Literacy in Action: Football

24 Flexible Lessons for Ages 9-11

Heather Butler

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2010
• Print ISBN: 9780415564854
• eBook ISBN: 9781136961342
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Get ready for kick off and prepare to meet all of your literacy goals with Literacy in Action: Football.

All year 5 and particularly year 6 teachers know about the pressure to help children deliver levels of achievement laid down by higher authorities than themselves. Many of the reluctant writers are passionate about football. Literacy in Action: Football could be the answer to their and your prayers, offering expert, tried and trusted techniques for teaching literacy, developed within the context of the 'Beautiful Game'. For those not bitten by the football bug there are alternative options. Literacy in Action: Football is a fun and inspiring addition to your literacy teaching.

This unique classroom resource contains twenty-four lesson plans, each structured like a football match. For an hour, transform your classroom into Wembley Stadium! Each detailed lesson plan includes:

• short, kinaesthetic, focussed tasks with instant feedback and praise
• speaking and listening exercises – children engage in talking and collaborative work before completing a writing task
• key points from research in to boys' writing in special notes for teachers
• alternative tasks available for those not interested in football
• differentiated material for a wide ability range.

Literacy in Action: Football is written by Heather Butler, a writer, literacy consultant and story writing workshop leader. Literacy in Action: Football has been tested extensively by year 5 and year 6 teachers in leafy-green, inner city, multi-cultural and rural settings with amazing results. Why not try it for yourself?

LESSON 1
Writing’s all right

level 2	Paperclip Premiers (PPs)
level 3c/3b	Chosen Champs (CCs)
level 3a/4c	Dream Division (DD)
level 4b/4a+	Longstop Leaguers (LLs)

Game plan

Children will: sign contracts, sort out I CAN … writing target sheets and write about themselves as writers.

Training

For children

None.

For teachers (preparation for the lesson)

1 Photocopy the correct target sheet for each child – see pages 144–153. The levels on these are shown in the top right-hand corner; 3 - - is low level 3; - 3 - is secure level 3; - - 3 is high level 3. These are key targets for the level. They do not constitute the complete skillset needed to achieve a level but have been chosen because they are child friendly for self-assessment purposes. Paperclip Premiers (PPs) are children working at level 2; Chosen Champs (CCs) are working at low and secure level 3; Dream Division (DD) are working at high level 3 and low level 4; and Longstop Leaguers (LLs) are working at secure and high level 4 and level 5.

2 Eco-copy and chop We want to be part of this project because … , one for each child, as found on page 4. The term eco-copy is used when items for children are duplicated on a page to reduce photocopying.

3 Photocopy and chop “Writing’s all right,” said Mr Wright / Report Writing on page 5 – one per child.

4 Photocopy several Report writing sheets as found on page 6 for those who might need it.

The match

Warm-up (often revision of previously learned skills)

Introduce the idea of football-related literacy lessons and stress that, wherever possible, children will be given a choice between writing about football or an alternative. They can choose each lesson. They will be asked to work collaboratively, just as real writers often work together. Tasks will be short and achievable, hopefully completed within a one-hour time limit. Children will evaluate their own writing, often with a partner, and work out what they have learned during the process. I CAN … target sheets will help them to do this.

Give out We want to be part of this project because … and ask children to sign and decorate them. Give time to practise “official” signatures.

Stick these in the front of their books.

Also give out the appropriate I CAN … writing target sheet to each child. These need to be stuck in the back of their books.

First half (develops the WARM-UP or introduces...

Table of contents

• Contents
• About the book
• LESSON 1 Writing’s all right
• LESSON 2 “Writing Rocks” quiz show
• LESSON 3 Character profile
• LESSON 4 Q&A conversations
• LESSON 5 Organising research
• LESSON 6 Verb diary
• LESSON 7 The unexpected football match
• LESSON 8 Programmed for success
• LESSON 9 Walter Tull
• LESSON 10 Fiddle’s injury
• LESSON 11 Speaking of pronouns
• LESSON 12 Storytime – planning
• LESSON 13 Storytime – writing
• LESSON 14 Storytime – editing and publishing
• LESSON 15 Munich plane crash
• LESSON 16 FAQs and vocabulary
• LESSON 17 Connective obituary
• LESSON 18 Is sport good or bad?
• LESSON 19 Ixed advert for ladies’ football
• LESSON 20 Wheelchair football in a sentence
• LESSON 21 Five-sense poems
• LESSON 22 Playing with words and boots
• LESSON 23 Match report
• LESSON 24 Commas, clauses and café menus
• Index