Sunday, September 24, 2017

Oxford University Press: Project X Comprehension Express

Oxford University Press

Project X Comprehension Express

Oxford University Press research* reveals teachers’ concerns that pupils find comprehension to be one of the most challenging areas of the KS2 SATs and that it is an area of low engagement for both boys and girls when preparing for the tests.
This is corroborated by the recent English National Key Stage 2 2017 results that revealed reading comprehension as one of the major challenges in improving reading standards across the UK with 29% of pupils failing to reach the expected standard this year (29% of 589,428 = 170,934).
Source: National tables: SFR 43/2017, National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2017 (provisional), The Department for Education, August 2017

Project X Comprehension Express has been developed by Oxford University Press (OUP) experts to engage all pupils and help raise reading standards across all schools.
Oxford University Press (OUP) announced today the findings of recent educational research. The survey carried out by OUP as part of its ongoing research programme involved over 200 teachers and took place immediately after the national tests and assessments in May 2017.
Teachers surveyed found that, for girls, comprehension was the most challenging part of the KS2 tests (above Maths and Writing) while for boys comprehension was second only to writing as the most challenging aspect of the tests.
Furthermore, across the whole cohort (boys and girls combined), comprehension was felt by teachers to be an area of low pupil engagement when preparing for the KS2 tests.
Andrea Quincey, Head of English, UK Education, at OUP added: ‘This research shows that teachers are concerned about children missing out on the chance to develop crucial comprehension skills. It is vital that children are offered the right support to develop these.’
Di Hatchett, OUP author explains: ‘Comprehension skills underpin not only ability but also (and critically) motivation and enjoyment in reading. All these aspects are critical across the school curriculum, for lifelong learning and for reading for pleasure.’
*Research conducted by Oxford University Press’s market research team from 18th May 2017 to 26th May 2017 with teachers in the UK (225 respondents, 191 of which answered questions about the KS2 SATs). Full report available on request.

What independent research recommends for teaching comprehension effectively:
The recent Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) guidance report published earlier this year emphasised the importance of teaching reading comprehension strategies through modelling and supported practice to raise reading standards in Key Stage 2.
These same ideas are also featured in recent studies by Tennent, Reedy, Hobsbaum and Gamble in 2016, who tell us about the value of comprehension strategies and teacher modelling.
The National Reading Panel in 2000 also spoke about the critical role of vocabulary and language, reading comprehension instruction and learning to learn (metacognitive strategies) as three key ways to improve reading comprehension.

The Project X Comprehension Express approach for Years 4-6 (P5-P7)
OUP have carefully reviewed this research and have worked with comprehension experts Di Hatchett and Gill Jordan to create Project X Comprehension Express (publishing September 2017), a brand-new series that encompasses these ideas into classroom resources and training.
Project X Comprehension Express is a whole-class teaching programme specially built to help children in Years 4-6 (P5-P7) master comprehension and excel in the new National Reading test.
There are 10 comprehension strategies (Expert Tips) identified in the series: Ask a question; Stop and check it makes sense – take action; Think and remember; Visualize, Predict, Make connections – search for clues; Read it again; Summarize the text; Explore vocabulary; Use text structures, features and language. These 10 child-friendly expert tips effectively scaffold children’s learning as they are introduced one by one in each of the Three Stages in the series but with a slightly different emphasis and approach as they move up the stages though Years 4-6 (P5-P7).
As children master each strategy they begin to choose independently which expert tip to apply. This builds confidence in their ability to compose answers to comprehension questions and prepares them for the National Reading Test.
There are three Collections of texts at each stage and these are used for mastering the strategies. The texts are accessible for every child, including those just below age-related expectations, and OUP has consulted children to make sure that the reading material feels sophisticated enough for every reader. There are nine different texts on a unifying theme in each Collection and they all contain Poetry, Non-fiction and Fiction. As children work through the Stages the texts build in complexity and sophistication to move children gradually children towards the expected level of the national test paper.
As part of Project X Comprehension Express there is a teaching and assessment handbook, suggested timetable and lesson plans and workbooks for the children help to keep a record of each child’s progress. The workbooks allow the children to apply the Expert Tip that they focus on in the lesson and encourage children to compose answers to comprehension questions independently, all gently moving them towards test conditions and preparing them for the National Reading Test.
Project X Comprehension Express experts, Di Hachett and Gill Jordan, and Professional Development leader, Nicola Romaine are available for interview or to write features on the key elements of Comprehension Express including how to:
· Teach using comprehension strategies
· Implement effective teacher modelling
· Provide the right level of supported practice
· Stretch high-achievers and guide struggling pupils
· Support EAL pupils

About Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.
OUP is the world's largest university press with the widest global presence. It currently publishes thousands of new publications a year, has offices in around fifty countries, and employs some 6,000 people worldwide.
It has become familiar to millions through a diverse publishing programme that includes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, school and college textbooks, children's books, materials for teaching English as a foreign language, business books, dictionaries and reference books, and academic journals.
Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP t: 01865 354579 www.oxfordprimary.co.uk
Twitter: @OUPPrimary

For more information, images, samples or to arrange an interview or written feature from one of the experts please contact: Laura Smythe m: 07881555530 or email: laurasmythecontact@gmail.com

FURTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
Project X Comprehension Express content and visuals available for use
Comprehension Express · Webpage: www.oxfordprimary.co.uk/pxcompexpress
· Free lesson
o Includes lesson plan for Stage 2 of the programme including extract from Teaching Handbook with PCM teaching prop and best practice film, with reading text and expert tip cards for pupils to use o Link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/compexpress · 60 second animation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqT6sPyx9EE&t=2s
· Best practice films from a lesson in action and test support on Oxford Owl: https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/direct-link/project-x-comprehension-express
NB: You must register to access this support, but it is completely free.
· Logo on request
· Book jackets on request
· Sample pages on request
Overarching comprehension support from Oxford
· SATs infographic: http://fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/oxed/primary/Next_Steps_infographic.pdf
· Comprehension webinar r


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