Unlocking the World of Understanding Through Reading Workshop

1. Welcome to Silverstone CE Primary School

2. Reading Workshop! Words unlock the doors to a world of understanding…

3. Read the word below… RED What does it mean? How do you know? How could you show the meaning of this word?

4. What does that same word mean now? Mr Smith saw red. “Sit down and be quiet!” he hissed, through clenched teeth.

5. What about now? Mr Smith saw red. “At last!” he sighed. He’d been looking for a telephone box since he’d arrived in the village.

6. Please read this extract… • The greep dawked forily prip the blortican. It snaughted preg the melidock trippicant and shrolled nong the cretidges. Pronutically, the greep caught up with all the other dogs. They had found a fresh murchin burrow and were sprooling and muting round it. The old bradilihund was sletching his paw down the hole and a persistant chinourier had started to dig. None was small enough to plurt inside. The greep was not really interested; after a quick sprool he continued his journey home. The others soon abandoned their search and followed him. They were greeted by a very happy old shepherd who was sure that no dogs had been buried in the landslide. • Can you show me how to greep? Why/why not? • I think the greep is the leader of the pack. Prove me right or wrong.

7. Reading for meaning! The previous slides highlight the importance of reading for meaning. This is a key element of becoming a fluent reader and one of our main focus’ in school at the moment.

8. Becoming a fluent reader! • To be a fluent reader we must be able to decode words and understand what we are reading. • If we cannot do both of these skills, we are not a fluent reader. • We have made significant changes to our approach in order to support your children in becoming fluent readers.

9. Developing Reading! We are developing your child’s reading through the following approaches – • Reading Eggs • Oxford Reading Tree program (FS and Key Stage one) • Accelerated Reader (Key Stage two. Key Stage one when appropriate). • ERIC (Everybody Reading In Class) • Guided Comprehension (Key Stage one) • Book Talk (Key Stage two) • Independent Comprehension (Y1-6) • Class novels/stories • Cross – curricular reading

10. Reading Eggs! • We begin our journey of learning to read in Foundation Stage with reading books, phonics and Reading Eggs. • Reading Eggs is an online program that we use to support our work on phonics. • The children may be asked to complete tasks on this program individually or as part of a whole class activity. • This program helps the children to recognise and use phonics accurately in reading. • In Foundation Stage the children are also developing their understanding of words through discussions about class books.

11. Oxford Reading Tree! • In Foundation Stage and Key Stage one we are continuing with the Oxford Reading Tree scheme. • Your child’s teacher will assess their reading level and allocate the appropriate book for them. • They will work with your child to develop their decoding and comprehension skills through listening to your child read and asking comprehension questions. • We aim for every child in Key Stage one to be heard to read their reading book by a teacher every week. They will also be heard by learning support assistants and volunteers as extra reads. As I’m sure you can appreciate, some weeks are easier to achieve this than others, but please rest assured that we are constantly listening to your children read throughout the curriculum. • As your children develop in their decoding and comprehension skills the Key Stage one teachers may choose to assess your child using a Star Test to ascertain if they are ready to start the Accelerated Reader scheme. This is our new reading scheme introduced initially to Key Stage two children. However, as soon as your child is at this standard they will be moved on, regardless of their age.

12. Accelerated Reader (AR) • We have recently purchased a new reading scheme called Accelerated Reader (AR). • This scheme uses the books within our library system but directs the children to a book that is the correct decoding and comprehension level (whilst maintaining their interest). • The children will take a ‘Star Test’ four times each year. This test informs us of the children’s reading age based on decoding and comprehension. From this result we are able to ensure your child has the correct reading book to extend their decoding skills and comprehension.

13. Understanding the AR Books! • On the bottom of the spine of the AR books you will find a colour dot label. This corresponds to the reading level range. A black dot in the centre of this label signifies that the book is at the higher end of the range. Our new AR books also have the reading level (RL) printed on the spine. • On the top of the spine of the AR book there is a colour label. A brown label shows the book is suitable for lower years (below 8 years old). A pink label shows the book is suitable for middle years (9-11 years old). A blue label would be suitable for children in upper years. There are a few books with a gold label – this is only suitable for year six children. • Inside the book there is a white label. This tells you the author, reading level, interest level (LY, MY, UY), point score and quiz number. Presently we are not using the point score but this may develop over time. • The children have a wide reading range allocated from the Star Test results. We are asking the children to start from the bottom of the range and move up as they are successful in their quizzes.

14. AR Quizzes! • After each book the children will take a short quiz to check their comprehension. • They can use the book to support their answers – it isn’t a memory test! Using the book encourages good scanning techniques. • If the children score below 70% on their quiz we will ask them if they would like to re-quiz the next day after skimming through the book again. • If they do not want to do that we will ask them to choose a new reading book (slightly lower in the range). The children must be able to read and understand their book.

15. ERIC! • From Y1-6 we have introduced ERIC (Everybody Reading In Class)! • Each class has allocated specific times for ERIC. • During this time the children read their reading book and the teachers and learning support assistants will listen to individual children read. Again, we will be supporting decoding skills and asking comprehension questions to develop their understanding.

16. Guided Comprehension! • In Key Stage one we have introduced guided comprehension. • These sessions are on a three weekly cycle and develop the children’s comprehension skills. • Year one read and discuss a text (linked in theme to their topic and the same genre they are writing in during English lessons). During this time year two complete an independent reading task. They then swap over. Through this organisation we can ensure the children are being stretched with age appropriate model texts and the teachers have smaller groups to extend. This is completed for two weeks. • During the third week all the children are given an independent comprehension activity linked to the text they have been discussing for two weeks. This will prepare the children for their written comprehension SATs test at the end of year two. • Our Key Stage one teachers have already seen fantastic improvements using this method.

17. Book Talk! • In Key Stage two we have four Book Talk sessions each week. This is a thirty minute session with four activities (the children complete each activity over the week). • We organise our Book Talk sessions in a three week cycle whereby the first two weeks we focus on decoding and comprehension and then on the third week the children complete an independent comprehension for assessment. • Our focus genre for Book Talk is the same genre the children are writing in during English lessons.

18. Book Talk Activity one (guided comprehension) The first activity for Book Talk is guided comprehension. This is a group discussion about a model text the children have already read during early morning work. This is the same genre the children are writing in during English lessons. This session allows discussions about the meaning of words, sentence structure, use of punctuation, retrieval and giving reasoned justifications for their opinions using evidence from the text. This activity is led by a teacher.

19. Book TalkActivity two and three (Accelerated Reader) When the children are in these groups the main focus is on decoding words. The children have time to read their reading book, quiz on their reading book and read to our wonderful learning support assistants where they can be supported in decoding words.

20. Book TalkActivity four (Independent reading activity) This session could be used for a variety of reading related independent activities. For examples: • Book bands • Character profiles • How the experts do it! • Emotions graphs • Library book change • Presentation work • Research • Editing

21. Class novels and stories! • From Foundation Stage to Year 6 we have a story at the end of the day. • In Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 the teachers will choose stories appropriate for their class and the learning they are completing at that time. • In KS2 each class has a novel. This may be linked to our topic. • We believe reading to the children is just as important as them reading to us – through this we can demonstrate phrasing, use of punctuation and further discussion work can take place. It also further develops a love of reading in our children.

22. Cross-Curricular Reading! • From Foundation Stage to Year 6 we are constantly developing reading through other subjects. This could be linked to History lessons or an artist study. There are so many opportunities to read with/to/listen to your child in different subjects throughout the week. • As a staff we are dedicated to reading different genres and developing a love and interest in reading for every child.

23. What comprehension questions do we ask?! During all of these reading opportunities we are asking your children specific questions to develop their comprehension. There are four main focus’ in comprehension. These are – • Vocabulary (Can you find a word that means…why does the author choose that word…)? • Retrieval (Who is the main character…tell me three facts you have learnt)? • Inference (What do you think…means? How has the author made us think that…)? • Prediction (How do you think this will end…Who do you think has done it)? Please take a bookmark of comprehension questions for your child’s year group - at the end of our session - to support your work at home.

24. How do you know what you know?! • We are constantly asking your child to prove what they know – (can you find the evidence in the text to explain how you know you are correct)?! • In Year five and six we use the idea of - P – Make a Point E – Find the Evidence E – Explain what this means The children find this very funny – for obvious reasons!!!!

25. How can you help? This can be best summed up in the words of one of my favourite authors…Dr Seuss… ‘The more you read, the more things you know. The more that you learn the more places you’ll go!’ Please read with your child. Please read to your child. Please support them in decoding words. Please help them to understand the text by asking them questions about what they have read. Please ask them to find examples in the text to support what they are telling you. ABOVE all, please develop a love of reading and a love of books in your child. ‘There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.’ Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

26. Thank you! As you can see, we have worked exceptionally hard to develop our approach to improving reading across the school. Our staff are incredible – they are so dedicated to adapt and develop so your children can access the best education possible. We would like to thank you for all your patience whilst we’ve been setting up our new systems and for your on-going support with reading to your child. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask either now, or privately afterwards. Thank you