Our approach to Reading
Whole Class Reading
Once pupils have graduated from RWInc, they join whole class reading lessons. Texts are carefully chosen to ensure they pose an appropriate level of challenge and interest. Our reading lessons are designed to ensure pupils spend time exploring a text as a whole class, with the teacher modelling expert thinking and reading aloud, pausing to clarify and question in order to guide and monitor comprehension. Pupils have the opportunity to independently read within the lesson in order to develop their fluency; in Year 2, we ensure fluency is developed through frequent echo reading and repeated reading. These lessons are driven by discussion based on a Big Question, to guide and develop the pupils’ understanding of the plot, setting and characters as they progress through the story. Pupils also have the opportunity to think and reflect through writing, with I Do, We Do, You Do used to explicitly model and support pupils.
Reading Plus
We use Reading Plus to accelerate pupils’ reading fluency through weekly class reading sessions. The programme enables pupils to read at an appropriate level whilst monitoring reading speed and comprehension. The programme is adaptive to pupils’ needs, and adjusts the challenge provided as and when necessary. It also develops pupils’ vocabulary through weekly vocabulary sessions. Reading Plus provides live assessment data which allows staff to be responsive to pupil needs in their whole class reading lessons.
Vocabulary
When planning, teachers identify key Tier 2 vocabulary that may obstruct comprehension. This vocabulary is then explicitly taught before pupils encounter it in the text. Pupils are supported to understand further unfamiliar vocabulary through the use of images.
Reading working walls
Our reading working walls display key vocabulary and our Big Questions with annotations. This is intended to support retrieval of key knowledge to support understanding and prompt connections across key plot points.
