After children are have completed the RWI phonics programme in school (usually during Year 2), they move onto our own reading programme.
This programme builds on the skills they have learnt during RWI and continues to help children:
- Become fluent readers of increasingly complex texts
- Use a range of reading skills to help them understand the texts they are reading (see more below)
- Develop a love of reading
We actively teach the following reading skills:
- Visualising
- Clarifying
- Retrieving
- Inferring
- Predicting
- Summarising
- Justifying
- Authorial intent
There are a number of ways that parents can support their children to love reading and become proficient readers.
This is important at any age.
Before children can read to themselves, you can develop their understanding of story language, rhythms and rhymes and the structure of stories by being read to. Sharing reading together creates an early love of reading that can last a lifetime.
Once children can read to themselves, reading to a child can help them visualise stories that are longer or more complex. It can help children extend and develop their vocabulary and gives them a chance to talk about what they think or ask questions about what you are reading.
Once children can read, we will start to send home reading books that they are confident in reading themselves. They can practise being a 'storyteller' with you - reading with expression and talking about what is happening.
As children become more confident in reading, we encourage them to self select their own books. This helps them to take ownership over what they read and choose books they are keen to have a go at. We actively teach them how to choose books that they can read (decode), as well as understand.
Have a look at this video for tips on how to support your child when you listen to them reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BBxfpEjFtM
As children develop an awareness of reading and words;
Play word games (eye spy, singing nursery rhymes etc).
Point out words and writing in the world around them and tell them what the words say.
Talk about the meaning of words they hear or see - think about how you could use it in a sentence.
Read your own books / newspapers / magazines in front of your child.