National Curriculum | lexicologyforreading.co.uk

National Curriculum

This page consists of an extract from the National Curriculum; KS3 & KS4, Department for Education, extracts from the Programmes of Study; the Top Fifty Challege: link to the National Curriculum; statutory word lists for years three and four and five and six respectively.

6.4 Pupils’ acquisition and command of vocabulary are key to their learning and progress across the whole curriculum. Teachers should therefore develop vocabulary actively, building systematically on pupils’ current knowledge. They should increase pupils’ store of words in general; simultaneously, they should also make links between known and new vocabulary and discuss the shades of meaning in similar words. In this way, pupils expand the vocabulary choices that are available to them when they write. In addition, it is vital for pupils’ comprehension that they understand the meanings of words they meet in their reading across all subjects, and older pupils should be taught the meaning of instruction verbs that they may meet in examination questions. It is particularly important to induct pupils into the language which defines each subject in its own right, such as accurate mathematical and scientific language. Word reading involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Underpinning both is the understanding that the letters on the page represent the sounds in spoken words. This is why phonics should be emphasised in the early teaching of reading to beginners (i.e. unskilled readers) when they start school. Good comprehension draws from linguistic knowledge (in particular of vocabulary and grammar) and on knowledge of the world. Writing down ideas fluently depends on effective transcription: that is, on spelling quickly and accurately through knowing the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics) and understanding the morphology (word structure) and orthography (spelling structure) of words.

They should also teach pupils how to work out and clarify the meanings of unknown words and words with more

than one meaning. Pupils should be taught to control their speaking and writing consciously and to use Standard English. They should be taught to use the elements of spelling, grammar, punctuation and ‘language about language’ listed. The understanding that the letter(s) on the page represent the sounds in spoken words should underpin pupils’ reading and spelling of all words.

The syllables, that construct the statutory words below, are taught as part of the reading and spelling exercises covered with these year groups. Many of the meanings are also taught depending on the ability level of the groups.The meanings of the suffixes: 's,' 'es,' 'ing,' 'est' and the prefix 'un' are taught in year one in accordance with the statutory requirements. The vowel digraphs 'oo' and 'ee' have been chosen and the consonant digraphs 'sh' and 'th' are also taught to year one and revised in year two when 'ch' and 'wh' are added to the programmme alongside the statutory 'ment,' 'ness,' 'ful,' 'less,' and 'ly.' To build on vowel digraphs 'ay' and 'ei' are taught.

Top Fifty Challenge

Lexicology for Reading 'Top Fifty Challenge' is a ten minute test that can be administered, by schools and colleges, pre and post course to monitor progress in understanding and application of 50/57 named affixes in KS1 & KS2 National Curriculum. This test may also be used to ascertain which students would benefit most from attending an intervention programme as Lexicology is great preparation for secondary school. The Top Fifty Challenge is also used to assess Yr 7 students prior to a catch up programme. Lexicology is an effective use of Yr 7 Literacy Catch Up Premium funding.

Word list – years 3 and 4

accident(ally)

actual(ly)

address

appear

arrive

believe

bicycle

breath

breathe

build

busy/business

calendar

caught

centre

century

certain

circle

complete

consider

continue

decide

describe

different

difficult

disappear

early

earth

eight/eighth

enough

exercise

experience

experiment

extreme

famous

favourite

February

forward(s)

fruit

grammar

group

guard

guide

heard

heart

height

history

imagine

increase

important

interest

island

knowledge

learn

length

library

material

medicine

mention

minute

natural

naughty

notice

occasion(ally)

often

opposite

ordinary

particular

peculiar

perhaps

popular

position

possess(ion)

possible

potatoes

pressure

probably

promise

purpose

quarter

question

recent

regular

reign

remember

sentence

separate

special

straight

strange

strength

suppose

surprise

therefore

though/although

thought

through

various

weight

woman/women

Word list – years 5 and 6

accommodate

accompany

according

achieve

aggressive

amateur

ancient

apparent

appreciate

attached

available

average

awkward

bargain

bruise