Reading in FS2

1. Reading in FS2 How do we teach the children to read? How can you support your child at home?

2. Early Learning Goal Children read and understand simple sentences. They use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. They also read some common irregular words. They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read.

3. Approaches to teaching reading in FS2 at DESS • Weekly guided reading sessions focussing on teaching particular strategies or skills. • READ – a fun and active approach to learning the sight words. • Phonics sessions • Storytimes • Reading, retelling and talking about books in play based learning. • Using non fiction books for a purpose in play based learning.

4. What are we teaching? • Use of phonics to decode new words. • Recognition of sight words, many of which cannot be read using a phonic approach. • Understanding of the text. • Use of other strategies such as using picture clues and thinking of a word that might fit and make sense. • About different types of punctuation. • About characters and settings. • About how different texts are set out and organised.

5. Phonics Daily phonics teaching The children will learn – • The 26 letter sounds • Correct letter formation • How to blend sounds together to read simple words e.g. CVC words and then simple sentences containing these words. • How to segment the sounds in words for writing single CVC words and then simple sentences containing these words. • Independent strategies e.g. displays and sound mats The children will then learn – • The vowel digraphs e.g. oo, ee, ow, ar, oi, ai…. • Consonant clusters e.g. sl, fr, cl, dr, lk……..

6. How can you help at home? • Reinforce the letter sounds, you could – keep a sound scrapbook, look for letters in the environment, reinforce whilst reading, play games such as bingo or snap… • Practise letter formation, you could – write letters in the sand, with chalk outside, with paint, on a painting app on the iPad…. • Encourage your child to apply their phonic knowledge to read simple VC and CVC words in their reading books • Make VC and CVC words with magnetic letters, letters in the bath…. • If you are not sure of the sounds – www.mrthorne.com

7. Reading at home 1. Choose a quiet time Set aside a quiet time with no distractions. Ten to fifteen minutes is usually long enough. 2. Make reading enjoyable Make reading an enjoyable experience. Sit with your child. Try not to pressurise if he or she is reluctant. If your child loses interest then do something else. 3. Maintain the flow If your child mispronounces a word do not interrupt immediately. Instead allow opportunity for self-correction. It is better to tell a child some unknown words to maintain the flow rather than insisting on trying to build them all up from the sounds of the letters. If your child does try to 'sound out' words, encourage the use of letter sounds rather than 'alphabet names'. 4. Be positive If your child says something nearly right to start with that is fine. Don't say 'No. That's wrong,' but 'Let's read it together' and point to the words as you say them. Boost your child's confidence with constant praise for even the smallest achievement. 5. Success is the key Parents anxious for a child to progress can mistakenly give a child a book that is too difficult. This can have the opposite effect to the one they are wanting. Remember 'Nothing succeeds like success'. Until your child has built up his or her confidence, it is better to keep to easier books. Struggling with a book with many unknown words is pointless. Flow is lost, text cannot be understood and children can easily become reluctant readers.

8. 6. Visit the Library Read the library book with your child. 7. Regular practice Try to read with your child on most school days. 'Little and often' is best. 8. Communicate Try to communicate regularly in the diary with positive comments and any concerns. Your child will then know that you are interested in their progress and that you value reading. 9. Talk about the books There is more to being a good reader than just being able to read the words accurately. Just as important is being able to understand what has been read. Always talk to your child about the book; about the pictures, the characters, how they think the story will end, their favourite part. You will then be able to see how well they have understood and you will help them to develop good comprehension skills. 10. Variety is important Remember children need to experience a variety of reading materials eg. picture books, hard backs, comics, magazines, poems, and information books.

9. How will you know what your child is working on at school?Grids like this one will be stuck into your child’s diary. They will be changed once your child is demonstrating that they can do all of the statements in the grid. Please use it as a guide of the kinds of things you could be working on at home not as a checklist.

11. The set words card • Help your child to learn the words a set at a time. • Play games with the words e.g. treasure hunts, bingo, magnetic letters, snap….. • Look for the words in context e.g. in reading books. • Move onto the next set when your child can read the words confidently and quickly in different contexts (not just from the word card). • We will go through the words once per half term at school to find out which set your child has reached. • IT IS NOT A RACE!

12. Useful websites • www.oxfordowl.co.uk • www.mrthorne.com • www.ictgames.com/literacy • www.phonicsplay.co.uk • http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/4_11/site/literacy.shtml