At James Cook Primary School we recognise that language is central to students’ sense of identity, belonging and growth.  We recognise that the three language modes are interdependent:

• Speaking and Listening – Oral language is fundamental to the development of understanding. We aim to develop increasing confidence and competence in speaking and listening for our students so that they are able to express their ideas and explain their thinking clearly, adapt their speech to a wide range of circumstances using varied and specialised vocabulary, speak for a range of purposes e.g. to narrate, to analyse, to explain, to reflect and evaluate and be able to listen with understanding and respond sensitively and appropriately.
• Reading and Viewing – Reading should be enjoyable and be able to be used to assist with learning. We aim to develop increasing confidence and competence in reading so that our students are able to read fluently, accurately and with understanding at all levels – literal, applied and inferential, and that our students become independent and critical readers and make informed and appropriate choices
• Writing – Much of students’ learning includes and depends on written communication. We aim to develop increasing confidence and competence in writing so that our students are able to write in a variety of forms for different purposes, using wide-ranging and technical vocabulary and an effective style, organising and structuring whole texts coherently. Our expectations are set for writing clearly using accurate punctuation, grammar correct spelling and legible handwriting. Should will also be able to apply word processing conventions and understand the principles of multimedia text.