READING SKILLS IMPLEMENTATION IMPLEMENTATION

Across EYFS and KS1 phonics is taught using the Read, Write Inc (RWI) systematic synthetic phonics programme. 

In Year 2, the children who are ready and have successfully navigated phonics teaching, transition towards reading skills sessions, which are then continued throughout KS2. 

The reading strategies below are explicitly taught in KS1, referred to and displayed to build fluency.

Reading Skills Sessions

Lesson Structure

In Year 2, children have five 45 minute sessions as below; however, the first 10 minutes focus on fluency, speed and reading for meaning.  The remaining 35 minutes follow the KS2 structure below.

Across KS2, children have five 30 minute reading skills sessions each week.  In KS2, each class has one main text for each half-term.  Texts are drawn from our English curriculum, in order to allow children to immerse themselves in the text and vocabulary fully.

The overview below shows the books currently taught across each year group from Year 2-6.

Reading skills sessions include opportunities for fluency practise, extended reading heard by adults and close reading on a weekly basis.  Fluency practise is more prevalent in lower key stage two in order to support a strong transition from KS1 into KS2. 

The reading strategies below are explicitly taught in KS2, referred to and displayed to build fluency.

Three main lessons are taught across the week as below:

Lesson 1 and 2 are taught across two sessions, focusing on a specific reading skill, whereas the 3^rd lesson is only one session long. In Year 5 & 6 the third lesson covers a mix of reading skills, in Year 3 & 4 it covers a mix of the two skills they have covered that week and in Year 2 it covers the one skill that has been taught that week independently.

Each skill is referred to using ‘reading dogs’, which helps the children to internalise and remember each skill.  These reflect the reading content domains detailed in the National Curriculum. The reading dog skill areas are as follows:

Each reading lesson is structured in a similar way. 

Session Structure:

• Vocabulary Activation
• Modelled Reading
• Paired Reading
• Skill Practise
• Reflection

LESSON 1/2:

Session 1

• Vocabulary Activation

New vocabulary is shared and discussed with the children either before the children read or at the point of discovery in the text.  If at the point of discovery, children tap the table when they hear the word in the text and it is discussed in context. 

• Modelled Reading

The teacher then models reading aloud, modelling expert fluency.  Whilst reading, they think aloud about reading skill aspects and strategies.  Word reading skills are integrated within this aspect of the lesson.

• Paired Reading

The specified pages in the text are then pair read.  Teachers helicopter giving verbal feedback and stamping reading records.

• Skill Practise

The focus of the lesson in terms of skill, strategy or question type is then discussed in detail and then modelled explicitly by the teacher.  Children answer the modelled question.

• Reflection

Key learning points of the session are reviewed.

LESSON 1/2:

Session 2

• Vocabulary Activation

Key vocabulary from session one is re-capped quickly.

• Modelled Reading

Teacher reads a short paragraph or a few sentences based on  AFL from session 1 to focus on, giving a specific aspect of fluency to practise e.g. using punctuation – not breathing in the middle of a sentence, unless there is punctuation.

• Paired Reading

Children take turns reading, giving each other feedback based on the fluency aspect specified

• Skill Practise

The skill, strategy or question type is quickly re-capped.  Children are then given independent questions to answer, based on the focus of the lesson.  Lessons include a challenge question, which can be based on a different skill or require the children to write their own question.

• Reflection

Key learning points of the lesson are reviewed.

LESSON 3:

• Vocabulary Activation

New vocabulary is shared and discussed with the children either before the children read or at the point of discovery in the text.  If at the point of discovery, children tap the table when they hear the word in the text and it is discussed in context. 

• Modelled Reading

The teacher then models reading aloud, modelling expert fluency.  Whilst reading, they think aloud about reading skill aspects and strategies.  Word reading skills are integrated within this aspect of the lesson.

• Paired Reading

The specified pages in the text are then pair read.  Teachers helicopter giving verbal feedback and stamp reading records.

• Skill Practise

Teacher quickly re-caps key strategies.  Children answer independent questions, which cover a variety of different skills (dependent on year group – see above). Lessons include a challenge question,

• Reflection

AFL feedback.

A lesson slip is stuck into the children’s books and questions are answered underneath.

Teachers use medium term plans in order to track skills, strategies and question type teaching to provide balance and ensure coverage. 

QUESTION TYPES

Although we do not teach to a test within reading skills lessons, we do recognise that being exposed to a wide range of ways that questions can be posed enables children to answer with greater confidence and to cope well within the inevitable testing environment that they are exposed to at the end of KS1 and KS2.

Teachers use short constructed response, extended constructed response and selected response questions within questioning, drawing from a variety of structures.  The variety of questioning styles used within whole class reading sessions also allows children to consolidate their understanding of the vocabulary within the question stems themselves. 

Structured answers are taught for certain styles of questions, if applicable; however, children are taught that the key aspect is to interpret the question as to how to answer, rather than relying on a learnt response. 

STRATEGIES

Strategies to help children approach different styles of questions are explicitly taught; however, it is made clear that there is no ‘one strategy’ to answer a question.  Core to our approach to whole class reading is for children to be clear that to answer a question we often have to draw on multiple skills and strategies, as each text is inherently different and there is no ‘one size fits all’ strategy.  Children are taught to be aware of their own thinking as they read and of the need to keep track of their own understanding and to connect ideas: meta-cognition. 

ASSESSMENT

In order for us to have an accurate view of the reading ability of children across the school, we use a variety of assessment opportunities across phonics, fluency and comprehension. 

Phonic assessment through EYFS and KS1 is regularly undertaken and used to inform flexible groupings.

From Year 2 onwards, the children undertake a termly assessment using NFER Reading papers to begin tracking their reading comprehension levels.

At St Bartholomew’s Church of England Academy we also have access to ‘Accelerated Reader’, which tracks each child’s current reading age, standardised score and also analyses their level within vocabulary, understanding and retrieval and inference. Teachers use this information alongside their own teacher assessment to identify children to target within lessons and in additional reading interventions. This information also informs each child’s ZPD range, which enables us to closely match the books they choose to their reading ability.  Children’s quizzing data also informs teachers when to move a child’s ZPD up or down accordingly within their ZPD range. 

Alongside comprehension assessment, as a school we recognise the importance of fluency.  Across KS2, children’s words correct per minute (WCPM) scores are tracked alongside a teacher’s assessment of their prosody.  Reading fluency interventions are put in place to close the gap for those who need it. 

VOCABULARY

At St Bartholomew’s Church of England Academy, we recognise the synonymous link between word knowledge and comprehension.  This core aspect has formed the bedrock of recent decisions made across the school within English, spelling and whole class reading, but also across the curriculum. 

Children are taught in language-rich learning environments facilitated through our in depth immersion in core texts in whole class reading across KS2, linked to English.  This is then supplemented by a core focus on ‘Tier Two’ words in daily ‘Word of the Day’ sessions, using Vocabulary Ninja resources.  Again, a focus on teaching children strategies is key, so that they can problem-solve and show resilience and independent thinking as learners in order to work out the meaning of words.

Tier three words that are subject specific are taught and consolidated within corresponding subjects.  These words are referenced within children’s books through the use of knowledge organisers, but also clearly displayed and referred to on classroom subject display boards, which always reflect their current learning.