Reading
Intent
We intend to:
- ensure children are absorbed and enthusiastic when it comes to reading
- promote a love for reading
- help develop the children’s understanding of what they are reading
-
expand pupils' vocabulary and deepen their understanding of the texts they are reading
- check pupils' understanding of previous extracts as well as the current, making connections where possible.
Implementation
In Class 1, Reception and year 1 are taught to use Read, Write, Inc program to help them read.
- The teaching of phonics is systematic and rigorous
- Children take home the book they are reading in their Read, Write Inc session to build fluency and consolidate the words and phonemes taught
- Children also have a daily story time session where they access a range of stories and develop their comprehension skills
In Class 2, 3 and 4 Whole Class Reading (WCR) is implemented every day.
- We choose ‘above pay grade texts’
- High focus on teacher modelling
- Place emphasis on intonation and expression whilst reading aloud
- Use a range of reading strategies such as paired reading, choral reading, group reading and independent reading
- Create a busy atmosphere with lots of discussions taking place in small groups or whole class
- Use a range of strategies to ensure children ‘keep up’, such as pre-teaching of key vocabulary, word banks with meanings or synonyms and words added to WW, paired reading, targeted questioning, self-led challenges for activities
- Assess against the reading domains and teach children to ARE
A typical lesson structure is:
Introduce/ recap key vocabulary - 2 minutes
Teacher modelling and children reading - 15 minutes
Quick 6 (retrieval questions to check understanding) - 3 minutes
Challenge linked to reading domain. This can be discussions or book work based on 3/4 questions - 10 minutes
Impact
The impact of our approach to WCR is that all our children are given the opportunity to access ‘above pay grade texts’, giving them chance to feel challenged and make outstanding progress. This approach ensures children are reading every day and regularly to staff throughout the week. With this strong focus on reading from an early age, children feel at ease with books and this ensures that they are fully prepared for their phonics, KS1 and KS2 SATS tests or equivalents. Regular ‘book talk’, stimulating reading environments and displays ensure a strong reading culture across school where children are encouraged to read for pleasure.