At Cragside C of E Primary school in Northumberland, teachers recognise that language provides the foundations for thinking and learning and that it should be prioritised. In the Reception classes, teachers work closely with each other to plan and deliver a range of activities which support both explicit and implicit approaches to language development. These include storytelling sessions across the curriculum and throughout the day, which provide a range of rich experiences to share and discuss
There are seven recommendations in the EEF’s Preparing for Literacy guidance report which helps steer the work at Cragside. In this video, Lindsey and Sam, Reception class teachers at Cragside, describe their approach to using the EEF guidance to support early literacy development. They talk about the experiences that encourage children to interact both with adults and their peers, building language and communication at every opportunity. They also talk about the importance of selecting and sharing high-quality texts as a vital part of planning and as a cornerstone of the curriculum.
Our ‘Voices from the Classroom’ video series enables teachers to hear directly from one another about how they are applying research evidence to their practice.
It is so hard to visit each other’s schools right now and we hope you will enjoy this opportunity to peek into other classrooms, along with picking up some ideas of what research evidence might look like in yours