"Dubai's The Arcadia Preparatory School is embracing the UK's innovative 'Talk for Writing' programme in a bid to fast-track its pupils' progress in reading and writing "
Dubai, UAE - The Arcadia Preparatory School is preparing to implement the visionary 'Talk for Writing' educational approach across its curriculum when the school opens in Dubai's Jumeirah Village Triangle this August. Developed in the UK by professional writer Pie Corbett and supported by literacy specialist Julia Strong, the method has a proven track record of raising standards in reading and writing amongst young children.
Talk for Writing enables children to imitate orally the key language they need for a particular topic before they attempt to read and analyse it. Using fun activities to help them rehearse the tune of the language they need followed by shared writing to show them how to craft the text, children are helped to write in the same style.
"Far from being a standalone system, Talk for Writing is integral to all aspects of the curriculum and, once the strategies and approaches are embedded with the children, its effects will make a positive impact upon each aspect of the learning process," says Navin Valrani, CEO of The Arcadia Preparatory School.
"Our aim is to become a leading school in the Middle East for the use of Talk for Writing techniques and strategies. The approach is child-friendly, age-appropriate and appeals to all learning styles, and is equally effective for both native and non-native English speakers," explains Valrani.
"Talk for Writing fits naturally with the latest English National Curriculum and provides clear support for articulation, speaking and listening, and matches the higher expectations for reading and writing," he adds. "Practice and performance are key aspects of the approach and through this children rapidly gain confidence and mastery, leading to the ability to write precisely and creatively. It also supports children in developing an ongoing love of reading."
The coming months will see the school's teaching staff undergo thorough training in class-based Talk for Writing strategies and techniques after which they will have the ability to train colleagues and share best practice, thus enabling a fully supportive environment for implementation of the programme across the school.
"As a school which sets very high expectations we needed a high-quality programme, and we believe Talk for Writing is a powerful tool not just for pupils but for teachers, too. Research indicates that schools that have adopted the approach have not only increased their children's progress but have found that children and teachers alike love it," adds Valrani.
The Arcadia Preparatory School, located in Dubai's Jumeirah Village Triangle, offers the National Curriculum for England to pupils studying from Foundation Stage 1 (nursery) to Key Stage 2 (year 6). Due to open in August 2016, the community-focused school aspires to be one of the leading British primary schools in the world by instilling into students a lifelong passion for learning, and by nurturing innovation and the pursuit of excellence amongst the teaching staff.
The Arcadia Preparatory School is the first in a series of community-based schools delivering the vision of Mohan Valrani and the Al Shirawi Group. As the Chairman of the school, Valrani is an avid believer in providing the very best education for future generations.
Believing that a school's greatest asset is its teachers, the group is building The Arcadia House, a dedicated accommodation facility within JVT for school staff. By offering the enhanced benefit of quality housing, the school is investing fully in its teachers' happiness and wellbeing thereby encouraging them to aspire to excellence within the classroom.
The Arcadia Preparatory School's curriculum includes a unique Enrichment Learning Programme (ELP) - an all-inclusive programme, based on an extended school day - that complements the core curriculum, providing dynamic and diverse activities and rich learning opportunities for pupils, including in-class homework support. The ELP is provided at no extra cost to parents and is a core aspect of the school's values and ethos, where lifelong learning is nurtured. In addition, the school is offering specialist support for English as an Additional Language (EAL) as part of the core curriculum for those students whose native language is not English.
Future Dubai-based schools for Arcadia Group include The Arcadia Senior School, also in Jumeirah Village Triangle; and The Arcadia Primary and Secondary School in Jebel Ali.
Address: District 9 Jumeirah Village Triangle, Dubai
Phone number: 04 558 5010
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: facebook.com/ArcadiaSch/
Twitter: @Arcadiasch
Instagram: instagram.com/arcadiaschool/
Website: www.arcadia.sch.ae
