Reading
I enjoy reading. When I read, I feel like I am in a different world. Reading ensures I am confident and ready for secondary school - Year 6 Child
Curriculum Intent
We ensure that every one of our pupils can read, regardless of their background, needs or abilities and we have a relentless drive to succeed in this mission.
We want children to aspire to become authors, publishers, editors, librarians and proof readers as well as becoming avid lovers of reading. Our curriculum ignites a passion for lifelong reading which is promoted through our talk for reading lessons, class reading sessions, effective use of our reading spaces (Book Corners, School Library and Reading Cafe) and through our Reading Road Map and by celebrating events such as World Book Day. Our carefully curated reading curriculum provides children with a wealth of ideas in which they can respond creatively.
We are aiming for every child to be a successful and thoughtful reader. We create opportunities for children ‘learn to read’ so that they can ‘read to learn’. We aim to provide all children with the skills needed to succeed in becoming independent readers. For children to successfully transition to secondary school and to be able to access other subjects, it is essential that all our pupils have the skills to decode and comprehend texts at an appropriate level.
Curriculum Implementation
Pupils in Year 3 through to Year 6 (and those without Phonics gaps in Year 2) are taught reading skills through Talk for Reading lessons: objectives are taken from our Reading Progression document which is based on the National Curriculum. In addition to these lessons, children are regularly heard read on an individual basis, reading is woven throughout the curriculum, we share stories/class readers with pupils daily, and we promote a culture of reading across the school.
We ensure that all our children have access to a wide variety of stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction texts written by a range of ethnically diverse authors. This is carefully mapped out across the school and linked to our Talk for Writing and Project Guerrilla curriculums.
Teachers use the Elmhurst Reading Progression document to plan their Talk for Reading lessons. The Reading Progression document clearly identifies the objectives which need to be taught, provides rationale for teaching these and gives suggestions for how these may be taught. The Reading Progression document gives teachers clarity of what each objective should look like in each year group.
Talk for Reading is taught in the following way:
Phase 1: The Introduction Phase | Achieve Basic Understanding
By the end of the introduction phase, the children have a basic understanding of the text and can read it. It has been reread several times, initial responses logged and core vocabulary considered. The teacher models fluent reading. Understanding may be at a basic level, though deeper thinking may have begun.
Phase 2: The Investigation Phase | Deepen Understanding of Comprehension
The investigation phase is where the class begin to 'dig deep' into the core focus for the unit, exploring the text's core purpose. They may well have to use a strategic approach to clarify meaning.
Response activities such as drama or writing in role as a character may be used to build a close relationship between the reader and the text.
The unit ends with summarising the main ideas, information, viewpoints, events or themes and evaluation. By the end of this phase, the children can all read the text confidently and fluently with understanding.
Phase 3: Independent Understanding | Independently Demonstrate Different Levels of Understanding
In this final phrase, the children demonstrate understanding independently. This may be through writing about the text, in a discursive essay style, writing something similar (drawing on the same style and structure) or by answering in depth questions and/or completing a comprehension activity.
If you would like further information on our Reading curriculum or how to help your child at home then please get in contact with our English Leader, Miss Melinda Harper on 01296 481380 or via office@esglt.co.uk
Talk for Reading
Phase 1: The Introduction Phase | Achieve Basic Understanding
By the end of the introduction phase, the children have a basic understanding of the text and can read it. It has been reread several times, initial responses logged and core vocabulary considered. The teacher models fluent reading. Understanding may be at a basic level, though deeper thinking may have begun.
Phase 2: The Investigation Phase | Deepen Understanding of Comprehension
The investigation phase is where the class begin to 'dig deep' into the core focus for the unit, exploring the text's core purpose. They may well have to use a strategic approach to clarify meaning.
Response activities such as drama or writing in role as a character may be used to build a close relationship between the reader and the text.
The unit ends with summarising the main ideas, information, viewpoints, events or themes and evaluation. By the end of this phase, the children can all read the text confidently and fluently with understanding.
Phase 3: Independent Understanding | Independently Demonstrate Different Levels of Understanding
In this final phrase, the children demonstrate understanding independently. This may be through writing about the text, in a discursive essay style, writing something similar (drawing on the same style and structure) or by answering in depth questions and/or completing a comprehension activity.
Reading at Home | BoomReader
We use BoomReader to log the children's reading in school and at home. It is an excellent tool to connect pupils, parents and teachers to enable better communication around reading.
Little Wandle and Big Cat Collins Reading Scheme
We follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised Phonics Programme. This is a DfE approved programme, which will provide our children with a consistent and systemtic programme for learning to read, for more information on how you can help your child at home with their phonics, you can visit the Little Wandle website.
In line with the Little Wandle programme, we use the Big Cat Collins reading scheme. The Big Cat Collins banded books are designed for children to be able to read with accuracy. This means that the children should be on a band where they can read almost all of the words easily and without having to sound them out. Being able to read all of the words means that you can concentrate on all of the other skills in reading. Once the children have achieved all of the bands, they become a free reader.
All children get the opportunity to read two different types of books:
1) A Big Cat Collins banded book
2) A Reading for Pleasure book from the school library
In addition to this, the children in KS2, will also have a book from their Reading Road map.
Reading Road Map
Aims of the Reading Road Map:
- To promote reading for pleasure and a reading culture across the school.
- To raise literacy levels across the school.
- To engage reluctant readers.
- To challenge more able readers.
- To assist teachers and children by signposting them to new authors.
The map represents the following genres: Adventure; Classics; Crime; Fantasy; Graphic Novels; Horror; Humour; Poetry; Sci-Fi and Sport.
All books have been published in the last year (except the Classics) and they represent a diverse range of authors.
Pupils can achieve a Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum certificates for reading a specified number of books and those achieving a Platinum certificate also get to chose a book from the Book Vending Machine to keep as their own.
At the end of each year all books are adding to the schools library stock and new books are purchased for the new Reading Road Map for the following year. This keeps out library stock fresh and current and gives those pupils who did not reach Platinum the chance to continue reading these books.
Year 2 Reading Road Map | The Adventure Reading Road Map is aimed at children in KS1. It focuses on raising literacy levels through reading for pleasure. This maps aim is for school staff to read aloud with children. This is one of the best ways to encourage children into the world of books as well as imprving their literacy from an early age.
Year 3 and 4 Reading Road Map | The Year 3 and 4 Reading Road map features 40 titles and authors. It has been designed to increase literacy levels through reading for pleasure. By having a map with 40 titles and 8 genres and access to books on the map, children have the ability to explore different books and share recommendations with their peers. This supports children to move on from titles and authors they feel comfortable with.
Year 5 and 6 Reading Road Map | The Year 5 and 6 Readign Road Map has 60 titles and authors. It has been designed to increase literacy levels through reading for pleasure. By having access to the map and all the titles on it, the children have the ability to explore all the different titles and discover new authors and genres they may not have tried before.
Further information can be found here: https://www.ukreadingroadmap.org/
| General Documents |
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| Reading Progression Document |