We’ve grown into our home school approach over the last few weeks. Like wearing a pair of shoes that we didn’t choose, they’ve now worn in and we’ve found a way to walk in them. And do you know what?…
Read More
When schools closed back in March, most children would have come home with a reading book that they wouldn’t have been able to change for sometime. Although some schools have arranged swaps since and some schools sent home more than…
Read More
We talk at length about promoting this in school and since the tables were turned 6 weeks ago we’ve had a chance to really see how we can ensure there’s time for establishing a reading culture at home. I’ll actually…
Read More
The last month has been different in more ways than one as we have all had to adjust rather suddenly to a new normal; a normal where our work patterns have changed, our socialising patterns have changed, and our life…
Read More
This blog follows on from our previous which suggests some effective ways to approach the home teaching of English, namely using a quality book – whether fiction, non-fiction or poetry - as the springboard into learning. So, you are sitting…
Read More
'We used learning logs as part of our online education offer. We were really impressed with the high quality planning sequences all planned and ready to use. Each video included a practical grammar session as well as opportunities for…
Read More
At this point in time, the world is in a fearful, suspended state. This scenario is a first for everyone and, collectively, the plan is of survival. Beyond that? We don’t know. And understandably this can be a difficult…
Read More
‘Unprecedented’ is certainly the word of the moment. All of a sudden, the country has been thrown into turmoil and we’ve all had to find ways to adapt. And while the global pandemic may have sparked a loo roll crisis, for most…
Read More
Dialogue enlivens the fabric of a narrative through the different tones and timbres of characters’ voices. It is intrinsic to the art of storytelling. So, it is no surprise, that the skills around dialogue come up time and time again…
Read More
In addition to our usual reviews this month, we loved the wonderful selection of authors and titles included with this year’s World Book Day £1 books that we thought we'd review some of our favourites! So, here's a few of…
Read More
Journeys: synonymous with voyages and expeditions; the literal and the figurative. Going on a journey, being taken on a journey…literature can and absolutely does do this for us as humans. Of late, we’ve talked a lot at The Literacy Tree about direct…
Read More
Whether hiding behind the pages of a good book, comforted by the protection of fictional worlds and made-up characters, or empowered by undeniable information, books are equally our protectors and our secret weapons. They allow us to visit new places, walk in others’ shoes…
Read More
Here at the Literacy Tree, we thoroughly appreciate how drama can add a whole new dimension and depth to English. When Drama is peppered through a sequence of literacy lessons, it can bring a narrative and its host of characters…
Read More
In February – the month of St Valentine (who, curiously enough, is actually the patron saint for those who have found love; the saint required for finding love would appear to be St Raphael…) a review of literature can only really be themed around…
Read More
As the most book-ish of people here at the Literacy Tree, we’ve been particularly taken by the recent resurgence in the children’s non-fiction market. Gone are the days of the generic information text, left to languish on dusty bookcases labelled ‘animals’,…
Read More
Here is a list of just some of our favourite wordless picture books. From collage and layering, to intricate pencil-drawn images, from watercolour to block colour, these books show the range and possibility of wordless texts and demonstrate why we…
Read More
New Year often brings a fresh start. We may make a resolution or two. At The Literacy Tree? Well, our resolution is to increase the number Literary Leaves on offer for non-fiction texts. And this might actually have become our new favourite thing…
Read More
Shared and Modelled Writing: Shared writing is a process teachers and home educators use on a regular basis to help children to understand how to write a particular kind of text and to provide them with a model piece of writing to emulate. It involves…
Read More
