Reading/Phonics

Drapers-Mills Primary Academy Reading

 

 

 

Children who read regularly or are read to regularly have the opportunity to open the doors to so many different worlds! More importantly, reading will give your child the tools to become independent life-long learners.

We can achieve this together through:

• Read Write Inc, a program to help to your child read at school
• Encouraging children to develop a love of books by reading to them daily, at home and at school
• Giving children access to a wide range of books at school and at home

 

 

Early Reading                  

 

The Government strongly recommend the use of synthetic phonics when teaching early literacy skills to children. Synthetic phonics is simply the ability to convert a letter or letter group into sounds that are then blended together into a word.

At Drapers Mills Primary Academy, we are using the Read Write Inc (RWI) programme to get children off to a flying start with their literacy. RWI is a method of learning based upon letter sounds and phonics, and we use it to aid children in their reading and writing.

Reading opens the door to learning. A child who reads a lot will become a good reader. A good reader will be able to read more challenging material. A child who can read more challenging material is a child who will learn. The more a child learns, the more he or she will want to find out.

Using RWI, the children learn to read effortlessly so they can put all their energy into comprehending what they read. It also allows them to spell effortlessly so they can put all their energy into composing what they write.

The children are assessed regularly and grouped according to their ability. They will work with a RWI trained teacher or teaching assistant.

 

Reading

When using RWI to read the children will:

• Learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letter/letter groups using simple prompts.
• Learn to read words using sound blending (Fred talk).
• Read lively stories featuring words they have learnt to sound out.
• Show that they comprehend the stories by answering 'Find It' and 'Prove It'.

 

Talking

 

When using RWI the children will also work in pairs:

• To answer questions.
• To practise every activity.
• To take turns talking and listening to each other.
• To give positive praise to each other.

Blending

 

Fred Talk

We use pure sounds (‘m’ not’ muh’,’s’ not ‘suh’, etc.) so that your child will be able to blend the sounds into words more easily.

At school we use a puppet called Fred who is an expert on sounding out words! we call it, ‘Fred Talk’. E.g. m-o-p, c-a-t, m-a-n, sh-o-p, b-l-a-ck.

 

The following video is an example of blending sounds with Fred. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEzfpod5w_Q

 

The children are taught the sounds in 3 sets.

Step 1:

Set 1 Sounds are taught in the following order together with rhymes to help children form the letters correctly and instantly recognise sounds ready for blending.

Please do not use letter names at this early stage.

Click here to hear how to pronounce sounds correctly.

 

Children will also use pictures for each sound to help recognise the sound and then form the shape of the sound.

 

Step 2:

The children are then taught Set 2 Sounds - the long vowels. When they are very confident with all of set 1 and 2 they are taught Set 3 Sounds.

 

 

Nonsense words (Alien words)          

As well as learning to read and blend real words children will have plenty of opportunities to apply their sound recognition skills on reading ‘Nonsense words’. These words will also feature heavily in the Year One Phonics Screening check in the summer term. Click here for further information on the Screening check.

 

Step 3:

Children will be introduced to ‘Ditty books’ when they successfully begin to read single words. The short vowels should be kept short and sharp:

Children use sound-blending (Fred Talk) to read short ditties. They will bring these home once they have read and discussed the book in class. Children will then be challenged to use their developing phonic knowledge to write short sentences.

Within all the books children will have red and green words to learn to help them to become speedy readers. Red words are words that are not easily decodable and challenge words to extend children’s vocabulary. Green words are linked to the sounds they have been learning and are easily decodable.

 

          

 

Dots and dashes represent the sound each letter makes.

 

During the RWI session children will read the book three times and at each new reading they will have plenty of opportunities to practise using their developing comprehension skills. You may have heard your child talking about ‘hold, edit or build a sentence’.

Hold a sentence is an activity that encourages children to remember a whole sentence while focusing on spelling and punctuation.

Build a sentence is to give children the opportunity to create their own sentence to that shows the meaning of a word and edit a sentence allows the children to critique a sentence using their knowledge of spelling punctuation and grammar. Children complete a longer piece of independent writing, which gives them the opportunity to show off their creativity and to practice their spelling, grammar and punctuation.

 

Spelling Quiz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Order of Story books: 

 

Useful websites for Parents

Please find a list of websites that you may find useful in helping you and your child  learn about phonics. Games and fun activity websites are also included.

http://jollylearning.co.uk/ - Games and information for parents

http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/ - many games to play

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/literacy/phonics/play/ - fun games for the children to play

http://www.ictgames.com/literacy.html  - fun games for the children to play

http://www.kenttrustweb.org.uk/kentict/kentict_home.cfm  - fun games for the children to play and information for parents

http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/  - fun games for the children to play

http://www.starfall.com/  - fun games for the children to play

http://www.firstschoolyears.com/  - fun games for the children to play

 

Please help them to read and give lots of praise!

The link below will give you some idea about how you can read with your child http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/resources/parent-tutorial-storybook-activities-read-story/

 

 

Reading Books Sent Home

Children in Reception who are learning the first 44 letter sounds and are not blending fluently will bring home sound sheets, and a book from our school reading scheme for you to read with them.

Once children can blend fluently and know the first 44 sounds they will bring home a red Ditty book and a book from the school's reading scheme.

After ditty books, children bring home a RWI book and a book from the school's reading scheme. These will be changed every 3/4 days.

Read Write Inc Books: (This is your child's main reading book)

Please encourage your child to read though the speed sounds page first, then the green and red words page and then check your child understands the meaning of words on the vocabulary check page, before they start reading the book. Your child will have read this book at least three times before they bring it home. They should be able to read this book with fluency and expression by the time they bring it home and they should have a good comprehension of what the book is about. At the back of the book are find it/prove it questions for you to do with your child.

RWI Book Bag books (for year 1 children) : (These books are to support is your child's main reading book)

These books are to extend your child's reading. Your child should be able to read most of this book however they might need a little support, especially with the first read.

Visit the Oxford Owl website (external link) which has over 100 free ebooks for to enjoy with your child.

 

 

 

 

 

At Drapers-Mills  we teach reading through two schemes Daily Supported Reader in Year 1-2, and Destination Reader in Years 2-6. 

 

Find out a little more about these:

 

DSR

Accelerating reading levels for all children in Y1 & some children in year 2

The Daily Supported Reading Programme is a classroom programme that helps to move all children on in their reading. It is delivered in Year 1 and for lowest attaining children in Year 2 in addition to their daily RWI sessions.

DSR helps children make accelerated progress by working with trained adults in small groups matched to their independent reading levels. This method has a proven track record of success in raising school reading standards as KS1.

 

Children are benchmarked prior to the project to level according to reading fluency and understanding.    DSR uses primarily PM reading books to support, however after level 12 a range of books are included.   DSR uses scripts to support and ensure consistency and high quality questioning.   Children should read over 70 books per year using this scheme.  It is thought that the majority of children will move up a level approximately every 2-3 weeks.

 

Benefits

• Establishes strong systems for organising reading support
• Ensures that all children make maximum progress in reading
• Provides professional development for staff to improve their provision of reading support

 

 

Destination Reader 

Developing children's understanding of texts in Y2-6 through the use of strategies and language stems

 

Destination Reader is a new approach to teaching reading in KS2. The approach involves daily sessions incorporating whole class modelling, prior to the children applying these skills through partner work and independent reading. Children deepen their understanding of the texts they read through the systematic use of a series of strategies and language stems.

Destination Reader is not a scheme or reliant on specific texts, but aims to improve teachers' understanding of pedagogy in reading.

Feedback from the 30 schools currently using the Destination Reader programme has shown improved confidence for both teachers and children in their approach to reading. Children read with greater understanding, independence and, above all, enjoy reading more.

 

Benefits:

• Provides a systematic approach to the teaching of reading across KS2
• Enables children to develop key strategies which deepen their understanding of texts
• Develops children’s motivation to read broadly for pleasure and purpose
• Increases children’s ability to lead their learning through the acquisition of key learning behaviours
• Places children at the centre of a formative approach to assessment in reading
• This approach can be applied to schools’ existing texts and broader curriculum

 

Drapers-Mills DR Organisation

At Drapers-Mills we use DR from Years 2 to 6.    Teachers introduced the scheme by teaching classes about different learning behaviours – Discuss and explain, support and listen and taking responsibility.

They then move towards the introduction of 7 learning stems – predicting, questioning, clarifying, summarising, evaluating, inferring and making links.   Each stem has a week’s focus before moving to the next.  Each week children complete 2 ‘Selfies’ – short assessment tasks and 1 ‘Big Picture’ – a longer comprehension assessment task.

Reading with your child

Reading is probably the most important skill that your child will learn in primary school. It opens up a whole new world of learning and imagination. The more you help your child at home, the easier they will find it to develop this vital skill. This page offers some pointers on the best ways to support and encourage your child as they learn to read. 

 

• Reading bedtime stories and enjoying books together.

• Point out words as you are out and  about, road signs, shop fronts, posters, price labels and packaging.

• Share a book. Re-read your favourite book night after night.

• Let your child see you reading a book, magazines and newspapers.

• Choose a time when you are both relaxed somewhere quiet.

 

 

Make time for reading!

Make it fun!

Time together!

Praise your child for getting it right!

 

RED TED

 

Children can really develop their reading skills if they read every day. It is very helpful for them to read to an adult at home so they can talk about the book with you.

 

Please make sure you sign your child's contact book every time they read.

Once your child has read ten times at home, they will get a sticker on their book mark. Once they have 5 stickers ( 50 reads), they will be able to come and get RED TED!  Every time they complete a book mark ( 5 stickers= 50 reads) then they can come and choose a book to keep. We remind the children that RED TED really loves to listen to stories so the children must read to their bears every day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

English Links

 

Click on this link to go to the coolest story writing page.

Oxford Owl is a free website that can help you to help your child with reading: www.oxfordowl.co.uk

 

There are some terrific free resources, over 100 free ebooks for you to share with your child. There are tips for keeping up with reading in the holidays, fun ways of intergratinfg reading into everyday life and a whole host of games and activities for children to enjoy. TAKE A LOOK !

 

Follow this link to look things up in a Dictionary.