English

How you can support your child with reading at home

General guidance when reading with your child:

• Reading with your child for as little as ten minutes a day will make all the difference
• Make reading a special time with your child by choosing a quiet, relaxed moment
• Success is the key: (lots of positive praise; Avoid pushing a book onto them that is too difficult where your child struggles with too many unknown words)
• If a child mispronounces a word, allow opportunity to self-correct but maintain the flow by telling children a few unknown words
• Model reading aloud to your child.
• Don’t just stick to stories. Read poetry, picture books, information texts, news articles aimed at children
• Offer them choice in what they read
• Make your child a more confident reader by asking one question from each reading skill category below during each reading session with your child. These skills are essential for improving reading in children

How we teach English at All Saints’

Reading

Every morning, children participate in a whole class guided reading session.

In Key Stage One, children are supported through deploying as many adults as possible into Year 1 and 2. Here children participate in guided reading groups lead by their assigned adult.

Phonics is taught systematically at All Saints’ from Nursery class to Year 2 using the progression as described in the ‘Letters and Sounds’ program.

In Key Stage Two, children follow a structured reading program called ‘Destination Reader’. Through the use of a designated book they are taught a range of strategies to aid comprehension; they are taught to read with meaning; and are supported to read with pleasure.

Please see below a recommended reading list for your child’s year group.

Writing

Our Literacy lessons are based around a book. Over a three to four week period, children follow a structured approach to writing inspired by ‘Talking For Writing’ and ‘The Power Of Reading’. The children participate in the following writing process:

1. Hook – capture pupil interest
2. Read text as a reader – explore the impact of the text on the reader
3. Read text as a writer – analyse how the writer has created particular effect on the reader and create the writing ‘Toolkit’
4. Deliberate practice – rehearsing the features identified in the ‘Toolkit
5. Teacher-led write – highly supported piece of writing
6. Independent write – independent piece of writing to assess what has been learnt

Spelling is taught separately in discrete lessons. The ‘No Nonsense Spelling’ scheme is used to teach key spelling patterns to the children.

Handwriting is also taught separately in discrete lessons where the children learn to use the ‘Nelson Handwriting’ style.