Reading
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Dr. Seuss
In Early Years and Key Stage 1 we teach reading through a systematic synthetic phonics approach, using segmenting and blending as the prime approach to reading following the Unlocking Letters and Sounds. Children progress through the Phonics phases so that by the end of Year 2 they are confident and fluent readers.
READING
Children at Ashton Vale are taught to read using phonically decodable books to support their reading journey. Once a child is secure and reading fluently at a Key Stage 1 level, they will then move onto reading books which are fine graded and pitched at the appropriate level for the child.
Some pupils will need targeted support to become fluent readers. Some of these pupils will benefit from additional phonics work, and when this is secured, additional support to become fluent. Careful diagnostic assessments are used, including the schools’ own phonics assessments, the York Analysis of Reading Comprehension, and the Multidimensional Fluency Rubric. Diagnostic records are kept, including assessments and records of catch-up sessions, in schools’ catch-up reading files.
The focus on fluency continues throughout the reading curriculum. Strategies from Doug Lemov’s ‘Reading Reconsidered’ are the preferred approach for teaching reading to this end. A fluent reading style and prosody, the strongest predictor of success in reading comprehension, are applied through guided oral reading instruction. Pupils background knowledge will be activated to help them understand the text’s context. In addition, pupils’ breadth of vocabulary is a priority, with new vocabulary taught both explicitly and implicitly.
Reading comprehension strategies are modelled and given supported practice. Collaborative approaches to prediction, questioning, summarising and inference are taught, with discussion and modelling as a priority. Pupils monitor and review their written responses to improve their reading comprehension.
The Children are encouraged to read a variety of genres and sources of text with regular access to the class and school library. We use Reading Records to record your child’s reading journey both at school and at home.
Stories are regularly shared in class encouraging a love of reading and for stimulating children’s imaginations. Through reading sessions, children learn to develop fluency, expression and comprehension skills. They explore a range of texts, taking note of the author’s style of writing, vocabulary, use of punctuation, etc. and looking at the similarities and differences between different text types.
Throughout EYFS, KS1 and KS2 we support children’s reading in a variety of ways: Hearing children read in one-to-one sessions, small guided reading groups and whole class reading sessions.
In Key Stage Two children’s reading is focused around a core text. The whole class approach allows all children to access the high quality text and develop their skills of inference, deduction and comprehension. We utilise strategies from Reading Reconsidered to foster these skills.
The whole school have the opportunity to visit the school library on a regular basis and take books home.
READING AT HOME
Children are encouraged to read a minimum of five times across the week. Reading Records in KS1 are used as a communication tool between home and school. In KS2 Reading Records keep track of children’s reading at home. Children are expected to read their levelled book a minimum of three times in order for it to be changed. The first read is with a focus on decoding, the second focussing on reading fluency with the final read supporting their comprehension and understanding of the text.
We welcome parents, carers and volunteers to come into school to hear children read.
WHAT BOOKS DO WE USE AT ASHTON VALE
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT READING
