will they cope,[/q1]
[q1]>what may be the best way to deliver the text.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]>Won't be much opportunity for setting.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]>Essex produces a Literacy mid term planner for split classes, but not for[/q1]
[q1]>Y5/6.[/q1]

We have the same problem. We set across the Key Stage so that some Y3s have had the Y4 program, 4s
had the 3, and so on, as needed. We have a load of Y5s who have done the Y6 program already.

Shared text is supposed to be above their level, allegedly, in order to access higher order thinking
skills. I taught the Y4 level and had a mix of Y3, 4 and 5 in the class. The 5s were the weakest,
even among the mixture. I read the text to them, which allowed them to focus only on comprehension
and vocabulary, in the shared sessions. I didn't set written comprehension on the text for the
weakest ones until after Christmas, when they seemed to pick up in reading.

The topics are more or less the same no matter what age group you're teaching, so you can choose
virtually anything to match it.

I used to do a week "reading" and a week "writing" in blocks. My shared session in the writing weeks
was fully on writing - word and sentence level revolved around whatever it was we were writing. The
writing was based on the previous week's reading activities, which were more of the split - 15
minutes text, 15 word/sentence.

We were lucky this year in that we introduced the Focus on Literacy scheme, so the kids hadn't seen
it before. Next year's Y6 have seen this year's Y6 material, so the teacher will have a harder time,
unless she can get hold of a Y5 big book - which is a possibility you might consider, if the pupils
haven't seen the Y5 stuff yet.

Is there a level they've skipped? If so, use the topics from that level each term, instead of the Y6
curriculum. As well, I think there's a Y7 literacy strategy out now, which you could access if you
get desperate. You might have to make loads of your own stuff, though. :-(

----------------------------------------------------
Sandi

Remove NoSpam to reply.
Reply 2
Guess what I have a class of mixed Y5/Y6 next September too! Plus I have an ofsted looming!! I need
to get it right! My yr 5's next year will be brighter than the Yr 6's generally. So I am planning on
doing the Y6 Literacy and Numeracy! Easier said than done!

Terry

"Sarah" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> How have people taught the literacy hour with a split 5/6 class?[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Next Year the new Y6s will have followed our Y6 scheme, having been in a straight Y5 class. Next[/q1]
[q1]> Yr they will be mixed. I think I will have to[/q1]
follow
[q1]> the Y6 scheme, to avoid duplication, but some of the texts are hard, and some of next yrs 5 are[/q1]
[q1]> quite weak. In shared text work, how will they[/q1]
cope,
[q1]> what may be the best way to deliver the text.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Won't be much opportunity for setting.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Essex produces a Literacy mid term planner for split classes, but not for[/q1]
[q1]> Y5/6.[/q1]
[q1]> --[/q1]
[q1]> Sarah[/q1]
Reply 3
I think that I will have no choice but to teach the Y6 stuff and tweak it.

How did you find mixed age setting? I am also hoping to introduce this next year, although without a
doubt our parents wont like it, however educationally sound it may be. I think I'll end up with a
group of bright 6s, with a few v. able 5s, then a group of average/ below average 6s mixed with
average to good 5s, then a group made up of the weaker children from each age group. Is this what
you have done Sandi? I wont do it every day, as I feel the poor ones need to see the better kids in
action, and work with them in groups.

Sarah

SLieber24 <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
[q1]> In article <[email protected]>, "Sarah"[/q1]
[q1]> <[email protected]> writes:[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q2]> >How have people taught the literacy hour with a split 5/6 class?[/q2]
[q2]> >[/q2]
[q2]> >Next Year the new Y6s will have followed our Y6 scheme, having been in a straight Y5 class. Next[/q2]
[q2]> >Yr they will be mixed. I think I will have to[/q2]
follow
[q2]> >the Y6 scheme, to avoid duplication, but some of the texts are hard, and some of next yrs 5 are[/q2]
[q2]> >quite weak. In shared text work, how will they[/q2]
cope,
[q2]> >what may be the best way to deliver the text.[/q2]
[q2]> >[/q2]
[q2]> >Won't be much opportunity for setting.[/q2]
[q2]> >[/q2]
[q2]> >Essex produces a Literacy mid term planner for split classes, but not for[/q2]
[q2]> >Y5/6.[/q2]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> We have the same problem. We set across the Key Stage so that some Y3s[/q1]
have had
[q1]> the Y4 program, 4s had the 3, and so on, as needed. We have a load of Y5s[/q1]
who
[q1]> have done the Y6 program already.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Shared text is supposed to be above their level, allegedly, in order to[/q1]
access
[q1]> higher order thinking skills. I taught the Y4 level and had a mix of Y3, 4[/q1]
and
[q1]> 5 in the class. The 5s were the weakest, even among the mixture. I read[/q1]
the
[q1]> text to them, which allowed them to focus only on comprehension and[/q1]
vocabulary,
[q1]> in the shared sessions. I didn't set written comprehension on the text for[/q1]
the
[q1]> weakest ones until after Christmas, when they seemed to pick up in[/q1]
reading.
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> The topics are more or less the same no matter what age group you're[/q1]
teaching,
[q1]> so you can choose virtually anything to match it.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> I used to do a week "reading" and a week "writing" in blocks. My shared[/q1]
session
[q1]> in the writing weeks was fully on writing - word and sentence level[/q1]
revolved
[q1]> around whatever it was we were writing. The writing was based on the[/q1]
previous
[q1]> week's reading activities, which were more of the split - 15 minutes text,[/q1]
15
[q1]> word/sentence.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> We were lucky this year in that we introduced the Focus on Literacy[/q1]
scheme, so
[q1]> the kids hadn't seen it before. Next year's Y6 have seen this year's Y6 material, so the teacher[/q1]
[q1]> will have a harder time, unless she can get hold[/q1]
of a
[q1]> Y5 big book - which is a possibility you might consider, if the pupils[/q1]
haven't
[q1]> seen the Y5 stuff yet.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Is there a level they've skipped? If so, use the topics from that level[/q1]
each
[q1]> term, instead of the Y6 curriculum. As well, I think there's a Y7 literacy strategy out now, which[/q1]
[q1]> you could access if you get desperate. You might[/q1]
have
[q1]> to make loads of your own stuff, though. :-([/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> ----------------------------------------------------[/q1]
[q1]> Sandi[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Remove NoSpam to reply.[/q1]
Reply 4
"Sarah" <[email protected]> burbled:

[q1]>I think that I will have no choice but to teach the Y6 stuff and tweak it.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]>How did you find mixed age setting? I am also hoping to introduce this next year, although without[/q1]
[q1]>a doubt our parents wont like it, however educationally sound it may be. I think I'll end up with a[/q1]
[q1]>group of bright 6s, with a few v. able 5s, then a group of average/ below average 6s mixed with[/q1]
[q1]>average to good 5s, then a group made up of the weaker children from each age group. Is this what[/q1]
[q1]>you have done Sandi? I wont do it every day, as I feel the poor ones need to see the better kids in[/q1]
[q1]>action, and work with them in groups.[/q1]
I have a Yr. 3/4 class. The parents are quite happy about that as long as the children are kept
separate. I don't know why. It doesn't make educational sense.

As a result, I have 4 groups, a bright and slow Yr. 4 and a bright and slow Yr. 3.

The Yr. 3s are actually brighter than the Yr. 4s.
--
Sheila :-D (Remove e to mail.)
Reply 5
In article <[email protected]>, "Ian" <[email protected]> writes:

[q1]>Guess what I have a class of mixed Y5/Y6 next September too! Plus I have an ofsted looming!! I need[/q1]
[q1]>to get it right! My yr 5's next year will be brighter than the Yr 6's generally. So I am planning[/q1]
[q1]>on doing the Y6 Literacy and Numeracy! Easier said than done![/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]

It's no different than teaching a straight class, except that you have to vary the topics in the
foundation subjects to make sure they all have access to the appropriate curriculum. We did it on a
cycle year system - all the kids eventually get the whole NC over the course of the Key Stage, even
if they don't exactly match the year group.

----------------------------------------------------
Sandi

Remove NoSpam to reply.
Reply 6
We've got an OFSTED looming too, so like you Ian, I am keen to get it right. I feel that I can
justify mixed age groupings, because I am sure it will be best for the kids. Able will be pushed,
average challenged at their own level, and poorer will be supported in a safe environment. This is
the speech I will give to anyone who asks!! With 3 classes 0f 30+, and 3 teachers, we cannot break
the kids into 4 age appropriate sets, so I can see no other way to meet the needs of all the kids.

--
Sarah

[q1]:[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q2]> >Guess what I have a class of mixed Y5/Y6 next September too! Plus I have[/q2]
an
[q2]> >ofsted looming!! I need to get it right! My yr 5's next year will be brighter than the Yr 6's[/q2]
[q2]> >generally. So I am planning on doing the Y6 Literacy and Numeracy! Easier said than done![/q2]
[q1]>[/q1]
Reply 7
[q1]>Any possibility of getting a part-time teacher to have 4 sets for literacy and numeracy? We have[/q1]
[q1]>one simply for that.[/q1]

We did do this a few years ago, the last time we had split Y5/6, and that was good. Don't know as
yet what funding will be available, but it certainly wont be for every morning.
--
Sarah
Reply 8
In article <[email protected]>, Ian <[email protected]> wrote:
[q1]> Guess what I have a class of mixed Y5/Y6 next September too! Plus I have an ofsted looming!! I[/q1]
[q1]> need to get it right! My yr 5's next year will be brighter than the Yr 6's generally. So I am[/q1]
[q1]> planning on doing the Y6 Literacy and Numeracy! Easier said than done![/q1]

Our LEA provides medium term plans for each half term for mixed yr
5/6 classes for two consecutive years. They can be done alternate years, and ensure that all year 5
and 6 objectives are covered over the two years.

They do the same for mixed yr 3/4 classes.

Don't all LEA's?

--
Gertie.

Award-winning bog cleaner, agony aunt and now Latin scholar. Veni, vidi, Vim (I came, I saw,
I cleaned)
Reply 9
In article <[email protected]>, Sarah <[email protected]> wrote:
[q1]> Our does, apart form 5/6. What LEA are you, because I'll get in touch with them e and see if I can[/q1]
[q1]> obtain some.[/q1]

Cumbria - look on the website - http://cleo.ucsm.ac.uk

and follow this path: teachers/subjects-English/resources and features

and there's lots of stuff down there .. including mixed age plans

--
Gertie.

Award-winning bog cleaner, agony aunt and now Latin scholar. Veni, vidi, Vim (I came, I saw,
I cleaned)
Reply 10
Our does, apart form 5/6. What LEA are you, because I'll get in touch with them e and see if I can
obtain some.

--
Sarah gertie@grumbles <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
[q1]> In article <[email protected]>, Ian <[email protected]> wrote:[/q1]
[q2]> > Guess what I have a class of mixed Y5/Y6 next September too! Plus I have an ofsted looming!! I[/q2]
[q2]> > need to get it right! My yr 5's next year will be brighter than the Yr 6's generally. So I am[/q2]
[q2]> > planning on doing the Y6 Literacy and Numeracy! Easier said than done![/q2]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Our LEA provides medium term plans for each half term for mixed yr[/q1]
[q1]> 5/6 classes for two consecutive years. They can be done alternate years, and ensure that all year[/q1]
[q1]> 5 and 6 objectives are covered over the two years.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> They do the same for mixed yr 3/4 classes.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Don't all LEA's?[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> --[/q1]
[q1]> Gertie.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Award-winning bog cleaner, agony aunt and now Latin scholar. Veni, vidi, Vim (I came, I saw, I[/q1]
[q1]> cleaned)[/q1]
Reply 11
Gertie - fab website, Lit plans were just what I wanted, but generally the whole site has lots of
great stuff. Cheers!

Sarah

gertie@grumbles <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
[q1]> In article <[email protected]>, Sarah <[email protected]> wrote:[/q1]
[q2]> > Our does, apart form 5/6. What LEA are you, because I'll get in touch with them e and see if I[/q2]
[q2]> > can obtain some.[/q2]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Cumbria - look on the website - http://cleo.ucsm.ac.uk[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> and follow this path: teachers/subjects-English/resources and features[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> and there's lots of stuff down there .. including mixed age plans[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> --[/q1]
[q1]> Gertie.[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Award-winning bog cleaner, agony aunt and now Latin scholar. Veni, vidi, Vim (I came, I saw, I[/q1]
[q1]> cleaned)[/q1]

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