Reading

Edlington Victoria Academy’s Reading Strategy


Below are the minimum expectations for how reading is taught at Edlington Victoria Academy. Each strategy has been shared and unpicked throughout a sequence of CPD sessions.

How we teach children to read

  • Segment then blend the sounds
  • Look for smaller words in bigger words
  • Cut up the word into syllables
  • Read the rest of the sentence to see if the word makes sense
  • See if the word looks similar to one already known
  • Go back and read the word again
  • Use the pictures for clues

Fluency

  • Phrasing – Put the words together the way the author wrote them so that it makes sense.
  • Rate – Read like the pupil talks. Slow down, stop or repeat words when it makes sense and sounds right.
  • Punctuation – Pay attention to the punctuation. Create longer pauses at full stops and shorter pauses for commas, colons etc.
  • Intonation – Read with expression so that it sounds interesting and exciting.
  • Stress – Stress is placed on appropriate words to reflect the meaning of the text.

Frequency

  • Foundation and Year 1 – guided reading sessions (at least one per child)
  • Year 2 – 5 guided reading sessions and 1 shared reading session (1 hour)
  • KS2 – 4 shared reading sessions (30 mins) and 1 shared reading session (1 hour)

Classroom

  • Reading area – Author of the term, content domains, reading strategies (F2 and KS1).
  • Reading challenge display – children must read at least 3 times a week 
  • Display information books related to the current topic.

Guided reading

  • At least 1 read with the teacher per week
  • Complete learning tasks (pre read, post read, phonics, independent reading with a focus, spelling of tricky words and common exception words)
  • Range of fiction and non-fiction

Shared reading

  • Challenging age appropriate text
  • Range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry
  • Think out louds from the teacher
  • Share model answers
  • Variety of question styles and number of marks
  • Use evidence from the text
  • Use content domains/KPIs – main focus on 2a (vocabulary), 2b (retrieval) and 2d (inference)
  • Encourage short answers for questions with 1 mark
  • Give children independent reading time to build reading stamina
  • Model fluent reading to pupils
  • Find key words from the question in the text to support with retrieving information
  • Discuss unfamiliar words and discuss in a real life context for the pupils

Independent reading

  • ERIC time (silently) – Timetable at least two times a week (Teacher can either listen to readers or model reading silently)
  • Write comments in reading log and reading record at school
  • Keep note of the levels/book bands/phases that children are on

Assessment of reading

  • Reading stamina – once every half term, check how many words children can read in one minute (90+), age appropriate text
  • Fluency rubric – once every half term, score children against each criteria, ability appropriate text
  • Headstart materials – once a term, complete 3 papers for overall score
  • Guided reading records (KS1)
  • Shared/guided reading workbooks
  • Peer and self-assessment – fluency and comprehension. Children rate their fluency and use appropriate terminology when doing so.

Tips for helping your child read

What is fluency