Approaches to Reading
The prime approach to Reading is through systematic synthetic phonics. Children are taught to read through learning the sounds of each letter and segmenting and blending them together. They will learn digraphs and alternative spellings of these in order to help them read independently. This is taught through the Read Write Inc. programme.
Early Years
Children are taught a wide range of reading strategies; including phonics, sound/letter correspondence, context and picture cues. The school has a variety of pre-readers and reading scheme books used by early readers. Children independently select books to take home to read with their families.
In Terms 1 and 2 children also take home a sound folder to support them with practising reading and writing that day’s sound. When we come to the end of the Set 1 sounds they begin to take home red words. These are aligned with the RWI scheme and the children practise reading them at home.
To develop our pupils as readers we:
• Build on the children’s knowledge and experience of print that they bring to school and involve parents from the beginning
• Provide a stimulating environment, where books and other reading materials are presented in an attractive and inviting way. This enables children to see we value books and reading, and will enjoy reading for pleasure and information, and develop an awareness of the importance of reading in their everyday life
• Ensure that the children are given extensive experience and access to a quality selection of genres, and plan for them to have time to browse and read for pleasure as well as using books as a tool for learning
• Provide opportunities for children to read aloud, on their own, with their peers and with their teachers and also daily opportunities to enjoy stories being read aloud to the class
• Give opportunities to respond by talking appreciatively and critically about what they have read, discussing authors, themes, characters, settings and plots
• Encourage children to write their own stories or poems, making books or contributing to class books so that they have opportunities to become authors
• Read Write Inc. sound stories will be used to teach each sound
• Children will be learning to record the sounds in cursive print
Phonics- Read, Write, Inc.
Read Write Inc. (RWI) is an inclusive phonic programme for all children learning to read. Children learn the 44 common sounds in the English language and how to blend them to read and spell. The scheme includes both a reading and a writing focus. Teaching of RWI is exciting and fast-paced, and accelerates children’s literacy learning, leading to improvements in attainment, both in relation to the KS1 Phonics Screening Check and throughout the school.
We teach children to:
· Apply the skills of blending phonemes into words
· Learn that blending and segmenting words is a reversible process
· Read high frequency words that do not conform to usual patterns
· Decode texts effortlessly so all their resources can be used to comprehend what they are reading
· Spell effortlessly so that all their resources can be directed towards composing their writing
By the end of KS1 the large majority of children can read aloud age appropriate texts accurately and with sufficient speed. This means we can focus on developing their comprehension, preparing them well for transition into KS2. Their good decoding skills mean that they have a sound strategy for decoding unfamiliar words in any subject across the curriculum.
Children who do not have a secure grasp of phonics will continue with RWI in Years 3 and 4 to develop their decoding skills. The Reading Leader will identify children who are below expected attainment for their age and these children will receive additional 1:1 or small group phonics teaching from key support staff.
Guided Reading
Children read a variety of texts and extracts in small groups to their teacher in school on a weekly basis. Children are grouped for reading according to ability and read at an appropriate level. Guided Reading lessons cover all aspects of reading including comprehension, inference and the objectives for each year group, in line with guidance given in the National Curriculum. Regular assessments allow teachers to plan effectively to ensure progress is made by all pupils.
Shared Reading
Regular shared reading takes place across the curriculum where pupils are encouraged to listen, discuss, re-enact and develop their own ideas in co-operation with others. Classes share a text every day to encourage reading for pleasure. The teacher reads to the children every day.
Individual Reading
Throughout the school, each child chooses a levelled book to share at home. In this way, children are encouraged to read a variety of books including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. This exposes them to different authors and styles of writing. Each child has a WOW book, where dates and titles of the books read are recorded, and parents are expected to add comments. This then acts as a contact between all who hear the child read, and is an important link with home.
They are assessed regularly and groupings and colour bands are adjusted when necessary.
Library
Each class has a regular opportunity to visit the school library where library skills are taught and developed. Children can choose a book to read at their leisure.