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 * HOT LINK: ** [|**www.aidtochildren.com**] ** - improve your vocabulary skills by matching synonyms (words that have the same meaning) and donate money to poor children for every correct answer! **

 //**'I need English now, and for the rest of my life**.'//  - School student



=__Welcome To The English Department Wiki at Heartlands Academy (Communications Centre)__ =


 * //"Developing a community of creative, competent, critical, confident and culturally aware learners who use __key skills__ honed in the subject to achieve in other subjects and take an active, successful approach in the 21st century, globalised world." //**

**__GET CONNECTED TO YOUR LEARNING! __**

 * __Facebook Page:__**

'Wiki' comes from the Hawaian word 'wiki-wiki' which means VERY QUICK. A wiki, therefore, this is a VERY QUICK ENCYCLOPEDIA, which you can access online. Most importantly, it's all about the English courses you are currently doing at **Heartlands Academy** - whether you want to find out information about the syllabus, assessment, exam revision, skills improvement, extra-curricular activities or even join other learners at the **HELP group** (Heartlands English Learners' Page) group on **Facebook**.You can connect to other learners and the department by following us on Facebook by joining the Heartlands English Learners' Page (HELP) group ** [|**http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=239672955104**] **

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__**Twitter:**__

Follow us at [|www.twitter.com/heartlandseng] to get the latest extra-curricular information. You will get all the updates from the clubs and societies within the department and receive regular messages about upcoming events in a quick, easy way.

__**Heartlands English TV - the YouTube Channel!**__ The English department has it's own TV channel based on YouTube at []

Here can find videos from trips, events and other aspects of your learning!


 * __English Department Blog:__**

The blog is regularly updated and a place where you will find the latest news about the English department as well as regular feedback from your teachers about your lessons and performance

[|http://heartlandsenglishdeptblog.blogspot.com]
You will find lots of news and you can choose to follow this on the blog itself.


 * __Get Regular Updates:__**

You can also have each blog sent to your email inbox. You just send an email with 'dept blog' in the subject line to heartlandsenglish@hotmail.co.uk


 * __Why Read The Blog?__**

There are many reasons to sign up and read the blog regularly:
 * Find out what's coming up whether it is coursework deadlines, exams or assessments, trips etc
 * Get feedback from your teachers about how you have faired in recent lessons/schemes of work
 * Find out about new competitions
 * Find out what the 'Extra-Curricular English' clubs and societies have been doing
 * See recent photos from trips/events

The blog will allow you to stay updated and prepared!

__Where Can I Find Information That Will Help Me? __
 If you are in **Year 10 or Year 11**, you will find the KS4 link a useful starting point to explore your course with links to the Language Exam and Literature Exam revision resources for you to access as well as notes and downloads to help with Coursework. Just use the links on the left-hand side.

 If you are in **Years 7, 8 or 9**, click on the KS3 link on the left hand side to find information about the skills you will cover in your 3 year course, assessment levels, further activities and end of year exam revision exercises/downloads.

 If you are a **Newly Arrival Student** at Heartlands Academy, click on the EAL page and begin learning English

Download the English Learning E-book to find out everything about the language:





**__Have You Won An English Award? __**
 The English dept announce awards every term. These cover creative writing, commitment to reading and recognise improvement in lessons and consistent outstanding performance throughout the term!

 Each winner receives a **certificate** for their Record of Achievement File and has a letter sent home to congratulate them.

 Click on English Awards to see profiles of the latest winners!

**__EXTENDING Learning Online: __**
Use the widget below to test your English skills. Remove the ads by clicking on the 'x' and get started:
 * __Test Your Skills__**

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 * __Practising and Perfecting Punctuation:[[image:punctuationpyramid.jpg align="right" caption="Practise and Perfect Your Punctuation!" link="@http://www.higherbebington.wirral.sch.uk/games/pyramid.html"]]__**

Click on the Punctuation Pyramid link to start practising and perfecting your punctuation. This is very important for students as it can have a huge effect on performance when writing in lessons across the curriculum. You can even **__download the Punctuation Pyramid__** and save it to your desktop to remind you of how pieces of punctuation are used. If you are typing work up, having this program open (**you will need Flash Player**) will help you to think more about the punctuation in your writing.




 * __Grammar Games:__**

These will help you to improve your key, written communication skills after you know your areas to improve on. There are games that help you to learn about different aspects of grammar such as apostrophes and commas for example. If your English teacher has identified areas of your writing that are not as accurate as they could be, log on and improve them!

[|**CLICK HERE TO IMPROVE YOUR KEY SKILLS WITH 'GRAMMAR GAMES'**]


 * __Improve your skills by downloading E-Text Books and Activities:__**

This book will provide many activities for you to complete independently to boost your skills:

Never make a mistake again with the A-Z of Common English Errors:

Read notes on different aspects of grammar to reinforce your understanding

Activities to boost your grammar. Print it and fill it in:

Complete these brainstormers to boost your skills:


 * __SAM Learning[[image:DSC01620.JPG align="right" caption="Students receive outstanding support"]]__**

Homework may be set online by your English teacher. You will need to log into [|Sam Learning]. You will need your username and password. Your username is your date of birth followed by 2 initials; first name then last name.


 * For example 010885DJ is the User ID for David Jones, born 1st August 1985.**


 * Your password is the same as your username unless you have changed it!**


 * __Moodle__**


 * The virtual learning platform is [|www.heartlandsschool.co.uk] . Here you will find many resources for all subjects across the curriculum.**

Literacy For Learning (L4L) :
 <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> From September 09, all students at Heartlands Academy will be focusing on specific aspects of English each week to help them to improve their overall writing skills. In all lessons, all staff will be encouraging students and reminding them via **'L4L Focus Objective'** posters to focus on a specific aspect of grammar or punctuation (i.e 'Accurate Apostrophes') when completing work in class, adding a literacy objective to existing lessons across the curriculum. Subject teachers will mark work on a weekly basis, according to the literacy objective for that week and provfide effective, comment-based feedback - which students will then use to take responsibility for improving their own writing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> **You can practise and perfect your punctuation skills by using the examples on the** [|**Punctuation Pyramid**]

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> **You can use [|'GRAMMAR GAMES' TO TEST YOUR LITERACY FOR LEARNING SKILLS] **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> **For more information email J.Barton@heartlands-academy.org.uk**


 * __IMPROVING READING!__**

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">__ Learning Resource Centre (LRC) :__ **
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The academy's **Learning Resource Centre** should form an important part of your studies, whether you are resarching a topic in any subject, want to read the news or surf the internet or pick up a book, magazine or newspaper!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Download a **Book Review** form to fill about your last book: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Find out what is happening in the LRC by clicking on the link. You can also find information about **local libraries in Birmingham** and **search for books online!**

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> **For more information about the LRC, email: B.Patel@heartlands-academy.org.uk**

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Fiction E-Book Library :[[image:reader.jpg width="220" height="159" align="right"]] **
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> You can download a range of books for FREE! Save them onto your hard drive and read them on your PC! Easy! Check out our E-Book Library, which is regularly updated, to find a range of FREE books of different genres and the latest 'Heartlands E-Book Chart'. All the software you need can be found on the E-Book page too!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Visit the E-Book Library and start reading on your computer. If you have the technology, you could even read e-books on your mobile phone or Nintendo DS!

Reading Non-Fiction/Media:[[image:stockist.png align="right"]]
The 'First News' weekly newspaper for students across the UK can now be __found in the LRC__. In each edition, you will find news, sport, showbiz news and crazy stories from around the world.

You can find out more about **First News** at [|www.firstnews.co.uk] wherre you will find the latest news affecting and interesting secondary school students across the UK.

**<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Messageboard: **

 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Unsure about something you have worked on in lesson or a piece of homework? Or do you simply want to voice your views about a book you read recently? Check the messageboard to post your own messages and respond to others. **

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**__<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Calendar: __**

 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Calendar is like an online noticeboard. You can find out what's happening after school in the English department.You can also check when your coursework is due or when your exams are by clicking on the [|English Dept Calendar] **

**__<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Extra-Curricular English : __**
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 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The department hopes to soon launch a range of after school clubs and competitions designed to enhance key skills within the subject such as creative writing group in KS4, a reading club in KS3, a debating society in KS3 and a KS4 film club. Follow all the clubs ONLINE via Facebook: **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> __KS4 Booster Classes:__ **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> These sessions will start every Tuesday in September. **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Ready for the next exams in January 2010? Is your name down for any 'booster' sessions after school to help you get that target grade? Check on the **Booster** list! **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> __'Writers Inc.'__ **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> This creative writing group which will meet fortnightly on a Wednesday have launched their own interactive story and are welcoming students from across the school in KS3 and KS4 to write a few lines (or even a paragraph!). There is a __prize for the best paragraph!__ Click on the link below to get writing: **

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 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> __'Liber Liberem'__ **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> This reading group aims to foster and encourage the idea of reading fiction for pleasure and will run fortnightly on a Tuesday. KS3 and KS4 students are encouraged to attend the club and bring their chosen book to review and recommend, filing regular Book Reviews for their Student Assessment Profile. **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Download a Book Review form here, fill it in and hand it in to your teacher: **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> __Debating Society__ **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> The Debating Society, which will start in Septmber and run fortnightly on a Wednesday, will encourage students in KS3 and KS4 to successfully argue a point to an audience and foster strong speaking and listening skills. More details to follow in Septmeber. **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> __KS4 Film Club__ **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> This film club will meet fortnightly on a Friday to develop students' interest in film. Students will be shown films of different genres and invited to complete reviews for the school magazine which is run by Year 10 Media Students ( www.heartlandsvoice.wikispaces.com ) **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> __Student Magazine - Heartlands Voice__ **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> KS4 Media Studies students comntinue to run an online magazine at www.heartlandsvoice.wikispaces.com . This magazine features a variety of news about the school and students are invited to send their opinions or letters for publication in the magazine to heartlandsvoiceletters@hotmail.co.uk . The magazine which is updated every fortnight includes news, reviews, features, columns, interviews, letters from students and campaigns. This project aims to encourage students' interaction with non-fiction texts and develops media literacy. For more information, see Miss Hanson or the Performing Arts department. **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> __Sports Magazine - Heartlands Sports News__ **


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> All news about sport at the school can be found at www.heartlandssportsnews.wikispaces.com . Students are encouraged to log on to find out news about football, cricket, dance, rugby, rowing, athletics and much much more! This project aims to maintain an effective link between literacy and the school's specialist sports status. For more information, email J.Lea@heartlands-academy.org.uk **

**__<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Competitions : __**
Details about future competitions will appear on the 'Competitions' page

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Click on the links page to find useful websites to help you improve your English skills and get you into writing!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> __Additional Materials__

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> You can purchase additional text books to enhance your understanding of the course by clicking the links below.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> __KS4__
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> [|//GCSE English for OCR//] //,// written by senior examiners, experienced teachers and markers at GCSE, provides a complete match to OCR. Focuses on assessment objectives and developing students' skills.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> [|//Working With Opening Worlds and Opening Lines//] offers complete support for the collections with tailor-made activities to help students engage with and effectively respond to the collections. Offers routes through the poems and provides ways to approach the stories.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> [|//Revise Opening Worlds and Opening Lines//] offers support for revision of the collections, including thorough preparation for the exam, complete with practice exam questions and advice on how students can improve their grades.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">For further details on this specification, see [|www.ocr.org.uk]

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> __KS3__

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> See your English teacher for a KS3 Revision Guide, Literacy booklets to improve skills or Spelling booklets for over the holidays!



Copyright J W Barton 2007(c) Email: J.Barton@heartlands-academy.org.uk