How to help your child in English

KEY STAGE 3 ENGLISH
Helping your child
READING AND VIEWING
Novels

Poems

Plays

Reference books



Leaflets

Advertisements

CD ROMS

Web pages
READING/VIEWING
Enjoyment

Information

Meaning/understanding
READING WRITING
We know a lot about writing from reading

The language and setting out of writing is determined by
what it is for and who it is for
(purpose) (audience)
WRITING
RANGE OF FORMS
Imaginative / Creative Non-fiction
Stories Information leaflets
Poems Newspaper/articles/stories
Playscripts Letters
Diaries
Autobiography
Reports
WRITING
Range of Purposes
Entertain
Give information
Persuade
Explain
Describe
Give instructions
Writing Process
Thinking and talking about type, purpose, audience
Gathering ideas/information
Organising What you have to say (Content)
Drafting
Editing Checking grammar,
punctuation, spelling (to make meaning clear)
Presenting
Reading
Writing
Learning
Talking & Listening
Talking and Listening
RANGE OF PURPOSES
Getting on with others
Finding out
Asking questions
Explaining
Giving information
Persuading
Giving opinions
Making suggestions
Solving problems



RANGE OF AUDIENCES
Other pupils
Teacher
Classroom visitors
Other adults
S Support
U Understanding
C Challenge
C Communication
E Experimentation
S Sharing
S Success!
HELPING YOUR CHILD

Key Stage 3 English




Helping with reading

Try to make a range of materials available at home.

Encourage them to make use of facilities at local library.

Encourage reading for different purposes:
- for enjoyment and relaxation;
to find information;
- reading and explaining instructions;
- reading articles from local/national newspapers.

Value and show an interest in their choices of personal reading.
If possible read some of their choice of personal reading so that you know what to talk about.

Talk to them about what you enjoy reading.

Encourage thoughtful criticism and comment about reading and viewing of all kinds.

Ask open questions to encourage discussion about reading eg. ‘What is this passage/poem/magazine article about?’
‘Why is this product being advertised in this way?’


Encourage them to find infrmation needed at home eg. a recipe, telephone numbers, family holiday, weather reports.

Encourage them to show you and talk about what they are currently reading in English.

Discuss homework tasks – talking things through is very important.

Support with school research tasks by helping to find sources of information.

Encourage effective notetaking – key words and phrases taken from reading.


Read more than one newspaper at home and talk about the differences in how events are reported or choice of front page stories.
Helping with Writing

Discuss writing tasks with them eg. purpose and audience.

Understand that different types of writing require different language and setting out.

Understand that writing is a process with different stages – gathering ideas, organising ideas,
drafting, editing and presentation.

Encourage them to focus initially on what they are trying to say.

Act as a sounding board for their ideas for writing.
Encourage independent use of dictionaries and thesauruses.

Comment on what they have done well rather than on mistakes.

Let them see you writing and discuss your writing with them.

Look out for software programs which involve reading and writing for real purposes rather than those which simply drill spelling or punctuation eg. making/completing crosswords, solving puzzles, choosing your own adventure games.

Encourage writing to organisations for information – fan clubs, supporters’ clubs, voluntary organisations.




Helping with Talking and Listening

Discuss all kinds of events and issues, encouraging them to give and justify their opinions.

Watch and discuss television news reports and current affairs programmes. If they are particularly interested in a subject or event help them to look for further information eg. in newspapers, news sites on the Internet.

Encourage them to tell you about aspects of their interests eg. explaining the features of a software programme, describing a match or game, recounting a school trip, summarising a story.

Involve them in adult conversations, when appropriate. This experience will provide a range of language styles, ideas and vocabulary.

Help them to extend the range of words understood and used by using specialised vocabulary when talking about mutual interests eg. sport, cooking, cars, computer programs, music.

Provide a good listening model by responding to and asking questions about what they have to say.