Access 1, 2 & 3 are support materials for English Frameworking books 1, 2 and 3 by Julia Strong. These books of photocopiable worksheets integrate the text skeletons approach into the English Framework at secondary level. Book 1 is available in September 2002; books 2 and 3 will be available in January 2003. Available from HarperCollins on 0870 0100 442.
Active Writing: Understand, Practise, Succeed, by NLT deputy director Julia Strong and Kim Richardson. Provides a step-by-step approach to transforming key stage 3 pupils from readers into writers. Published by Collins Education.
Analytical & Discursive Writing at Key Stage 3, Christine Counsell. Cost £4.
Published by the Historical Association. ISBN 0-85278-403-1. Tel: 020 735 2021.
Better Writers, Debra Myhill - explains clearly the latest thinking on how to improve students' writing with practical suggestions on how to relate this to the English framework objectives. Courseware publications, ISBN 1 898 737 24X. More information is available at: www.courseware-publications.co.uk/page34.html
Birchfield Interactive has produced two key stage three English resources for creative and analytical writing: 'Laying the Foundations for Writing' and 'Moving on in Writing'. 'Laying the Foundations of Writing' provides guidance on the fundamental building blocks of written language. 'Moving on in Writing' has been designed to help pupils develop their written skills still further, by explaining and illustrating more complex linguistic techniques. The content of each title is mapped to the national curriculum and uses interactive features. To find out more or to download free video demonstrations, visit www.birchfield.co.uk or call 029 2059 0974.
Boys and writing, edited by Myra Barrs and Sue Pidgeon, Centre for Literacy in Primary Education. Can Do Better. A useful booklet with practical suggestions for improving boys' enthusiasm for and attainment in English.
Contact: Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 83 Piccadilly, London W1Y 8QA. Tel. 020 7509 5555. Websire: http://orderline.qca.org.uk
Chloe's Voice. This book has been written with the specific aim of helping parents get the most out of reading with their children. Aimed at 3 to 7 year olds the book is concerned with issues of grammar, spelling, capital letters, full stops etc. and has a 'notes for parents' section in the back. For further information please contact Focus Education. Tel: 01457 872427 or visit www.focus-education.co.uk/publications/chloes.html
Connecting, Creating: New ideas in teaching writing, ed by S.Ellis and C.Mills. Published by the United Kingdom Literacy Association this publication is a collection of papers on teaching children how to write. It provides a mix of contributions written by lecturers in teacher education, consultants and classroom teachers. The three themes are: Naming Worlds, Hearing Voices; Thinking Like a Writer; Knowing and Doing. Each part provides case study material, a discussion of teaching strategies and theoretical insight. ISBN 1897638264, cost £11.50.
Contact: United Kingdom Literacy Association, Upton House, Baldock Street, Royston, Herts SG8 5AY. Tel: 01763 241188. Website: www.ukla.org.
Developing Early Writing. Teaching resource produced by the National Literacy Strategy and sent to every primary school in England in May 2001. It aims to bring infants writing skills in line with their reading abilities, integrating the technical skills of phonics, spelling and handwriting with the broader and more creative aspects of creative writing. DfES Publications Centre: reference DfEE0055/2001 (orders limited to 1).
Contact: 0845 60 222 60. Email: dfes@prolog.uk.com. Or see www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/literacy/.
Developing Narrative Writing, by R.Corden. This booklet contains the findings of a research project funded by The Nottingham Trent University and sponsored by the United Kingdom Literacy Association (TRAWL (2000-2002)). Key Stage 2 teachers worked in schools, as research partners, to observe and record each other during focused literacy sessions and writing workshops. Each teacher maintained a research portfolio and the research group met on a regular basis to discuss progress. The outcomes from this research are described in this booklet. The book covers all areas of teaching of narrative writing with a particular focus on the links between reading and writing. ISBN 1817638256, cost £7.50
Contact: United Kingdom Literacy Association, Upton House, Baldock Street, Royston, Herts SG8 5AY. Tel: 01763 241188. Website: www.ukla.org.
Developing writing through reading, talking and listening
This package aims to share strategies such as demonstration, writing frames and models which can help teachers to improve the writing of pupils. It also assists reflection on different aspects of approaches to the teaching of writing.
 www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/dwtrtl.pdf
Another HMIE document 'Talking for Scotland' accompanies a video that is intended to support teachers in the development of Talking and Listening in English and Modern Languages.
www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/Talking%20for%20Scotland%20NEW.pdf Easy as ABC...Alphabet Skills at Key Stages 1 & 2, A. Redfern and P. Goodwin. This book offers many practical suggestions for working with primary children on topics such as alliteration, alphabetical order, fonts, handwriting, recognising and naming letters and syllabic awareness. ISBN 070491414X, cost £4.95.
Contact: National Centre for Language and Literacy, University of Reading, Bulmershe Court, Earley, Reading RG6 1HY. Tel: 0118 378 8820. Website: www.ncll.org.uk.
Effective practice in writing at key stage 2, Graham Frater. Basic Skills Agency publication pulling together evidence of effective practice from a survey of successful schools. Schools were chosen by local education authorities because they had faced various challenges in raising or maintaining high standards of writing. Code A1172.
Contact: Basic Skills Agency publications on 0870 600 2400 or visit www.basic-skills.co.uk
Everybody Writes offers classroom teachers innovative ideas and practical resources to get primary pupils and secondary students excited about writing. Everybody Writes flyer for more flyers or information visit www.everybodywrites.org.uk
EXEL Writing Frames and Writing Across the Curriculum, Maureen Lewis and David Wray. Excellent photocopiable resources on writing frames. Cost £10.00 and £10.50. ISBNs: 0704910640 and 070491266X
Contact: National Centre for Language and Literacy, The University of Reading, Bulmershe Court, Earley, Reading RG6 1HY. Tel: 0118 931 8820.
Extending Literacy - children reading and writing non-fiction, David Wray & Maureen Lewis. This excellent book looks at how children's skills are extended once they've achieved basic literacy and how effectively they interact with non-fiction books. All the examples are from the primary sector but the processes explained are relevant to all ages. Useful background material for literacy coordinators.
ISBN 0-415-12830-7. Published by Routledge
First Steps writing resources, From the Department of Education and Training of Western Australia. This second edition of First Steps resources is organised around headings of use of texts, contextual understanding, conventions and processes and strategies. The texts available are book to help link assessment, teaching and learning, a writing map of development, a writing resource book and a writing CD Rom.
Contact: Steps PDC. Tel: 01793 787930. Email: admin@steps-pd.co.uk. Website: www.steps-pd.co.uk
How To Teach Fiction Writing at Key Stage 2, by Pie Corbett. Book providing ideas for a range of fiction workshops on key issues such as capturing stories, characterisation, creating settings, paragraphing, writing in a variety of genres and writing styles. ISBN 1853468339, cost £14.
Contact: David Fulton Publishers. Tel: 0208 996 3610. Website: www.fultonpublishers.co.uk.
How To Teach Poetry Writing at Key Stage 2, by Michaela Morgan. ISBN 1853468045, cost £14.
Contact: David Fulton Publishers. Tel: 0208 996 3610. Website: www.fultonpublishers.co.uk. How to ... teach skimming and scanning. Guide produced by the Basic Skills Agency as part of a series intended for those working towards the BSA Quality Mark for Secondary Schools, but also of use to any school looking to improve standards of literacy across the curriculum. Available free of charge.
Contact: Basic Skills Agency publications order line. Tel: 0870 600 2400. Website: www.basic-skills.co.uk
How To Teach Writing Across the Curriculum (KS2) by Sue Palmer
Contact: David Fulton Publishers 0207 405 5606
Improving Writing at Key Stage 2: Getting it right for girls and boys, Elaine Millard & Joe Walsh. Report on the Kirklees key stage 2 writing research project, a joint initiative between Sheffield University and Kirklees LEA to investigate the differences in boys' and girls' attitudes to writing. The focus was on children's perceptions of what is difficult in writing and on the stimuli used as sources for ideas. A summary of this research and its implications appeared in the March 2001 edition of Literacy Today. Cost £15 (including p&p). Contact: NATE Publications, 50 Broadfield Road, Sheffield S8 0XJ. Tel: 0114 255 5419. Email: natehq@bt.connect.com or visit www.nate.org.uk
Marking guidelines for writing. QCA guidelines focusing on what can be done when children have completed a piece of writing and the teacher has an opportunity to assess what they have achieved. It encourages comment on the overall intention and effect of the piece, including positive remarks; the targets achieved; and the targets partially achieved or still to be reached, and how to move towards them. The guidelines can be downloaded free from the DfES Standards site at www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/literacy/publications/text/63341/407075.
Marking: making a difference.
Follow-up publication to the one above, again produced as the result of a joint project between the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the Department for Education and Skills. The QCA English team collected and analysed a large number of pieces of writing by children in each year of key stage 2. The resulting booklet gives material for three training sessions on marking and practical activities, and suggests that improving their marking and other responses to written work can help teachers develop children's understanding of the writing process. Download free from http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_5741.aspx
Newnovelist is a piece of software which will help start and finish a novel. It works in a similar way to how JK Rowling writes; characters first and story second. This software makes storytelling both easy and fun. It guides writers in logical stages and with the assistance of many powerful tools through the entire process of writing a novel. To find out more visit www.newnovelist.com
Non-fiction posters. A set of 8 posters illustrating different types of non-fiction writing for 5-7 year olds. Cost £12.95 plus VAT.
Contact: PCET Publishing, 27 Kirchen Road, London W13 0UD. Tel: 020 8567 9206.
Teaching writing: support material for text level objectives is an excellent series of NLS writing fliers explaining text skeletons that were circulated to the primary sector in September 2001. They are available from the DfES on 0845 60 222 60 - quote ref DFES 0532/2001.
The Newspaper. A free national newspaper for 8 to 13-year-olds, produced twice a term, intended primarily as an educational tool to give teachers non-fiction material to use during the final years of primary school and the early years of secondary. There are sections covering news, sport, celebrities, the environment, and science and technology, with space for the readers to try their hand at journalism. The website provides an online, printable version of the paper as well as additional teaching resources.
Contact: The Newspaper, Young Media Ltd, PO Box 121, Tonbridge, Kent TN12 5ZR. Tel: 01622 871927. Email: editor@thenewspaper.org.uk. www.thenewspaper.org.uk
Our thoughts are bees: writers working with schools, by Mandy Coe and Jean Sprackland - ISBN 0954963407. Price £10. Offering advice on organising exciting projects in schools, ranging from the author's visit to the long-term residency, Our Thoughts are Bees examines the potential impact on young people's lives, and sets out a vision for the future of writing in education. www.wordplaypress.com
Planning for writing. QCA publication based on a small-scale investigation into Year 6 and 9 pupils' planning for writing: the extent to which they needed to, and did, plan; the different forms that planning took; and the extend to which teachers could help. It aims to encourage teachers to look at the composing process in their own classrooms and compare it with the examples observed in QCA's investigation. Overall, QCA recommends that key stage 2 and 3 teachers should have a repertoire of techniques that develop aspects of planning, such as content and structure which should be taught explicitly to children.
Download free from http://www.qca.org.uk/
Poetry Matters, A. Lambirth.This book aims to give primary school teachers the confidence and conviction to use and enjoy poetry in their classrooms. It is written to provide the background and the ideas to do this successfully, while not forgetting that the teacher's personal pleasure in poetry will energise the teaching within the classroom. ISBN 1897638302, cost £6.50.
Contact: United Kingdom Literacy Association, Upton House, Baldock Street, Royston, Herts SG8 5AY. Tel: 01763 241188. Website: www.ukla.org.
Practical Ways to Inspire Young Authors, Angela Redfern and Viv Edwards. Book covering how to change perceptions about the teaching of writing, moving from theory to effective classroom practice; the responsibilities of the teacher for creating a rich writing environment; real reasons for writing - writing in role and interactive writing; and cooperation and independence - scaffolding children's writing development through shared writing, book making and IT. Cost £4.50.
Contact: National Centre for Language and Literacy, The University Of Reading, Bulmershe Court, Earley, Reading RG6 1HY. Tel: 0118 931 8820. Website: www.ncll.org.uk.
Practical Ways to Teach Writing, David Wray. Another in the National Centre for Language and Literacy's 'Practical Ways' series, this book provides systematic strategies for teaching pupils how to write effectively. It suggests ways to provide models of writing, demonstrate the writing process, participate in writing tasks alongside pupils and scaffold pupils as they write. Cost £4.50.
Contact: National Centre for Language and Literacy, The University Of Reading, Bulmershe Court, Earley, Reading RG6 1HY. Tel: 0118 378 8820. Website: www.ncll.org.uk.
The Reader in the Writer, Myra Barrs and Valerie Cork. Account of the work of teachers and Year 5 pupils over the course of a year which explains how reading quality fiction can influence and energise writing. ISBN 1877267254, cost £16.50.
Contact: CLPE, Webber Street, London SE1 8QW. Tel: 020 7401 3382/3. Email: info@clpe.co.uk.
Sentifix. A new series of themed packs featuring interlocking word bricks and stimulus materials to practice basic sentence construction. Sentifix is a system of colour-coded, interlocking bricks with pre-printed words on each side, including punctuation, it also includes illustrated A3 and A4 support materials which are differentiated to accommodate a range of abilities. Can be used by teachers, teaching assistants, SENCos for special needs pupils at KS2 and by TEFL teachers.
Costs £44.99 + VAT for 172 bricks, teacher's notes, 2 A3 Stimulus Scenes, 1 A3 Build a Sentence Board Game, 18 A4 Sentence-building Picture Cards and a 12 page booklet of Teacher's Notes
For more information, contact Ellen Simpson on 01264 384813 or ellen.simpson@philipandtacey.co.uk.
Skeleton Poster Books by Sue Palmer - excellent highly visual resource that helps students picture the key features of text types using text icons (skeletons). One for each non-fiction text type. £6.99 each from TTS tel. 0800 318686. Website: www.tts-group.co.uk
Starwriter. Writing programme that combines software and printed materials for children and teachers to support the development of writing at key stage 2. It aims to help teachers to inspire, scaffold, assess and improve their pupils' writing by providing structured progression, moving from shared writing activities on a CDRom to independent writing. Visit www.longman.co.uk.
Story Generator Cube Set, a resource from Pie Corbett. The focus of this kinaesthetic resource is story structure, as based on the classic story mountain diagram. Each set consists of a large inflatable cube that acts as a die, 12 character and setting cards for initial work, 30 story mountain cards that focus on different aspects of a story's structure, six prompt cards and six challenge cards.
Each set:1 inflatable cube, 36 Story Generator cards and 6 blank cards costs £9.99
For more information, contact Ellen Simpson on 01264 384813 or ellen.simpson@philipandtacey.co.uk
Story Maker's Mats, a resource from Pie Corbett. The Mats are three sets of individual pupil mats for Years 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6 designed for use in guided and independent writing sessions. Each A3 mat focuses on how to make a story up and the reverse has pointers for how to structure a story. The mats focus on common areas children find challenging, and also offer practical tips on grammar that they can immediately include in their own compositions. Each mat features a write-on/wipe-off surface.
Pack of 15 laminated mats plus 1pp A4 teacher's notes costs £15.99
For more information, contact Ellen Simpson on 01264 384813 or ellen.simpson@philipandtacey.co.uk
Story Wizard is software which helps children (9-16 years) write stories or novels. Story Wizard has been borne out of newnovelist, the highly novel writing software program for adults. Story Wizard helps kids write by breaking the story telling process down into short, manageable, enjoyable chunks. This software includes features such as a diary, name generator, first line ideas, talk back system, character development and a whole lot more. Visit www.storywizard.co.uk
Teachit website - over 1,800 pages of materials for secondary English teachers available completely free. The UK's biggest online library of English teaching resources for photocopiable worksheets,lesson plans and schemes of work - everything you need for planning tomorrow's first lesson or (for the very efficient) next term's scheme of work... these are downloadable and photocopiable. Includes downloadable posters of the six non-fiction text types.
Text and writing connections. Text Connections is promoted with the line 'developing reading strategies through linked texts'. There are 16 units, each based on three texts which pupils are encouraged to explore whilst developing key reading strategies. Writing Connections works in a similar way relating the units with assessment focuses and different phases of the writing process. Text Connections 11-14 and Writing Connections 11-14 are published by Longman. Each comprises pupil's book (£9.50), teacher's file (£49.99), CD-ROM (£79.99 +VAT). Call 0800 389 0783 to order.
Write Buzz Schools - A self contained site for under 16´s. Launched in September 2004; Write Buzz Schools has been developed to encourage, and inspire young writers, and to provide an exclusive resource for young readers. www.writebuzzschools.com
Write Dance resources. The Write Dance approach, developed by graphologist Ragnhild Oussoren, is a progressive music and movement programme for the development of pre-writing and writing skills. It focuses first on the development of gross motor skills (for example, moving two hands over large surfaces), eventually moving on to hone the fine motor skills required for writing individual letters. Publications include Write Dance (2002), Write Dance in the Nursery and More Write Dance (2007). For information visit www.luckyduck.co.uk.
The Write Kit. This is an interactive creative writing DVD-Video scripted by Michael Symmons Roberts, Whitbread Poetry Award Winner 2004/5. The DVD contains 17 mini-dramas which set tasks and challenges designed to extend students' creative responses and boost craft skills in poetry, prose, drama and persuasive writing. Each exercise is mapped to the National Curriculum and National Literacy Strategy at Key Stage 3. The DVD also includes extensive advice from 4 UK writers.
For more information visit www.186media.com/products.asp?id=44.
Writers Online. Website that encourages children to write pieces of their own in response to, and in the style of, an extract from a well-known writer. These can then be submitted for inclusion on the site. See www.englishonline.co.uk/writers
Writing in context. QCA resource to help integrate literacy teaching into other curriculum areas. It lists for each year group the units of work in other subjects (science, geography, history, design and technology and RE) where the suggested writing tasks make strong links with the NLS non-fiction text level objectives. Visit: http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_5697.aspx
Writing Frames: twelve large write on/wipe off posters. A set of posters developed by David Wray and Maureen Lewis and published by PCET Publishing in association with the Reading and Language Information Centre. For use in developing writing skills with large groups of children, in or out of the literacy hour. Included with the posters is a 16-page photocopiable activity book, Teaching Guide by David Wray and a free write on / wipe off pen. Cost £29.36 (including p&p).
Contact: National Centre for Language and Literacy, The University of Reading, Bulmershe Court, Earley, Reading RG6 1HY. Tel: 0118 931 8820. ISBN: 0704910640
Writing Together
Writing Together aims to ensure that, during their life at school, every child encounters opportunities to work with professional writers who inspire them creatively. Hosted by the Book Trust, it is a unique partnership of book and literature charities and official bodies. For more information see www.booktrust.org.uk/writingtogether/
Young Writers Workshop CD-Rom. Package aimed at developing upper primary pupils' language and ICT skills. Students assume the role of a print, radio or television journalist to create imaginative writing. Produced by Granada Learning. Cost £49.
Contact: Granada Learning on 0845 602 1937 or visit www.shop.granada-learning.com
Grammar reference books
Big Book Grammar, Sue Palmer and others. Heinemann series that includes a big book for whole-class sessions; an activities book differentiated into three levels and including mainly worksheets; and accompanying teachers' notes, with teaching units and grammar notes providing quick reference points. Cost: Big Books £18.95-£26.50, teachers' notes £9.95-£12.95, photocopiable activity sheets £19.95-£24.95. Published by Heinemann.
Breakthrough to Learning, Linguistics in the service of Mainstream Education, Mary Mason & Bob Mason. A very practical book explaining how linguistic theory can help develop language across the curriculum.
Trentham Books. ISBN 1 85856 071 3.
The Cheshire Cats' Guide to Grammar. A useful guide that includes very useful posters.
No longer available from Cheshire Teachers' Centre but now produced by TTS, Tel. 01773 830 255
Discover Grammar, David Crystal.
Longman
First Stages in Literacy, Marjorie Macleod. Tel: 01782 629648.
Grammar and Punctuation 9-13 Sue Hackman & Claire Humphreys - Hodder & Stoughton 020 7873 6000
Grammar and Punctuation Resources Book. This includes photocopiable material and lots of useful ideas. Pie Corbett (Blueprints, Stanley Thornes).
The Grammar Book and The Grammar Book Supplement, by Elspeth & Richard Bain. A resource produced by NATE and used widely in secondary schools. It provides a systematic programme of activities for secondary students, referenced to the KS3 National Strategy and founded on the premise that grammar teaching is exciting and worthwhile. Cost £40 NATE members, £45 non-members. A free booklet about this resource is also available.
Contact: NATE, 50 Broadfield Road, Sheffield S8 0XJ. Tel: 0114 255 5419.
Grammar Game is designed to teach and reinforce grammar and punctuation at Key Stage 2 and above. Cost £24.95. Available on 30 days approval. Tel: 01945 463441.
Grammar Guide, Gordon Jarvie. A guide written for professionals who don't really know any grammar.
Bloomsbury. ISBN 0-7475-1385-6
The Grammar Papers. Produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in 1998 to provide perspectives on the teaching of grammar in the national curriculum. The booklet is made up of six discussion papers, tracing the history of grammar teaching and giving practical solutions to the concerns many have about teaching grammar at key stages 2 and 3. Reference: QCA/98/052 Cost: £3.00.
Contact: QCA Publications, PO Box 99, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2SN. Tel: 01787 884444. Fax: 01787 312950. Email: qca@prolog.uk.com. Website: www.qca.org.uk.
Grammar for Teachers. This website provides a clear introduction to the basics of English grammar for primary teachers, and covers all the requirements of the Primary Strategy. It has two main sections: the Guide and the Glossary. There are also downloadable exercises with answer keys. It is a valuable resource for teachers who wish to improve their grammatical knowledge or to check on the meanings of grammatical terminology. Visit www.grammarforteachers.com
Grammar through the literacy hour. Set of write-on/wipe-off big books designed for teaching grammar to a whole class or small groups. They incorporate all the elements of grammar and punctuation included in the sentence level component of the National Literacy Strategy Framework for either Year 3 or Year 4. Packs consist of three big books. £29.95 each.
Contact LDA on 01223 357788 or visit www.ldalearning.com.
The Grammar Video (Language Knowledge)
The Grammar Video (Language Skills) BBC Educational Publishing, 01937 541 001.
Grammar for Writing: Very practical book aimed at primary teachers but very useful for secondary teachers both to familiarise themselves with what is increasingly becoming practice in the primary sector and to use and build on similar approaches.
DfES, Tel. 0845 60555 60 ref. DfES 0107/2000
Grammar for Writing - Ready-made laminated games. Produced by Easyteach. Tel: 0151 706 0444.
Rediscover Grammar, David Crystal.
Longman. ISBN 0-582-00258-3
Grammimes and Grammime Games by Paul Hitchcock, 87 Riverview Close, St John's, Worcester WR2 6DA. £5.00 & A4 SAE.
McGinty's World (grammar songs, CD Rom & notes) Halliday, MacDonald and Reid, Sticky Music. Tel: 01698 207230
NLS Revised Glossary & NLS Grammar Course. Available from www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/literacy (in Professional Development section).
NLS Sentence Level Work - Activity Resources Bank, Oxford University Press. Tel: 01536 741171
The Primary English Encyclopedia: The Heart of the Curriculum (2nd Edition) by Margaret Mallett, with a foreword by Sue Palmer; published by David Fulton Publishers Ltd. This is a reference book explaining key concepts, ideas and current requirements in primary English. Website: www.fultonpublishers.co.uk
The Primary Grammar Book - finding patterns, making sense, Richard Bain and Marion Bridgewood. Photocopiable resource book, produced by NATE, providing structured literacy activities for primary pupils; links with reading writing and language; learning activities to bring the study of grammar to life; a guide to planning for progression; and help to plan differentiated activities. Contains three main sections covering early, developing and independent grammar. Cost £39.95 (£34.95 to NATE members).
Contact: NATE, 50 Broadfield Road, Sheffield S8 0XJ. Tel: 0114 255 5419. Email: natehq@bt.connect.com
Punctuation Fans. Available from Synergy on 01243 779967.
Sentence Bags, by Sue Palmer. Contact TTS Group on 0800 318686.
Sentence Level Toolkit by Charlotte Reeve. Contact TTS Group on 0800 318686.
TalkWrite - ALS type lessons for KS1 by NE literacy consultants. Contact Amanda Ackeroyd, Stockton-on-Tees LEA, on 01642 397333.
Teaching English in Primary Classrooms, by Mina Drever, Susan Moule and Keith Peterson. This book demonstrates how exploring language and the ways it works can be stimulating and fun for children and satisfying for teachers, as they see grammar come to life. Drawing on the latest research on how children learn both first and subsequent languages, and responsive to the requirements of the curriculum and the literacy hour, the authors have developed a new dimension in whole-class and group learning. Cost £13.95.
Trentham Books, October 1999. ISBN 1 85856 177 9. Tel: 01782 745567/844699.
Word Bank, an introductory dictionary is an excellent dictionary catering for lower ability students including exam-specific vocabulary and terminology. The definitions and examples are very clear and it's superbly presented. It's very useful for helping with the technical vocabulary of subject areas.
Collins tel. 0870 0100 442
Words at Work Wallcharts, by Sue Palmer. Contact PCET Wallcharts on 020 8567 9206. Back to top
Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, Lynne Truss (Profile Books Ltd. 2003)
Grammar Guide, Gordon Jarvie. A guide written for professionals who don't know any grammar. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0-7475-1385-6.
Making Sense of Grammar, David Crystal.
ISBN: 0-582-84863-6. Published by Pearson.
Mother Tongue, Bill Bryson. A very entertaining and informative reference book about the history of the English language. Many useful explanations of grammatical beliefs.
Rediscover Grammar, David Crystal. Third edition published 2004, updated to take into account developments in the National Curriculum and literacy strategy.
ISBN: 0-582-84862-8. Published by Pearson.
Chambers Adult Learners’ titles. This series has been developed and compiled with the advice of basic skills tutors and aims to meet the particular needs of adult learners. It includes a dictionary (£8.99), written to neither intimidate nor patronise adults who are learning literacy skills; a thesaurus (£8.99), which gives particular emphasis to words that help people express themselves in practical writing situations, for example letters of complaint or job applications, and words that are often employed to influence or persuade; and a writing guide (£6.99), with examples and exercises to reinforce key learning points.
Contact: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 7 Hopetoun Crescent, Edinburgh EH7 4AY. Tel: 0131 556 5929. Email: sales@chambers.co.uk. Website: www.chambersharrap.co.uk
Everyday Spelling. Published by Brown and Brown. Cost £2.00 plus postage.
Contact: Avanti Books, Unit 9, The io Centre, Whittle Way, Arlington Business Park, Stevenage, SG1 2BD. Phone: 01438 747000. Fax: 01438 74113. Website: www.avantibooks.com
Help Yourself. A series of three books for adults with literacy difficulties, focusing on how to write a letter, how to fill in a form and how to spell better. They are split into small chunks and include illustrations and word games.
Contact: Isobel Mitchell, Lincoln Financial Group, Barnett Way, Barnwood, Glos., GL4 3RZ Tel: 01452 374442 Email: Isobel.Mitchell@lincolnuk.co.uk
Letter Expert. A useful website for anyone needing to write a letter for a wide variety of occasions. Website: www.letterexpert.co.uk
Punctuate Well and Write a Perfect Letter. Video. £12.99 plus postage.
Contact: Basic Skills Agency publications order line. Tel: 0870 600 2400.
RwRR (Read it wRite it Remember it). More
Spell Well at Any Age. Video. Cost £12.99 plus postage.
Contact: Basic Skills Agency publications order line. Tel: 0870 600 2400.
The Right Words: Teaching Post-16 to Spell, isbn 1-900283-09-3. Price £9.99. Learners with poor spelling are often less motivated educationally because past difficulty with spelling has corroded their self-esteem. This book deals with the issues related to poor post-16 spelling and demonstrates how the tutor/trainer can help learners beat poor spelling in a practical step-by-step way. For more information call 01978 840868, email books@trts.co.uk or visit www.trts.co.uk.
The Spelling Disc is designed primarily for adult learners, but would also be a useful resource for special needs students in KS3 and KS4. The introduction, featuring video presentations and multiple-choice questions, provides students with an opportunity to discover their preferred learning style. In each topic area there is an explanation, with examples, practice exercises, games and follow-up activities. Visit www.ctad.co.uk for more information.
Unscrambling Spelling, Cynthia Klein & Robin R. Millar. An adult approach to spelling that recognises that the skill cannot be learned in isolation and that the student's own writing must provide the material to work on. A student's individual strengths and weaknesses as a learner and writer must be identified, without forgetting the broader aim of increasing their confidence. It covers the part that handwriting, memory, understanding of language, awareness of spelling patterns and proof-reading have to play in the process. Cost £29.99.
Published by Hodder & Stoughton, 1990. Available from Avanti Books.
Contact: Avanti Books, Unit 9, The io Centre, Whittle Way, Arlington Business Park, Stevenage SG1 2BD. Phone: 01438 747000. Fax: 01438 74113. Website: www.avantibooks.com.
Write Away pen-friend club
Developing a Handwriting Policy (2005). This booklet aims to provide everything a primary school needs to develop a new handwriting policy or revise an existing one. It outlines issues staff should consider and includes many practical examples. Published by the National Handwriting Association. ISBN 1 872832 21 0. Cost: £6.50. Download an order form from www.nha-handwriting.org.uk/publish.htm.
Which Handwriting Scheme? (new edition, 2005). This booklet is designed to help teachers choose the most appropriate handwriting scheme for their pupils. The content of each available handwriting scheme is summarised, along with representative worksheets and a short comment, so that teachers can judge for themselves which will best suit their needs. Revised in 2005 as a bound publication. Published by the National Handwriting Association. ISBN 1 872832 19 9. Cost £12.00.
Download an order form from www.nha-handwriting.org.uk/publish.htm.
Handwriting for Windows 2.1 - CD Rom for doing joined Sasson font. Contact KBER on 01743 356764, email kath.kber.co.uk or visit www.kber.co.uk
Handwriting - the way to teach it, by Rosemary Sassoon (second edition, 2003). Includes strategies for whole school planning, classroom management, and moving from initial letter forms to joined up writing. Paperback £17.99. ISBN 07619 43110.
Contact the customer order line on 020 7374 0645 visit www.paulchapmanpublishing.co.uk.
Handwriting in the secondary school… not a secondary skill, Bevery Scheib et al, The National Handwriting Association. £5, ISBN 1087283289X. This publication will be useful for anyone working with children with SpLDs and parents. Visit www.handwritinginterestgroup.co.uk to order.
Penpals for Handwriting from Cambridge University Press. This is a complete handwriting scheme for ages 4-9. Using an interactive whiteboard provides a bright, colourful and very interactive interface which is simple to navigate both for teachers and children alike. Contact 01223 325588 or visit www.cambridge.org.uk
Speed up is a kinaesthetic programme to develop fluent handwriting, published in 2004 by LDA. It is designed for children aged eight to 13, whose handwriting is slow, illegible or lacking in fluency. ISBN 1855033860, cost £14.99.
Contact: LDA, Abbeygate House, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1DB. Tel: 01223 357788. Website: www.ldalearning.com.
Alphabet Rhymes Big Book (& little books) by Sue Palmer BBC Educational Publishing 01937 541001
Alphabet soup. An interactive CD-Rom aimed at foundation and KS1 level. Children learn to form letters of the alphabet correctly and recognise their name. They are also able to build their reading vocabulary using the interactive dictionary part of the program. For more information visit www.2simple.com.
Ambleside School Website. Suitable for KS2 pupils and teachers. On-line resource that provides interactive word searches, spelling tests and literacy support. See www.ambleside.schoolzone.co.uk/ambleweb/quizes
www.bbc.co.uk/hardspell/
The BBC Hard Spell website came out of a programme in 2004 to make spelling glamourous as in the US style spelling bee. The site has spelling games and an FAQs section.
Check Mate word lists. Two separate resource packs featuring the words that children are expected to recognise by the end of reception year (Word Lists 1) and the end of year 2 (Word Lists 2). Each pack consists of enough 'spelling mats' and bookmarks for five groups of children, and a photocopiable activity book. Cost £12.99 plus VAT (Word Lists 1) or £19.99 plus VAT (Word Lists 2).
Contact: PCET Publishing, 27 Kirchen Road, London W13 0UD. Tel: 020 8567 9206.
Dictionary of Perfect Spelling, Christine Maxwell. Published by Barrington Stoke for reluctant spellers of all ages. Cost: £12.99. ISBN 1 84299 281 3.
Contact: Barrington Stoke, Sandeman House, Trunk's Close, 55 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR. Tel: 0131 557 2020. Email: info@barringtonstoke.co.uk. Website: www.barringtonstoke.co.uk. Educate. Suitable for KS1/2 pupils and teachers. www.educate.org.uk - under 'teacher zone' follow the links to literacy and work level for a huge range of resources: lesson plans, crosswords, activities, worksheets and tests. Conveniently, resources are listed by age group and term of use in the National Literacy Strategy.
Individual Styles in Learning to Spell. Publication complied by P. Brooks & S. Weekes for the Helen Arkell Dyselxia Centre, aimed at improving spelling in children with literacy difficulties and all children in mainstream school. Cost £4.95.
Contact: DfEE Publications, PO Box 5050, Sherwood Park, Annesley, Nottingham NG15 0DJ. Tel: 0845 60 222 60. Fax: 0845 060 333 60.
Look & Read Spelling Strategies TV programmes/video and teacher's poster pack
Contact: BBC Educational Publishing. Tel: 01937 541001.
Manual for teaching and testing spelling by Claire Jamieson and Juliet Jamieson, published by Whurr (www.whurr.co.uk) ISBN 9 781861 563729. This book is highly recommended by Sue Palmer.
Music in Action from Big Books (book & CD) - Gaunt & Dunvilles. Available from City of Wakefield MDC on 01937 832946.
Northwood Primary School website includes a number of online games and resources for teaching spelling. Visit www.northwood.org.uk/literacy.htm.
The Origins of English Timeline, Sue Palmer. Available from PCET on 020 8567 9206.
Practical Ways to Teach Spelling, Angela Redfern. Guide to helping children to become competent writers, looking at different stages of spelling development, effective classroom practice, a multi-strand approach to the teaching of spelling, national curriculum requirements, children with specific learning needs, assessment, and whole-school policies. Cost £4.50.
Contact: National Centre for Language and Literacy, The University Of Reading, Bulmershe Court, Earley, Reading RG6 1HY. Tel: 0118 931 8820. Website: www.ncll.org.uk.
RwRR (Read it wRite it Remember it) is a multisensory strategy, which deals with common areas of failure regarding spelling and related skills. Visit www.rwrrspellingstrategy.com or call 01344 429599
Sound City by Sarah Hayes. Published by Walker Books.
Spelling City is a new educational site that can help children improve their
spelling skills. The site contains over 25,000 words, including plurals, contractions, future and past tenses. It also has a 'Teach Me' function that spells out the word using both visual and auditory input to improve retention. Website: www.spellingcity.com
Spell It. Educational CDRom produced by Sherston Publishing and BBC Worldwide Children's Learning. The resource is aimed at key stage 2 children and features BBC TV characters the Spellits. Cost £49.95 (plus VAT) for single copies. Visit www.sherston.com.
Spell It Yourself! Handbook for children published by Oxford University Press, £5.99, ISBN 0 1 991 119 63.
Spell Zone is an online interactive course to help users learn the intricacies of English spelling. It is aimed at those with English as a foreign language, adults either with dyslexia or wanting to improve spelling generally, or pupils at school finding spelling hard. Visit www.spellzone.com.
Spelling Bank, DfES publication. Call the DfES mailing house on 0845 60 222 60.
Spelling Games and Activities, Dorothy Smith. Book to supplement and consolidate a school's programme for teaching spelling at key stages 1 to 3. The content is based on five stages through which the learner passes to become accurate spellers: pre-communicative, semi-phonetic, phonetic, transitional and correct spelling. Cost £5.
Contact: NASEN, 4/5 Amber Business Village, Amber Close, Amington, Tamworth B77 4RP. Fax: 01827 313005. Email: welcome@nasen.org.uk.
Spelling it Right comprises seventy pages of advice and free worksheets on spelling and is used by many parents, students and teachers in the UK and North America. It features in internet educational directories such as Teachernet, Teachingideas and Parentcentre as well as maintaining a high ranking in the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN. www.spelling.hemscott.net
Spelling 9-13, Sue Hackman and Liz Trickett. Published by Hodder & Stoughton. Tel: 020 7873 6000.
Spelling Rulebook, Lucy Cowdery. Based on the Teaching Reading Through Spelling programme developed in the 1980s by the Kingston Reading Centre. It lists all the linguistic rules and phonic principles of English spelling, and is aimed at both teachers and older students. Cost £12.
Contact: TRTS Publishing, PO Box 1349, Wrexham LL14 4ZA. Tel: 01978 840868. Website: www.trts.co.uk. The Spelling Teacher's Handbook, Jo Phenix. Guide produced by Folens Primary Professional Development that details some of the processes and purposes of spelling, along with practical suggestions for implementation in the classroom. This book is one of a set of three covering reading, writing and spelling. Cost £14.95.
Contact: Folens Publishers Ltd, Albert House, Apex Business Centre, Boscombe Road, Dunstanble LU5 4RL. Orders: 01582 472007. Customer Enquiries: 01582 472005.
The Spelling Teacher's Book of Lists, Jo Phenix. Published by Pembroke publishers Ltd. ISBN 1-55138-066-8.
Spelling through the literacy hour, by Charles Cripps. Set of write-on/wipe-off big books designed for teaching spelling to a whole class or small groups in Year 3 or Year 4, emphasising a visual approach. Packs consist of three big books. £29.95 each.
Contact LDA on 01223 357788 or visit www.ldalearning.com.
Stareway to spelling, Keda Cowling (author of Toe By Toe) and Kelsy Cowling, written to meet the needs of children with severe spelling difficulties. Available from Keda publications: 01274 588278; info@kedapublications.co.uk
Starspell 2001 (CD Rom) Fisher-Marriott Educational 01394 387 050
Ten Ways to Remember a Tricky Spelling (Wallchart) by Sue Palmer. Available from PCET on 020 8567 9206.
Thrass - Picture chart and phoneme chart, Thrass 01829 741413
Understanding Spelling, Olivia O'Sullivan and Anne Thomas. This book provides both theoretical and practical explanations of how children learn to spell and the kinds of teaching which support them most effectively. It is based on a three-year longitudinal study of children's spelling in different primary classrooms. Cost: £15.99.
Contact: CLPE, Webber Street, London SE1 8QW. Tel: 020 7401 3382. Email: info@clpe.co.uk. Website: www.clpe.co.uk.
Words and Pictures - Phonics Y2 TV programmes/video and teacher's poster pack. Contact BBC Educational Publishing on 01937 541001.
Words Borrowed from other Languages by Sue Palmer & Eugenia Low. Published by Longman Pelican. Tel: 0800 579579.
Word Origins, Proverbs - and other books in the Fun with English series by George Beale. Published by Chambers.
Wordroot CD Rom. Available from Wordroutes Ltd on 01767 600580.
Wordshark CD Rom (or floppy disks). Contact White Space Ltd on 020 8748 5927.
Word Wasp Book. Harry Cowling co-author of Toe By Toe. A comprehensive, structured and diagnostic manual for the teaching of spelling for children and adults including those diagnosed as dyslexic.
Tel: 0113 2109838. Email: sales@wordwasp.com. Website: www.wordwasp.com.
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