Pippa Sutcliffe - Published in Prep School Magazine
Pippa Sutcliffe, the Head of English at Westbourne House, argues that prep schools must focus more on teaching grammar and punctuation in a dynamic and creative way.
The speaking of a language means that we are able to communicate and be understood at a certain level. However, what it does not mean is that we are formally aware of the grammar, punctuation, range of vocabulary and variety of sentences (simple, compound and complex) to technically analyse our language.
English is the most important subject that we can teach a pupil at school.
Without a grasp of punctuation and grammar, a child’s understanding of what he or she reads can seriously jeopardise his or her progress in every other subject, including mathematics.
In the past, it was thought that because we speak English we were able to easily access texts of any level. Whilst I was growing up, we were meant to absorb the formalities of grammar subconsciously. English was a ‘creative subject’ that encouraged the freedom of thought. At school, I remember sitting outside on the field writing poems and analysing texts with discussions that went off on imaginative tangents. We were exposed to challenging texts and expected to identify and discuss the themes, relating them to the social, cultural and political period. It was a time when grammar and punctuation were no longer taught formally in English, only in Latin, French or German.
Instead of thinking that everyone can access English, should we think the opposite? Should everyone be taught English almost like we teach Latin or French? After all, it is the foundation to our pupils’ learning right across the curriculum. The understanding of the way grammar and punctuation are selected to create a specific effect should be secured before any further analysis of a text or writing for effect is pursued. For example, at GCSE (especially the new English GCSE) the analysis of syntax and diction is expected to consider how writers develop tone, mood and atmosphere in a text and how they evoke the interest of the readers. These complex skills cannot be developed unless the basic skills have been understood.
The SATs papers for Year 6 at the end of Key Stage 2 in primary schools require a rigorous teaching of SPAG. Areas of the subjunctive, active and passive voice and determiners are taught. In addition to this, pupils are expected to understand how colons, semi-colons and dashes are used. Year 6 pupils are not only required to identify these areas but also to illustrate them in their writing.
11+ and 13+ CE English papers require pupils to be able to access texts who have reading ages significantly above their chronological age. The texts used for these exams are often taken from challenging novels above a reading age of an 11, 12 and 13 year old. On these papers, pupils are required to answer questions, analysing the effects that are created by a specific form of punctuation, imagery and certain words/phrases.
I have had a range of experiences in my teaching career: being Head of English in both state and independent schools (prep and senior). I have taught a range of age groups and a variety of pupils, preparing them for English SATs exams, the 11+, 13+ and CASE papers, GCSEs and A-levels.
Despite the recognition of the importance of SPAG in the national curriculum, it seems to me that a lot of prep school children are reaching Year 6 having not been exposed to any formal teaching of grammar or punctuation. The freedom of the curriculum in prep schools encourages creativity however we are still required to prepare our pupils for the 11+ and 13+ exams. Also, we do need to provide them with the foundations to be able to tackle the new style of GCSE English questions.
At Westbourne House School, we are gradually introducing our own unique grammar and punctuation experience, starting in Year 3 and 4 through the ‘teaching’ of comprehensions. This does not mean that we just read a passage and expect pupils to answer a set of questions on it. We have taken the primary school idea of teaching grammar and punctuation and adapted it for our needs.
We must remember that not only do our pupils have to succeed at 11+, 13+ and CASE, but they also need to be prepared with the appropriate skills for the new English GCSE.
How do we make the teaching of grammar, punctuation in comprehensions creative and exciting? We do this by using the following methods:
- Talking about words and what they mean in a specific extract from a text; highlighting their role and meaning in a sentence
- Drama – we bring a text to life – children can be used physically to represent punctuation marks also naming their grammatical role in a sentence. Some photos and videos of this approach are featured below!
- Drama around the definition/meaning of words – acting out the meaning or different meanings depending on the context
- Asking pupils to say a specific word to make it sound like its meaning, adding to the atmosphere of the piece.
Being taught English dynamically is essential and I do have a passion for all areas of my subject. However, I believe that every child should leave prep school loving their mother tongue because they understand the foundations of the language and they love its subtleties as well.
Dramatising English
