Stonham AspalHow we teach reading
Phonics
We use the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised to plan and provide daily engaging phonics lessons. In phonics, we teach children that the letters of the alphabet represent a different sound, that these can be used in a variety of combinations and are put together to make words. The children learn to recognise all of the different sounds and combinations that they might see when they are reading or writing. Our phonics teaching starts in Reception and follows a very specific sequence that allows our children to build on their previous phonic knowledge and master specific phonic strategies as they move through school. As a result, all our children are able to tackle any unfamiliar words that they might discover. At Stonham Aspal we also model these strategies in shared reading and writing both inside and outside of the phonics lesson and across the curriculum. We have a strong focus on the development of language skills for our children because we know that speaking and listening are crucial skills for reading and writing in all subjects.
Please click the following link to view the Little Wandle overview for Reception and Year 1.
The following link has useful information and videos for parents.
Little Wandle resources for parents.
The following three videos how you how to pronounce the sounds. Note how the children don't add an 'uh' sound at the end, so they say 't' and not 'tuh'.
Phase 2 sounds taught in Reception, Autumn 1
Phase 2 sounds taught in Reception, Autumn 2
Phase 3 sounds taught in Reception, Spring 1
Reading
In the Foundation Stage children’s reading is taught through the phonics activities mentioned above. They experience a variety of text types and are encouraged to understand the elements of a story. Children sequence parts of a shared story and discuss what they know about the characters.
During Key Stage 1 the children are encouraged to form an interest in and take pleasure from a variety of text types. They are taught a range of strategies to decode words, with an emphasis on phonological knowledge and word building skills. They are encouraged to express their opinions about the books they read, giving reasons for their answers and indicate their comprehension of texts through adult questioning and group discussion.
Throughout Key Stage 2 the children will be encouraged to read independently and for the intrinsic enjoyment of reading. They read a range of texts and materials and use their knowledge of words, sentences and texts to form an understanding and make appropriate responses. They have opportunities to read a variety of text types, varying in length, genre and complexity, to provide them with sufficient challenge.
There are a variety of scheme books including Collins readers for children in EYFS and KS1 following the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds program that are fully decodable and matched to Little Wandle Letters and Sounds and Oxford Reading and Fast Lane, which support and consolidate developing reading skills. Year groups have access to sets of books which challenge and help provide a diverse range of reading. Individual class libraries are well-stocked with books for the children to use.
Children read with an adult regularly. This varies depending upon the age and ability of the child. The types of reading include group reading, guided reading, individual reading and independent reading, as appropriate, depending upon the child, text and learning objectives.
Yearly assessment is in the form of SATs at Years 2 and 6, and optional SATs in Years 3, 4 and 5. Teachers make formative and summative assessments based on an adapted version of the APP materials.
For ideas of books for your children to read please click on the link below which will take you to the Book Trust website which has reading recommendations for all age groups.
To view the Little Wandle site, please click here.