Grammar and Punctuation

Grammar is the set of structural rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases and words in any given language. Each grammatical element acts as an essential component to forming language as a whole. When the elements are taught explicitly in conjunction with sentence construction and punctuation, a solid foundation of knowledge can be formed which in turn supports the development of writing, speaking, listening and reading. At South View we follow the Active English scheme for the teaching of grammar.

What is Active English?

Active English is an approach for teaching grammatical understanding to primary-aged pupils. It uses the principals of mnemonics to embed the learning in an active and engaging way, providing pupils with a deeper grasp of language that serves as a foundation for their future. It is proven that the learning gained from experience and interaction is retained more effectively than that which is gained solely through a written context. This is achieved through the use of images, actions and verbal reasoning to accelerate children’s learning of the grammatical concepts. To enable pupils to develop an understanding of language and sentence construction, we use the following images to ensure that pupils retain, recall and full enage with each concept:

Active English is largely aimed at years 1 to 4, but the elements can be used flexibly across all year groups to meet the needs of pupils. What is important, is that there is a whole-school approach, with all teachers and teaching assistants being supported to implement the programme consistently across the school.