Reading
Early Reading Before learning that a written symbol can be used to represent a phoneme (sound), a pupil needs to be able to recognise the individual sounds of speech. At Trinity, we follow a systematic approach to early phonics as well as providing a rich learning environment which promotes further opportunities to develop Communication and Language skills. In every day practice, our skilled practitioners support pupil’s language development through high quality provocations and interactions and daily speaking and listening activities that are well matched to pupil’s developing abilities and interests. Within the EYFS, pupils are taught to listen attentively, develop phonological awareness (the ability to recognise the rhythms and sounds of speech) through rhyme, rhythm and alliteration and are also supported to develop oral blending and segmenting which are all integral parts of the later stages of phonics. |
| In EYFS, we support pupils to understand that printed text carries meaning. Pupils begin to learn the phonetic code when they enter Reception and they begin to decode printed text. The model below shows that both skills are needed to achieve fluent reading. |
We aspire to support all children effectively so they acquire the skills to achieve within the Good/Good section of this model. This concept is used throughout the whole school. |
At Trinity, we ensure all pupils have several reading experiences every day. They will listen to stories being read to them, they will read in the learning environment, they will read for a purpose, eg: to find out how to complete a task, they may read in a 1:1 scenario and they will have time to read for pleasure. We want to instil in every pupil a love for reading; ensuring they are equipped with the skills to be lifelong readers. |
Phonics Phonics is a method of teaching children to read by linking sounds (phonemes) and the symbols that represent them (graphemes, or letter groups). At Trinity, high-quality phonics teaching happens every day in EYFS and Key Stage One to secure the crucial skills of word recognition. We teach phonics clearly and systematically; the order of teaching each sound has been specifically developed so that children can start reading complete words as soon as possible. We use a synthetic approach to the teaching of phonics using the Letters and Sounds programme. As children move through the early stages of acquiring phonics, they practise applying this knowledge by reading texts which are entirely decodable for them. |
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Useful links to support phonics at home
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Phonics play: https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/
Phonics play: https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/ | Phonics bloom: https://phonicsbloom.com/
You can select the relevant age/stage in each of these suggested websites. | |
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Our Reading Scheme A reading scheme is a series of books that have been carefully written to support the process of learning to read and to help pupils make rapid progress as readers. At Trinity, we promote a 'phonics first' approach to reading and use high quality texts from publishers such as Oxford Reading Tree and Collins Big Cat to ensure pupils are exposed to a breadth of reading experiences.
When pupils are able to blend sounds, they will come home with a reading book that is very closely matched to their current phonics phase. We encourage our families to find a quiet space and dedicate quality time to enjoying reading at home with their child. To support reading further, we provide pupils with access to an online reading platform called Bug Club. These texts are phonetically decodable so pupils can practise, and apply, reading skills they have been taught at school. This platform is also tailored to individual reading levels and incorporates questions to develop comprehension skills as well as decoding.
All pupils will progress through the different colours of the school book bands as their decoding and comprehension skills develop. Even when pupils progress beyond phase 5 phonics, we ensure the texts we have selected continue to build upon their reading skills so the process becomes automatic and effortless. We aspire for all pupils to become avid, expert readers. |
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Reading at home As parents, you can make the biggest difference to your child’s success as a reader by encouraging your child to read as much and as widely as possible at home. Reading with your child every day, even just for 10 minutes, can make all the difference to their progress. We ask that all reading at home is recorded in the communication book we use called the Share Book. |
The Teaching of Reading At Trinity, we use picture books, novels, poems and factual texts from EYFS to Year 6 to engage and stimulate learning. We ensure children are exposed to high quality literature that deepens and challenges their knowledge and understanding. We encourage children to be ‘active’ readers. This means we want children to be asking questions as they read, we want them to be puzzled by the challenging pitch of the selected texts and we want them to be making predictions and reflecting on what they have read. Although independent reading time is crucial for enjoyment, reading encompasses many other skills, which need discrete opportunities to explore. We have guided reading sessions where the children focus on developing specific reading skills. |
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