Reading is a high priority in our class, we read every day.
Whole class reading. We have a whole class story which typically changes once a half term, depending on the length of the book. You can find out what we are reading on the newsletter.
Guided reading. This can take various forms, but predominantly we use whole class guided reading. This is based on high quality books for all children to enjoy, no matter what their reading level or ability. Children share the book and the teacher reads aloud. Techniques such as echo reading allow children to recognise words and what they sound like, before they can read them. Prediction, inference and comprehension is taught both by looking at the illustrations and listening to/ reading the text.
Our current core text is Varjak Paw written by SF Said and illustrated by Dave McKean.
Independent reading. This is where children read to themselves. At this time adults also hear children read on a 1:1 basis.
Children have banded reading books that are a mix of 'decodable' readers that match to the stage of phonics that they are at, and real books. These range from level 1 to level 25.
Some children might still need to access discrete daily phonics sessions, we use the award winning, multi-sensory programme 'StoryTime Phonics' which uses real books to embed the new phonemes that children have learnt. To see examples of this online click on this link.
We have an indoor reading corner.
We have Story Cafés once a term and will invite you to come and join for a story and some activities linked to our curriculum.
Children each have reading diaries - please do fill these in every time you read with your child. Please also ensure your child brings this into school every day so that we can write in there when we have heard them read.
Children also have reading bookmarks, which are kept in school and updated by our team. Every time they read a book we will update their reading bookmark and when they have filled it up, they get to go for Hot Chocolate with Mrs Higgins!
If you would like to volunteer to come in and hear children read, please do let us know, we would love to have you!
If you have any questions about reading please do speak to me - Mrs Greening, or any of the Emerald team.