Reading and Phonics

 Curriculum Intent

At Blackwell Primary, we believe Reading has a pre-eminent role in education in order to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, sociably and spiritually. Being able to read fluently provides children with the ability to acquire knowledge and build on what they know. Children should be able to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. This is done by being able to read confidently and with a strong comprehension of what they are reading. Children should be provided with the opportunities to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information.

Teachers should ensure that both word reading and comprehension are promoted in class.  Phonics is a key initial starting point in children’s reading education and should be emphasised. As children progress through school, children will develop skills in decoding and recognition of words in addition to developing their comprehension skills. The latter is via discussions with the class teacher and exposure to a variety of texts and genres. This will ensure children gain knowledge and deepen their vocabulary to promote curious minds for life.

From The National Curriculum in England – framework document – Reading

The programmes of study for reading at key stages 1 and 2 consist of two dimensions:

• word reading
• comprehension (both listening and reading).

 It is essential that teaching focuses on developing pupils’ competence in both dimensions; different kinds of teaching are needed for each. Skilled word reading involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Underpinning both is the understanding that the letters on the page represent the sounds in spoken words. This is why phonics should be emphasised in the early teaching of reading to beginners (i.e. unskilled readers) when they start school.

Good comprehension draws from linguistic knowledge (in particular of vocabulary and grammar) and on knowledge of the world. Comprehension skills develop through pupils’ experience of high-quality discussion with the teacher, as well as from reading and discussing a range of stories, poems and non-fiction. All pupils must be encouraged to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live, to establish an appreciation and love of reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum.

Reading widely and often increases pupils’ vocabulary because they encounter words they would rarely hear or use in everyday speech. Reading also feeds pupils’ imagination and opens up a treasure-house of wonder and joy for curious young minds.

It is essential that, by the end of their primary education, all pupils are able to read fluently, and with confidence, in any subject in their forthcoming secondary education.’

How do we show the Core Values in Reading 

Phonics

Currently, at Blackwell, we teach phonics through the scheme ‘Essential Letters and Sounds’.

Please find below the videos to support your child to learn the sounds.

Videos:

ELS Getting all children to read well, quickly

Achievement Statements

All children are taught and assessed against the achievement statements. These can help you as a parent or carer to further understand what your child will cover in reading over the year. Click on the icon below to access the achievement statements for reading. This document includes all of the statements from year 1 through to year 6 so please scroll to find your child’s year group.

Links that can be made to the EYFS Early Learning Goals

The National Curriculum programme of study begins in Year One. It is important that we support the children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (Reception) to be as prepared as possible whilst ensuring that they are focusing on their Early learning Goals. This document outlines where links can be made through reading with these vital goals.

THINGS THAT PARENTS CAN DO TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILD’S READING:

• Sit with your child every night and engage with them in their reading. Please look at the teacher’s comments and make your own comments in the Homework Book.
• Encourage your child to ‘sound-out’ unfamiliar words and blend the sounds together from left to right.
• Discuss with your child what they have read in the book.
• Ask them to retell the story.
• Talk about any interesting words and their meanings, or any interesting phrases which your child may ‘borrow’ (magpie) and use in their own writing.
• Visit the local library with your child.
• Read to your child often.
• Play the phonic games sent home from school.
• Play word games like ‘I Spy.’

Click on the book icon below to find a suggested reading list for each year group