Reading Curriculum
Aligns with the English curriculum intent and English Teaching sequence.
Phonics
Children in EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2 follow the ‘Letters and Sounds’ framework which teaches children to read and spell using graphemes. Children are taught through the use of games, rhymes and songs, using a range of resources.
Year 2 Phonics Information
Presentation and information from the Year 2 phonics information session.
Reading and comprehension
Each week, the children are given the opportunity to develop their reading skills through two explicitly taught reading lessons. These can involve developing reading fluency through choral reading, practising using appropriate intonation by text marking or teaching a comprehension skill. Comprehension skills include: fluency, word meaning, retrieval, summarising, inference, prediction, understanding meaning, language choice and comparing. Within each of these areas, there are specific “I can” statements for each year group allowing for clear progression between year groups. Each term, it is expected that these skills are taught and evidence is collected for each child to ensure that they are meeting age related expectations.
Although reading is taught explicitly in English lessons, there are further opportunities for reading at other times during the school day. At the end of each day, each class has a book which they read for pleasure and discuss. During this reading time, we refer to a reading wall in each classroom which displays key questions linked to the book. We also take this opportunity to model reading and embed reading skills that have been learnt as well as reinforcing grammar and punctuation knowledge.
In the wider curriculum, children are exposed to a variety of different texts linking to topic and all classes have the opportunity to use the library once a week.
Reading initiatives
Throughout the year, the children have opportunities to further develop their love of reading through a variety of events.
Read Mrs Clare’s update on Reading for the leatest reading initatives.
Parents and carers are encouraged to:
1. Read to their child. Listening to stories exposes children to words they may not hear everyday and helps to expand their vocabulary.
2. Ask their child questions when reading together. Discussing what happened in a book or what children think might happen based on a book cover are great ways to develop their language comprehension skills.
3. Discuss the meaning of words. Understanding what words mean allows children to make sense of the world around them through language.
4. Sing and make rhymes together. Rhyming helps children understand and use language, as well as recognise language patterns.
5. Use resources to support their child. Find out more about developing children’s language and communication skills though the Talk, Listen, Cuddle campaign and Essex Year of Reading app.
Councillor Tony Ball, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability said: “Starting Primary School is an important milestone for every young child. We know it can also be a daunting one for parents and carers. The good news is there are lots of ways to help children prepare. Every child is different but reading, and being read to, can be hugely beneficial for children. Doing this together can give young children a strong foundation for starting school, as well as help them to feel more confident and ready to learn.”
To find out more about the Essex Year of Reading campaign, visit www.essexyearofreading.co.uk or download the Essex Year of Reading app from the App Store or Google Play.