Reading - Draft
At Dubmire, we firmly believe that reading is the key to learning. We want each child to unlock the secrets to reading using Read Write Inc, then become engrossed in the awe and wonder that books have to offer. Reading underpins the whole curriculum for SO many reasons; for discovering new information and learning, opening up opportunities, opening up minds to great stories and adventures - escaping to somewhere new and exciting.
Research shows that children who read for pleasure will achieve more than those who don't, later in life. As a school, we are committed to ensuring that all children become independent, fluent readers during their time with us, through developing a culture of reading for pleasure, not only wherever you go around our school and throughout our curriculum, but also at home too.
Reading is the gateway to a child's education and their future-it's our duty to help unlock that gate!
Early Reading (summary)
In Foundation stage and Key Stage 1, children build their phonics knowledge following the Read Write Inc scheme. They supplement their reading in school, by taking home books linked to their learning, a free choice book from the library and a picture book that offers the children the ability to create their own story.
As every child is individual, some need further work on their phonic knowledge into Key Stage 2. The children participate in a group that focusses on their oral fluency. This enables 'sight readers' to be successful, and allows other children to develop their phonic understanding, as they will be re-assessed throughout the year. When they pass their phonic screening and are confident to read independently, they move from their phonic learning to whole class reading. If there are children who still find reading a challenge, even after passing their phonic screening, they are enrolled onto the 'Reading Plus' programme to increase their speed of fluency and level of comprehension.
'The more you read, the more you know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.’-Dr Seuss
‘Something magical can happen when you read a good book.’-J.K Rowling
Independent Reading
Once a child has completed their phonics work successfully, they move to Accelerated reader for independent book choices linked to their interests at an age appropriate level, and whole class guided reading.
Accelerated Reader
Accelerated reader is a programme where the children are assessed through a 'Star Reader' test, then given a book range, that will be the most comfortable for their ability. Children are encouraged to read within their 'level' to build their comprehension skills, which are tested after each book they complete. Children read the book within elected times in school, within their own time and as a home reader, where they have a home reading diary signed by someone they read to or with. All children can read any 'level' book as long as it sparks their interest and makes them excited to read more. Teachers check the age appropriateness of a book before issuing it the children. In school, every child who joins in with whole class reading sessions, is able to select a book of their choice from the many wonderful titles that we have in school. They complete a test which gives them a level, so that they know which range of books will be a 'comfortable' read for them. Every child is encouraged to choose a book which they find interesting, regardless of their level. This means that no title is out of the question, and children can challenge themselves with any book they choose. The first AR link below is to give you further information about the scheme, the second is the schools unique login page for your children to access.
Reading Plus
Reading Plus is used as a targeted intervention, which is suitable for whole cohorts, or groups of children (usually in Y5 or Y6) to develop reading stamina, fluency and comprehension. This is a flexible and adaptive intervention, that we use to not only assist children who require an extra level of support, but also to provide stretch and challenge for the more able readers. There is a vast range of diverse, online texts which supplement children's reading diet and exposes them to a wider range of cross curricular texts. Similar to Accelerate Reader, the children who access the programme in school, will have been given personal login details to access their account at home. The 'reading plus' link below will provide you with further information.
Whole Class Guided Reading
Once a child has completed their phonics work successfully, they move to whole class guided reading. During whole class guided reading, the children work with their teacher using a range of high quality texts and extracts linked to their writing and their Year groups wider curriculum. Using V.I.P.E.R.S as a vehicle for delivering the year group reading objectives, teachers ensure that each session, the children are being exposed to a range of strategies and skills needed for fluency and overall comprehension. These are delivered using texts/extracts from books, poems, song lyrics, visual clips and images and consist of many activities to engage the children as well as growing and strengthening their understanding. Texts are deliberately chosen to provide either pre or post teaching relating to a subject/genre type or as a link to a topical issue arising from the world we live in, or from a subject specific to the class. The school reading spine is a working document, and may change if/when needed.
Oracy Within Whole Class Guided Reading
At the start of each new week, a greater emphasis is put on to the children listening to 'how the expert' reads and practising these skills themselves. This is carried out through a range of reading theatre activities, enabling incredibly important fluency skills to be repeatedly modelled and demonstrated to all children. This is also replicated within lessons, while reading within the wider curriculum. In KS2, we call them the 6P's - Pitch, Power, Pace, Punctuation, Pause and Passion!
Reading Spines
Dubmire's reading spine (the backbone of the reading curriculum) is seen as a working document. We constantly strive to inspire and develop our children, through high quality texts. Reading high quality texts provides children with a wealth of wider knowledge and understanding of the world; it develops vocabulary and improves writing. It is also richly enjoyable and fun! We also know that one group of children may respond differently to a text than another-this is understandable and what makes us unique! That being the case, our teachers and staff know that nothing is 'set in stone', enabling us to make changes as we work through our curriculum.
We want to enable all children to find authors they love and provide children with the life-long skills they need, to ensure they can read confidently, fluently and with a secure understanding. The books have been carefully chosen to enable the children to access knowledge from previous learning, prepare them for future learning or supplement work in other areas of the curriculum. The guided reading stimuli will vary at times, as teachers adapt to new cohorts, their interests and topical issues.
Spicy Shelves- Using authors ideas to 'spice up' our own
Each class has a shelf of core books that are used for their reading pleasure. They are a mixture of the Pie Corbett reading Spine books, and new titles from a range of authors covering new and topical ideas and themes. These books are to be shared during a read aloud session, each day with the teacher, where the children can relax and become immersed in a world different top their own.
Hooks into Books
Using the amazing 'Seven Stories' (the national centre for children's books) we receive a new selection of bespoke book packs each term, designed to encourage, engage and excite readers across the school. These titles are reviewed by the Reading Champions, who allocate them to a classroom, to be used either as a writing vehicle, free choice reading for the class, or as a whole class 'spicy' text.
Reading Champions
Each year, a Reading Leader will be nominated from Year Six to promote reading within school. Our current Reading Leader, has a team of Reading Champions who work diligently within school helping and encouraging other children, and creating fun opportunities for the whole school to participate in. There a lot of exciting ideas in the pipeline!
We want every child to leave our school with an instilled love of reading, and aim to give them as many opportunities to establish and develop this.
How do we promote reading for pleasure?
Reading For Pleasure (link to new page on Danny's face)
We are currently in the process of revitalising our library. We have worked with a local artist who has adorned the walls with enchanting murals which will capture the children's imagination! Our library will be a hive of joy, where children can read a book of their choice, and choose a book to take home. We encourage the children to choose someone at home to read the book to them, so they can become part of the story! We have a vast range of books that cover many themes. We want the children to appreciate that every person has a voice, which we try to bring to life through our diverse range of themes and genres.
show where we can read
the initiatives we have
Reading Events...
(link to page dedicated to wbd etc)
