Early Reading:
Information and a Parent Workshop
We aim for our children to be enthusiastic readers who are able to:
The children will learn how books work and be able to differentiate between print and pictures. They will be encouraged to retell stories and to begin to use appropriate story language. Pre-reading skills will be built on. These will help children to match patterns, follow sequences, build up both visual and auditory memory and use picture clues to infer meaning. Children will be encouraged to share their own favourite books and explain why they like them. From Foundation Stage they will begin to identify non-fiction text and use it to support their learning.
Phonic Skills
At Appleton School the children will follow a systematic approach to teaching phonic skills. We use ‘Read Write Inc’. This is supplemented by other phonic schemes and activities. The programme of work teaches children to develop a knowledge of letter sounds, how to blend sounds, how to write sounds, how to recognise different graphic representations, and build and decode words. Children will also begin to recognise key sight vocabulary often known as ‘tricky’ or ‘red’ words. This includes words such as ‘said’ which cannot be sounded out.
How you can help
Supporting your child with early reading at home is not only useful but also a fantastic way to spend time with your child. However, techniques have changed since many parents learned to read, and we appreciate that you might be feeling nervous about how to help your child. So we have put together some resources which should help you to feel more confident in how to help your child learn to read and will also give you more knowledge about phonics and early reading.
- Perceive reading as a pleasurable and enjoyable activity
- Use reading to support other learning
- Perceive reading as a purposeful, lifelong skill
- Use a range of reading strategies to help them with unfamiliar texts, enabling them to become independent readers
- Become knowledgeable about authors, illustrators, different genres and styles
The children will learn how books work and be able to differentiate between print and pictures. They will be encouraged to retell stories and to begin to use appropriate story language. Pre-reading skills will be built on. These will help children to match patterns, follow sequences, build up both visual and auditory memory and use picture clues to infer meaning. Children will be encouraged to share their own favourite books and explain why they like them. From Foundation Stage they will begin to identify non-fiction text and use it to support their learning.
Phonic Skills
At Appleton School the children will follow a systematic approach to teaching phonic skills. We use ‘Read Write Inc’. This is supplemented by other phonic schemes and activities. The programme of work teaches children to develop a knowledge of letter sounds, how to blend sounds, how to write sounds, how to recognise different graphic representations, and build and decode words. Children will also begin to recognise key sight vocabulary often known as ‘tricky’ or ‘red’ words. This includes words such as ‘said’ which cannot be sounded out.
How you can help
Supporting your child with early reading at home is not only useful but also a fantastic way to spend time with your child. However, techniques have changed since many parents learned to read, and we appreciate that you might be feeling nervous about how to help your child. So we have put together some resources which should help you to feel more confident in how to help your child learn to read and will also give you more knowledge about phonics and early reading.
This is a video by Mr Gidlow, our FS teacher, about early reading.
This is a video by Mrs James about our phonic scheme, Read Write Inc. and a downloadable information PowerPoint file.
This is a PowerPoint presentation by Miss Leggett, about the year 1 phonics screening check, which takes place in the summer of year 1.
We hope that you find these resources useful. If you have any questions about early reading, phonics or the phonic screening check, please contact your class teacher.
