Page 84 - Bellfort Magazine 2019

Literacy News 8 pupils as they adjusted to the Read Write App
subject specialist literacy de-
Aspiring Author– Mr Boyd This year the Learning Support
mands of post-primary school.
Mr Robin Boyd (a former Vice- Assistants received training from
Miss McCarron took on the role in the Education Authority Literacy
Principal of Dunclug College) has
the second half of the year and Service on an app called ‘Read
been visiting the school this year
worked with pupils identified and Write.’ This app is available to
to enlist 8L1 as a sounding board
through tracking data as well as all teachers and students via C2K
for his new novel. Mr Boyd is
those who requested additional and it’s proved it can be really
support. helpful in helping you read texts
and also produce your own writ-

ing. Mrs Dempsey used the app
with Year 13 English Literature stu-
dents as one of its many facilities
writing a novel for young people
is that it can turn text documents
and he hopes to get it published
into sound files. Year 13 students
for use in primary schools. The
converted key quotations from
novel is untitled at present as Mr
‘Wuthering Heights’ into sound
Boyd is giving 8L1 the opportunity
files that they could listen to on
to suggest titles. They have also
their phones as they made their
have the opportunity to re-name way to and from school—extra
some of the characters. Through
Hannah McMaster Year 10 said, “ study time! Look out for further
reading and discussing the writ-
Literacy support has helped me information about using this app.
ing, 8L1 have been able to help Mr
practice and develop my creative
Boyd ensure the actions and dia-
writing skills further. I have en-
logue of the main characters are Tips for Improving Reading
joyed revising how to use a wider
current and interesting. 8L1 and
range of descriptive techniques in If you are given a reading or re-
Mrs Dempsey have really enjoyed
written work. I enjoyed learning search task to complete, think
being part of the active writing
more about metaphors and simi- about what information you are
process with Mr Boyd and are as
les because these are easy ways expecting to come across. You
excited as him about a possible
to bring your writing to life.” could jot down what you already
publishing deal! know—this helps your brain focus
Sarah Brown Year 10 said, “I feel
Literacy Support on what is to come. Set yourself a
a bit more confident in getting my
target for how many pieces of in-
Literacy support continued to be ideas onto paper. It was good to
formation you want to find out
available for a vast range of pupils get the chance to practise
and then highlight this number of
this year. Ms Poole took the first spelling, punctuation and gram-
points or write them on a post-it
two cohorts of pupils and focused mar in a small group because it’s
and stick it in the margin. This is
on Year 11 pupils as they ap- really hard to work on improving
helping you process what you
proached the demands of Con- this part of writing by yourself.”
have read.
trolled Assessment requiring ana-
84
lytical reading skills and also Year