Reading at Ansdell Primary School
Foundation/Key Stage 1
Children first learn their letter sounds and names then apply these to word building. We use Letters and Sounds as the basis for our teaching of phonics. The children will also learn a variety of other key words by sight.
Children read individually, in small groups and as a whole class. A variety of different genres are chosen at an appropriate level of ability for each group of children. As well as being able to read the text, children are encouraged to discuss the content of the book and their opinions about people, places and events are sought. The more able readers will be asked about the varied themes of different texts.
We use a variety of different books in school to help us teach reading and foster a love of literature. These include a mixture of phonetically decodable books and 'Real Books' as they progress on to Accelerated Reader throughout Year 2.
Links to online reading games:
Key Stage 2
Through independent reading, shared reading in English lessons and cross-curricular sessions, guided reading groups and reading for pleasure, reading in Key Stage 2 develops and extends the skills acquired in Key Stage 1.
Children explore a wide variety of genre, both fiction and non-fiction which allows them to access, input ideas and understand what they are reading. They are given opportunities to speculate on the tone and purpose of texts they explore as well as consider both the texts’ themes and audience.
Home Reading
At Ansdell, we do not follow a single reading scheme. We include fiction and non-fiction books from a range of publishers, including a wide variety of ‘real books’. This ensures that there is something which enthuses everyone!
In EYFS and Year 1 we also have a range of phonetically decodable books. The books are organised following the "Book Bands" scheme using colours that children are working on within reading sessions at school. Children are able to select their own book from a colour band appropriate to their ability and children are able to choose a book they have previously read as this gives them the opportunity to practice reading with a familiar book.
In 2017 we introduced Accelerated Reader which runs from Year 2 up to Year 6.
If you want to know more about Accelerated Reader you can follow this link
http://www.renlearn.co.uk/accelerated-reader/
The National Literacy Trust’s second independent research report into the reading habits of students using Accelerated Reader...
“Children and young people who use AR tend to enjoy reading more, do it more often and think more positively about reading than their peers who do not use AR. They are also more likely to see a link between reading and their successes.”
Dr Christina Clark, National Literacy Trust
Pupils who use Accelerated Reader are more likely to:
- enjoy reading
- have a favourite book
- agree that reading is cool
- read regularly at least once a week outside class
- agree that they will get a better job when they grow up if they are good at reading
Boys who use Accelerated Reader are more likely to:
- enjoy reading
- agree that reading is cool
- read more actual books in a typical month
Girls who use Accelerated Reader are more likely to:
- enjoy reading
- see themselves as readers
- read outside class at least once a week
School Library
All children have access to the school library, where they are able to select a book to bring home. Your child may not be able to read this book to themselves independently and provides a great opportunity for you to read together with your child.