Phonics & Reading
Phonics
What do we teach?
At Skerne Park Academy we teach children to read using the Read Write Inc phonics scheme. This scheme has been adapted for the children in our school to ensure focus on reading fluency then moving into basic comprehension skills.
The children work for 30 minutes a day in a phonics session. Children work on one book for the whole week. This ensures fluency is practiced as reading fluency is integral.
In this daily phonics session, children complete speed sounds work, word reading and spelling with a focus on the words and sounds linked to their book. Children also work on building words with the focussed speed sounds for their story through quick fire whiteboard work, hold a sentence and edit a sentence where needed.
Why do we teach what we teach?
Phonics is an approach to teaching reading and spelling that enables a child to identify, blend and segment the individual ‘phonemes’ or sounds that combine to form words.
The children learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letters and letter groups using simple picture prompts and rhymes. These sounds enable our children to initially blend the sounds together then read.
This systematic approach is taught from EYFS throughout Key Stage 1, as well as being used in Key Stage 2 as an intervention with children who need to continue with phonics.
Why do we teach it in that sequence?
In EYFS, pupils are assessed and can access the NELI (Nuffield Early Language Intervention) to support their language development. Prior to phonics teaching, pupils are exposed to activities from within launchpad which teaches pre-phonics skills to ensure that they are ready for phonics teaching with no gaps in their language development.
In EYFS and KS1, teaching phonics following Read Write Inc gives a clear structure for staff and children to follow. This creates consistency throughout school and familiarity for the children thus enabling reading skills to flourish. Repetition of key activities and phonically matched resources ensures successes in reading.
Guided Reading
What do we teach?
Throughout our school guided reading is carried out daily. Reading VIPERS* provide a systematic approach to planning and teaching Guided Reading. We use Project X Guided Reading Books, a wide range of novels used for whole class guided reading and Cracking Comprehension to ensure children learn and develop essential reading skills required according to the National Curriculum.
Why do we teach what we teach?
Guided Reading is taught using reading VIPERS* and a range of high-quality texts. This ensures children build on and progress through essential reading skills expected in the National Curriculum. Learning is layered and so skills taught previously will be extended upon and developed as children move through the school.
Why do we teach it in that sequence?
In EYFS, pupils are exposed to a wide variety of books and teachers begin to introduce early comprehension skills such as prediction and retrieval. These are further developed in KS1 and modelled by the teacher to ensure that pupils understand what they are reading. In KS2, pupils become more independent in their comprehension and answer VIPERS* questions as directed by the class teacher. We teach Guided Reading in a systematic way to ensure concise, clear teaching of reading skills. The range of resources used ensure our children are exposed to a wide variety of engaging texts with comprehension activities to extend understanding.
