Wood Bank School
Reading
Here at Wood Bank, we love to read! Our aim is to teach a love of reading to all pupils through a bespoke and personalised reading curriculum. We teach children to become confident readers by promoting a passion for reading. We teach the children to read by using a DFE accredited systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) scheme, Read Write Inc. Our phonics teaching enables the pupils to be taught the key reading skills of acquiring letter sounds, segmenting and blending words.
Pre-Reading
Pupils in all four pathways participate in pre-reading activities and will use signs, symbols, and environmental cues.
At Wood Bank we use a range of cues as part of a total communication approach, including touch cues, key vocabulary, objects of reference and other sensory cues to help pupils to understand the world around them.
Our pupils experience a range of multi-sensory stories which consist of cues, simple sequencing, and repetition to engage pupils in the five areas of engagement: exploration, realisation, initiation, anticipation, and persistence. Communication is an essential element to these sessions, as pupils are encouraged to show preferences, and make choices.
Read Write Inc. Phonics
What is Read Write Inc. Phonics?
Read Write Inc. Phonics is a literacy programme developed by Ruth Miskin and published by Oxford University Press.
Read Write Inc teaches the children, the sounds and the letters that represent them, and how to form the letters when writing. The children then read books which include only the sounds that they have learnt. This sets the children up for success and builds up their reading confidence.
The children begin by learning Set 1 Speed Sounds:
· m, a, s, d, t, i, n, p, g, o, c, k, u, b, f, e, l, h, r, j, v, y, w, z and x.
Then they will move on to sounds with two letters. We call these Special Friends.
· sh th ch qu ng nk ck ff ll ss ck
After this the children will learn Set 2 Speed Sounds.
· ay ee igh ow oo oo ar or air ir ou oy
Then following this they will learn Set 3 Speed Sounds.
· ea oi a–e i–e o–e u–e aw are ur er ow ai oa ew ire ear ure au e-e ue ie ph wh kn tion tious cious e
Look through the videos below so you can see how phonics is taught at Wood Bank:
Parent video: Understanding Phonics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXOJUPNVnLc
Parent video: What is Read Write Inc Phonics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjlPILhk7bQ
How to support your child at home.
It is really important to say the sounds clearly to help your child learn them. We say ‘mmmm‘ not ‘muh’ and ‘lllll‘ not ‘luh’ when teaching the sounds. This really helps the children when they are learning to blend sounds together to read words.
Here is a link which shows how to pronounce the sounds.
How to say the sounds - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkXcabDUg7Q
You can help and support your child at home with their reading by promoting a love for books. Read, read and read again! Children love being read to, and this will enhance their love for books. If your child doesn’t like reading, we believe that they just haven’t found the right book for them!
The website below offers some suggestions of suitable books that you can read at home with your child.
Book Trust - http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/children/booklists/
How do we promote a love of reading?
At Wood Bank School we believe that reading is a key fundamental skill that underpins all learning. It is embedded into all areas of the curriculum. The children enjoy listening to a wide range of stories, Poems and non-fiction texts. All classes share a story-time or sensory story, as well as doing daily phonics/phonological awareness. The children are encouraged to talk about their favourite stories too.
At Wood Bank School each child will have the opportunity to bring home our very own ‘Wood Bank Reading Bear.’ This will include a special bear, a book to share at home, two hot chocolate sachets and a reading journal for you and your child to add a photo and draw and write about the book you have shared together.
How do we measure progress?
Here is a link to our termly Reading and Writing Impact Report.
If you would like more information about our reading scheme, please contact us and ask to speak to Becki Breslin (Reading and Writing Lead)
