Reading and Phonics
At Coverack, Phonics is taught through daily Read, Write Inc sessions in EYFS and KS1. These sessions comprise of learning different graphemes, focusing on oral phonological skills and sight vocabulary. During these sessions children are also explicitly shown how to apply their developing skills to their writing. All children are grouped in accordance with their individual needs. We work hard to ensure a culture of keeping up, rather than catching up and quickly identify any children who will benefit from 1:1 fast -track tutoring.
Approaches to Reading
Our priority is both the teaching of reading skills and enjoyment of literature, enabling children to become lifelong, confident readers. As children build fluency, comprehension skills become our main area of focus and questioning looks at skills such as retelling, inference and prediction. We use a VIPERS approach to Guided Reading in KS2. These whole class or group reading comprehension sessions are used as a powerful tool to allow all children to make progress in reading and provide regular and supportive opportunities for children to encounter engaging texts that will resonate with their interests and capture their imagination. Carefully graded questions allow for children to develop their comprehension skills at an appropriate level.
In EYFS and KS1, children are given Read Write Inc book bag books which are matched to the sounds that they are learning in their phonics sessions. When children are ready or when they have finished the phonics programme, children then move onto reading Little Gems books which are a selection of fully-illustrated first chapter books designed to support reading speed and stamina. Home reading is expected five times a week and is an integral part of the child’s development. In order to have strong communication between teachers and parents/carers, each child has a reading record.
Fostering a love of reading:
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Dr. Seuss
At Coverack we recognise the importance of children learning to love to read and enjoying the books that children choose to read:
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Storytelling forms a key part of our teaching based on high quality texts – much thought goes into the selection of texts to ensure exposure to high level vocabulary
- In EYFS/KS1 we have a 20 minutes 'Talk Through Stories' session after lunch each day. This is a daily session designed to extend and deepen children’s vocabulary so that they can understand the books they will soon be able to read for themselves.
- We have a dedicated book corner in each class.
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Class teachers read to the children 3x a day in KS1 and children vote for a story of the day.
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Children in KS2 enjoy a class novel that is read to them daily.
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We share poems weekly during Celebration Assembly.
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We always celebrate World Book Day.
- KS2 children the annual Literary Festival at Kestle Barton.
- Pupils and staff make recommendations for quality reads based on their own reading experiences.
