Select Committee on Education and Skills Minutes of Evidence

Memorandum submitted by Ruth Miskin

FOR CHILDREN AGED 5-8

READING

The children:

—  learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letters/letter groups using simple picture prompts

—  learn to read words using sound blending

—  read lively stories featuring words they have learned to sound out

—  show that they comprehend the stories by answering "Find It" and "Prove It" discussion questions

WRITING

The children:

—  learn to write the letters/letter groups which represent the 44 sounds learn to write words by saying the sounds and graphemes

—  write simple sentences

—  compose stories based on picture strips

—  compose a range of texts using discussion prompts

TALKING

  Children are assessed so they work with children at the same level. This allows them to take a full part in all lessons.

  They work in pairs so that they:

—  answer every question

—  practise every activity with their partner

—  take turns in talking to each other

IMPLEMENTATION

—  The systematic and lively programme is organised by an in-school manager.

—  All staff (teachers and assistants) are trained together by one of our trainers who has taught and managed the programme (no cascade training is used).

—  The children read and write for an hour each day, grouped according to their reading level. (Two, 20 minute sessions for Reception children.)

—  Children work with a partner to practise what they have been taught. This means that all children participate during the whole lesson; there is no "down time".

—  Children with learning difficulties are supported individually every day from the very start of the programme.

EXTRACTS FROM OFSTED

Comments on Read Write Inc by Ruth Miskin Literacy

Child's Hill School, Barnet

—  Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are achieving well because of the systematic teaching of phonics.

—  Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is very good—The phonics programme is very well managed.

  Standards in Years 1 and 2 are rising quickly. In October 2003, the school introduced a phonically based literacy programme to tackle low standards in literacy at this stage. There is a clear evidence of improvement in both reading and writing. Pupils work in groups organised according to attainment and some pupils in Years 3 and 4 are also included in this intensive programme. Work is matched very accurately to pupils' needs, and they respond very well to the brisk pace and variety of activities within each session. Achievement is good. Most pupils are proud of their learning. They apply their phonic skills to read new and unfamiliar words and make logical attempts when they are spelling. Comprehension and handwriting skills are developing well alongside the phonic skills. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is very good. Learning support assistants make a strong contribution to the success of this programme. All staff are well prepared and are committed to the programme. They manage groups very well, using praise and encouragement to keep pupils focused.

Kobi Nazrul Primary School, Tower Hamlets

  Pupils of higher attainment are well challenged and the setting in literacy helps teachers to focus work at the correct level according to prior attainment and use of English language. The school is continuing to develop its provision for gifted and talented pupils and their needs are currently met appropriately. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress in relation to their ability and sometime achieve average standards by the time they leave school. Their standards in reading are particularly good. This in itself is very good as pupils frequently enter the school with low attainment in communication, language, literacy and mathematics. These results also show how the support provided by grouping pupils of similar ability provides a good basis for their learning thereby enabling them to make very good progress.

  From the information provided by the school and through observation and discussion with pupils, it is clear that there is no significant difference in the achievement of pupils from various minority ethnic groups. Because of the excellent focus on inclusion, all pupils have access to a stimulating curriculum which meets their needs and helps them to achieve very well.

Provision in English is very good

  Main strengths and weaknesses:

—  Standards in English are above average by the time pupils leave the school because the quality of teaching is generally very good and as a result pupils achieve very well.

—  The curriculum, including planning for the development of pupils' literacy skills across other subjects and wider English curriculum, is very well developed and impacts strongly on pupils' achievement.

—  Teachers have very high expectations which ensures that pupils behave well in lessons and demonstrate very positive attitudes to their learning.

—  Teachers know their pupils very well and as a result planning is comprehensive and teaching meets the needs of all pupils well.

—  Leadership and management of English are very good and support the innovative approach to developing pupils' skills in oracy and literacy.

St Luke's Primary School, Tower Hamlets

  Main strengths and weaknesses:

—  A good formal teaching plan for developing communication skills.

—  The focus on improving speaking, listening, reading and writing.

—  The use of small group sessions.

  The impact of a commercial literacy programme and the organisation of lessons have been significant in raising standards. The lessons learnt are being transferred to mathematics. Science standards have improved because the co-ordinator has a firm grasp on the priorities and has closely monitored its implementation. There are now plans to improve other subjects.

  The formal teaching of literacy skills is conducted well in both Nursery and Reception classes. Children enjoy particularly good development in their literacy groups where all children make good progress towards learning to read and learning how different blends of letters form sounds. Those who have found difficulty gain in confidence and make very good progress.

Old Ford Primary School, Tower Hamlets

  A successful intervention programme that compliments the national literacy strategy has been in operation this year. Very good training for teaching and support staff has provided them with high levels of competence in teaching lower-attaining pupils through this scheme. Again, the teaching of this is finely targeted to pupils' individual competencies, so pupils of different ages sometimes study together.

Herrick Primary School, Leicester

  In Reception classes the newly introduced literacy programme is having a significant impact and children are learning their letter sounds very competently.

Provision for English is very good.

  Main strengths and weaknesses.

—  Standards are improving because all pupils are achieving well.

—  The curriculum for younger pupils, including the introduction of a detailed literacy programme is very good. This is resulting in rising standards, especially in reading; and

—  The consistently good quality of teaching takes very good account of the needs of pupils with English as an additional language and this ensures that pupils throughout the school learn well.

  Pupils listen attentively when they expect that the lesson will be interesting.

  The dedicated use of the literacy programme for teaching reading and writing is having a very positive effect in Years 1 and 2. Pupils have high levels of confidence and enthusiasm when reading and writing and their accuracy is developing well.

—  The use of a commercial literacy scheme is helping to raise standards in reading particularly for lower attaining pupils;

—  The effective management provided by the co-ordinator and the focus on raising standards; and

—  The very good support and teamwork provided by learning support assistants.

Pheasey Park Farm Primary School, Walsall

—  The teaching of the basic skills of reading and writing is effective;

—  Assessment is thorough and used to plan the next steps in learning; and

—  Very effective use is made of the teaching assistants to support learning.

  The teachers have high expectations that the children will participate fully in the good literacy activities provided. This means that all children make good progress overall in gaining communication, language and literacy skills, and they achieve well.

  The teachers develop and build the children's early reading skills through the sharing of books and stories and the systematic teaching of phonic skills (the sounds of the letters and syllables of words). By the end of the reception year, most are able to retell the stories they have read and some of the children read fluently.

  The teaching of writing is very good because the children are encouraged to use their developing knowledge of letter sounds and shapes to help them begin to write unfamiliar. words for themselves. Throughout the Foundation Stage the children are provided with a good range of opportunities to write for different purposes and this promotes good levels of achievement.

Manor Hall Middle School, Southwick

  The school has made a great effort to improve pupils reading skills. Consequently, by Year 6 and in Year 7, standards in reading are average. Overall, this represents good achievement. In particular, the reading standards of pupils of lower attainment have increased significantly through the school's successful implementation of the Ruth Miskin Literacy Programme. There are abundant opportunities for pupils to engage in individual, paired, group and silent work.

Chisenhale, Tower Hamlets

  One very good initiative that is raising standards is the structured phonics programme which is helping some pupils in Years 4 to 6 catch up with some of their basic skills. This has only just begun but pupils are already beginning to achieve well. Adults taking the groups are very well trained and work very effectively with pupils who are keen and very responsive and clearly enjoy the sessions. They relate well to adults and there is a dynamic atmosphere within the sessions which stimulates and excites the children in their learning. The confidence and self esteem are growing steadily because they can see their own success. This encourages them to work even harder.

Folville Juniors Leicester

  The school has worked hard during the last few years to raise pupil's attainment, particularly in oracy in writing.

  The school has successfully introduced a new commercial literacy project particularly to target those pupils identified as not making enough progress because of poor skills of word building. The intensive programme is highly structured and is delivered at a rigorous pace for pupils who are regularly withdrawn from literacy lessons. Inspection evidence indicates that during these lessons pupils work very hard, are well motivated and find learning a rewarding experience, which effectively raise their self-esteem. As a result the less confident including those with SEN or English as an additional language make good progress and achieve well.

  Standards on English have improved in 2004 over those gained in 2003; one factor in this improvement is the school's recent emphasis on the subject [English] and the acquisition of a commercial scheme.

Greenwich Pilot Study

Evaluation of Pilot Study

by Professor Kathryn Riley

SUMMARY

  Children following the RML programme who started at the beginning of the school year with either average or below average levels in literacy skills achieved significantly higher scores on a reading accuracy assessment at the end of the school year than children following the National Literacy Strategy.

University of Leicester

Interim Report

Dr Morag Hunter—Carsch

  Very broadly, and in summary, it can be stated at this point that in addition to the extensive initial testing of selected pupils from nine schools and interim testing of two schools, qualitative data gathered from teacher's meetings, school visits and interviews with staff from the initial seven experimental schools (six primary and one secondary) suggest that the RML programme is having a strongly positive impact on all concerned.

  The analysis of the qualitive data for the current project suggest that the RML programme has not only excellent face validity but it also appears to promote and sustain positive attitudes on the part of those involved in teaching the RML programme. It appears that the investment in training and shared awareness of the "whole-school" approach desired by the programme originator is proving to be important and beneficial in bringing about increased attentiveness and interest in literacy learning on the part of pupils.

  Additionally, learning support staff and some parents of the experimental group have spontaneously commented on their observations of the positive impact of RML.

Hackney EAZ report

  The best outcomes of RML for teachers and learners, include the following:

—  It has led to a very sound grasp of phonics theory by teachers and support staff.

—  Finger spelling has had a marked effect on raising pupils' phonemic awareness.

—  It has led to improved behaviour—as well as reducing potential disaffection, RML has raised the emphasis on behaviour which is much improved due to the expectation of listening.

  Skinners is the one secondary school in the project, initiated independently of the EAZ but recently the recipient of retrospective funding. All year 7/8/9 students falling below a reading age threshold are withdrawn from timetable for the first period of each day, and work on RML 2. The head and teachers are very committed to the programme, which they say has been more successful than any other they have tried, and have largely overcome the reluctance of colleagues who lose teaching time with these students in their own subjects where they fall in period 1. The students spoken to are generally very positive, and recognise the difference it has made to them . . .

  Other subject teachers in the school report that the RML pupils display greater confidence and motivation, and that they complete more homework. These pupils have started to work as reading mentors with year 3 children in a neighbouring primary school:

—  It has been characterised by a transfer of skills into other areas of curriculum.

—  The training for staff is excellent

—  It has led to improved staff working practices and more consistent approaches.

—  It has raised the esteem of primary helpers—they have moved beyond behaviour management into a really professional role.

—  Managing helpers has been good professional development for teachers.

—  Children are much more focussed on learning.

LEICESTER

School	L 2+ RW		L 2B+ RW		L 3+ RW
MF 2b+ gains 26%
2003	90	86	67	74	28	36
2004	100	100	93	95	52	52
BR 2b+gains 30%
2003	56	62	42	44	9	13
2004	88	84	72	58	26	14
CI 2b+gains 20%2003	66		48		5
2004	69		68		13
HI 2b+ gains 7%2003	80	75	72	62	30	15
2004	92	90	79	68	46	32
MR 2b+ 19%
2003	64	59	41	39	5	0
2004	75	70	60	38	18	8
HZ* rml from Sept 02 2b+ 31%2002	65	65	54	38	4	8
2003	74	67	52	48	15	7
2004	85	84	73	69	23	19
HR* rml from Sept 02 2b+ 6%2002	89	95	70	49	11	11
2003	88	83	73	63	19	15
2004	92	85	76	58	16	14
IA* rml from Sept 02 2b+rise 16%2002	52	52	39	25	11	0
2003	72	63	52	35	5	4
2004	74	76	55	46	16	8

WALSALL

ES 2b+ gains 28%

Panda

Level	2003	2004	Level	2003	2004
2c	77%	97%	L2+	E	E
2b	62%	90%	L2b	E	B
2a	23%	30%	L3	C	B
3	13%	17%
RD 2b+ gains 22%

Level	2003	2004	Level	2003	2004
L2+	93%	100%	L2+	C	A*
L2b+	65%	87%	L2b+	E	A*
L3	17%	37%	L3	E	C
NW 2b+ gains 30%

Level	2003	2004	Level	2003	2004,
L2+	49%	68%	L2+	E	A*
L2b+	25%	55%	L2b+	E	C
L3	5%	13%	L3	E	A

READING

GR 2b+ gains 22%

Level	2003	2004	Level	2003	2004
L2+	83%	86%	L2+	B	A*
L2b+	52%	74%	L2b+	D	C
L3	7%	15%	L3	E	A

READING

BC 2b+ gains 16%

Level	2003	2004	Level	2003	2004
L2+	78%	88%	L2+	E	B
L2b+	61%	77%	L2b+	C	A
L3	33%	41%	L3	B	A

OLD TRAFFORD

OT 2b+ gains 16%

READING

Level	2003	2004
L2+	79	81%
L2b+	50%	70%
L3	2.5%	20%

READ WRITE INC BY RUTH MISKIN READING RESULTS

Enfield

CH 2b+ gains 27%

Key Stage 1	2002		2003				2004
	2+	2B+	2+	2B+	3	2+	2B+	3
English-Reading	73%	58%	82%	75%	16%	92%	85%	32%

Tower Hamlets

C B 2b+ gains 28%

Key Stage 1	2002		2003		2004
	2+	2B+	2+	2B+	2+	2B+
English-Reading	78.1	56.3	97	62.1	96.2	84.6
C G 2b+ gains 21%

Key Stage 1	2002		2003		2004
	2+	2B+	2+	2B+	2+	2B+
English-Reading	78.1	56.3	90	69	85	76.7
KN 2b gains 7% (already at 93%)

Key Stage 1	2002		2003		2004
	2+	2B+	2+	2B+	2+	2B+
English-Reading	93.1	93.1	93	69	100	100
SL 2b+ gains 41%

Key Stage 1	2002		2003		2004
	2+	2B+	2+	2B+	2+	2B+
English-Reading	67.9	39.3	96	66.7	84	80
WD 2b gains 23%

Key Stage 1	2002		2003		2004
	2+	2B+	2+	2B+	2+	2B+
English-Reading	82.6	56.5	76	55	79.3	79.3

Bow Boys Tower Hamlets

PILOT STUDY OF FIRST DRAFT RML 2 (Further developed into Read Write Inc 2)

Year 7	Reading ageSeptember 2002	Reading ageSeptember 2003	Months gained
	-6 yrs	7:10 yrs	22
	-6	8:03	27
	7:01	9:09	32
	7:04	8:06	14
	-6	7:11	23
	7:07	8:11	16
	6:10	7:11	13
	-6	7:11	21
	7:04	9:08	28
	8:02	11:03	37
	8:01	9:09	20
	9:05	12:10	41
	7:08	9:02	18
	8:00	9:11	23
	-6	8:04	28
Year 8	7:08	9:05	21
	7:07	8:06	11
	8:01	11:02	37
	9:02	10:01	11
	8:09	9:06	11
	8:11	10:03	16
	7:01	9:07	30
	8:09	10:05	20
	8:06	9:08	14
	7:07	9:03	20
	8:04	10:01	20

  We used the Suffolk reading test. These are comprehension ages, not decoding. All of the students could decode perfectly by the end of the programme.

  The students who had a reading age of nine years and above were recommended for the programme mainly because of extreme spelling difficulties. It was thought they would benefit and they did!

7 February 2005

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Prepared 7 April 2005