[senco-forum] [senco forum] Y7 English class

Hi Paul
I too teach classes such as this and also in Year 8 and 9.
We find they love the Sherlock Holmes stories (shortened versions) which I bought from Headway Classics and tapes come too - we also have the videos from ITV3 which we use.
I am currently using 'Blitz '- short stories by Robert Westall about the War and Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz which is very popular and now a DVD as well - I have made loads of resources for this and there are some on teachit.co.uk - a very useful website to which I subscribe.
We make cloze, comprehension sheets etc using these books.
I also read The Firework Makers Daughter by Philip Pullman and they love that - also have resources for it if you want.
We do vocabulary building work a lot - I make synonym cards and games and I try hard to build up their vocabulary - there are so many words they just don't know............a common problem my EP tells me but that's another e-mail.
We play lots of games - memory, listening skills etc.
I also use 5 and 10 minute thrillers from LDA if they're still available.
hope that helps
JaniceJanice Wray Secondary SENCO, Herts

> Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:15:53 +0000> From: amandavh at btinternet.com> Subject: Re: [senco-forum] [senco forum] Y7 English class> To: paul-and-elaine.james at virgin.net; senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk> CC: > > Hi Paul> I'm a mainstream English teacher who's been in the job for more years than I care to remember and who also focuses on SEN pupils. I think I'd find it difficult to manage a class like the one you describe!> However, the place you want to look for ideas on on this website: http://www.teachit.co.uk/> You will find loads of resoures there. They can be downloaded free as they stand or you can subscribe and get alterable versions. For instance, if you go into the site and select 'resource libraries - KS3 - prose' you get suggestions about how to teach about 80 different texts. I often use them and then change and alter things to suit the classes I teach. I recommend 'The Monkey's Paw' as something I would never have tried for myself which worked well. The 'Holes' scheme is good too.> Good luck.> Amanda> Secondary SENCO> Cornwall> > > > Paul James <paul-and-elaine.james at virgin.net> wrote:> Dear All> > I usually just read the messages on the forum, but have come to a dead-end with this issue. I have no experience of teaching English myself and need some help...> > A colleague of mine teaches a group of 15 Y7 students with a range of SEN (including dyslexia, EBD and ASD; School Action to Statement) for English. Their NC English levels range from 3c to 5c. The TA who supports in the group is an ex-primary teacher and has lots of experience working with the English team. What the students have in common is very poor confidence and independence as learners.> > What kinds of lesson activities have you/your colleagues found successful with groups of this type and what kinds of texts do you think would motivate them?> > Both teacher and TA have a genuine desire to remain positive, try different things and have a feeling that more kinaesthetic learning activities might help, but they are running out of ideas.> > All suggestions welcome.> > Thanks> > Paul James> > > > Amanda> Secondary SENCO> Cornwall
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