Layered Targets for the Higher Value Reading and Writing Strands
This booklet contains layered targets from Year 1 to Year 6 and EYFS targets for the Foundation Stage.
These have been ‘un-picked’ from the Primary Literacy Framework objectives for:
Reading:
- Understanding and interpreting texts
- Engaging with and responding to texts
- AF2 –Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text.
- AF3 - Deduce, infer or interpret info, events or ideas from texts.
- AF4 - Identify and comment on structure and organisation of texts.
- AF5 - Explain and comment on writer’s use of language, including grammatical and presentational features at text level.
Writing:
- Sentence Structure and Punctuation
- Sentence variation - Connectives
- Other punctuation
- Text Structure and Organisation
- Creating and Shaping Texts
These are the strands that contain skills and techniques which will have the most impact upon children’s reading and writing.
They are presented from Year 1 to Year 6 to show skills progression through each strand so that each year group can build upon work done the year before and the whole school can unite in developing aspects of reading and/or writing.
They are also presented as three layers for each class:
- The Must or Step 1 is the average expectation from the previous year.
- The Should or Step 2 is the average expectation for the year group.
- The Could or Step 3 is above, or an extension of the year group expectation.
The target chosen for each child should be something that they have the potential to achieve with focused teaching and opportunities to apply as often, and in as many different contexts as possible within a given period of time. A target is the next small step/level of challenge for a child.
If children are working below the year group ‘Must’, an appropriate target can be used from a previous year group. Similarly, a child working above age expectations can be given an older target.
How to choose targets
If targets are to be used whole-school, an analysis of Year 2 and Optional SATs will reveal areas for development in reading and writing. The most appropriate target strand can then be chosen.
Alternatively, each class might have an identified area for development and the targets can be used for that particular year group.
Displaying targets
Whole school:
Targets should be displayed in a prominent and central place within the school. This is so all children and staff can see, at a glance, the skills progression from Year 1 to Year 6 in that particular strand. ‘Where do I fit in? What can I do and what am I aiming for?’
Some schools are very creative in the displaying of targets; rockets; trees; target boards; race tracks . . . anything that suggests moving onwards and upwards.
Classroom:
The targets should be displayed where all the children can see them and of a size that is easy to read.
The target can be referred to throughout the day at any time where it can be incorporated into teaching and learning.
Alongside the targets, it is useful to display examples of what the target might look like in writing, or what an appropriate response might be in reading. There are some examples given with these layered targets but making them relevant and in context with what you are learning is better. ‘So, this is the target, this is what it means and this is what it might look like.’
Example:
I can begin to use different sentence starters such as a simile.
A simile is when one thing is compared to something else. They usually contain the words ‘like’ or ‘as’
As quick as a flash, Jack shot up the beanstalk.
The beanstalk was as tall as a mountain.
Add lots more as you come across them in your reading.
Teaching targets
Targets should be integrated into everyday teaching and learning and practised and applied across the curriculum. There are very few targets that would be difficult to integrate, as children are always reading and writing. However, if the targets do not fit in with current work they can be taught in a literacy lesson warm-up session similar to the mental and oral session in maths.
The lesson will have an objective of its own and the targets are in addition to this. The main focus is the objective but reference can be made to a target throughout shared writing and reading and in guided reading and writing sessions. Blend the target into shared reading and writing and ensure age-related skills are demonstrated frequently.
Assessing targets
Targets should not be tested. Assessment of whether a child has achieved the target, and is applying the skills consistently, should be done through every day observations, questioning and marking.