Marston Vale Middle School, Bedfordshire (English)

A work group of 6 machines was installed with Global English and the Books in July 1998 and results were so encouraging that we established a second work group of 5 machines.

The initial change in pupils was a rapid growth in self-belief; the voice on the machine was continually praising success; mistakes were handled sensitively and positively - this teacher is never stressed and mistakes are always private. Pupils were highly motivated.

The teachers' role has been to identify which pupils would benefit from ILS and what particular focus is necessary for them. They are then asked for feedback. Even low ability pupils whose progress is not significant on a standardised test are now spelling words that are recognisable. English teachers have noticed that pupils are making far fewer spelling errors in written work and becoming more adventurous in their written vocabulary.

• The Spelling module was a particular focus. It registers the relevant features for each learner. The pupils have to demonstrate their understanding; this of course means that levels of concentration are significantly increased. Errors are modelled both in visual and auditory mode and then the pupils have to address their misconception. Learning gains appear to be sustained.
• The Words module provides a confidence boost for the majority of our pupils. The synthetic phonic approach to decoding complements the analytic phonic approach that the pupils experience in other programs.
• The Sentence module provokes pupils into reading carefully for meaning and the precise use of language.
• The Rhymes module is the area where all our pupils regardless of ability exhibit a language deficit. Progress through this module enhances pupils' ability to both decode and spell.
• The Electronic books improve the fluency of pupils' reading; the concept-mapping component improves their critical thinking and forces the pupils to interact with the text. It also helps in their understanding of constructing a story.

The learning gains from some pupils were astonishing on standardised scores; even those who did not make significant increases in their scores showed improved attitudes; motivation and self belief that resulted in higher standards of work. The higher ability pupils showed significant gains with a short injection on the programme; certain pupils who displayed low levels of attainment also displayed surprisingly quick progress and this has made us reassess their potential.

Contact: Mr Jim Godfrey - Headteacher
Telephone: 01234 768224

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