Let's talk about embedding SPAG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) in primary school children's education
A TEAN event
In association with
Critical Publishing
On Friday, November 17th 2017 colleagues came together at the University of Cumbria to talk about embedding SPAG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) in primary school children’s education.
Why we thought it was a good idea to talk about this: All four members of the expert panel which devised the grammar element of the National Curriculum now appear to have serious reservations about it. The curriculum, it seems, was devised in four meetings and has had a profound impact on schools, especially as SPAG is tested in SATs. Given the authors’ reservations and those of many educators about the value of the emphasis on SPAG, should we consider abandoning this aspect of the curriculum? David Waugh argues that an understanding of spelling, punctuation and grammar is important and can be embedded within a lively and engaging curriculum, providing children learn through meaningful activities and are able to see the value of what they are learning.
TEAN and Critical Publishing werre very pleased to welcome Dr David Waugh, who is Associate Professor and subject leader for English in the School of Education at Durham University. David is a former deputy headteacher, Head of Department at University of Hull, and adviser for the National Strategies. He has written more than 40 education books, as well as five children’s novels, including The Wishroom which was written with 45 children from 15 East Durham schools. Now semi-retired, David regularly works with classes in a range of schools, using his novels as starting points for reading, writing, drama and discussion about language.
David posed three questions for us:
- What are the implications of the emphasis on grammar in the curriculum for trainees and teachers?
- How can we embed SPaG in a meaningful way through writing, reading and oracy?
- How can we teach rather than simply test spelling, punctuation and grammar?
And suggested that children’s grammatical understanding can be developed through reading and writing, if you make use of modelling and discussion. It is important to provide meaningful activities which involve a range of language features and which lead naturally to discussion of grammatical terminology.
In the afternoon session there were some excellent presentations from delegates. The various posters and notes that they produced can be accessed here:
The overlap of skill versus will and the impact of embedding grammar –
Tick box terminology and potential responses -
The overlap of skill versus will and the impact of embedding grammar –