Reading at Downs Infants
We begin the important process of teaching children to read by introducing children to quality books, read aloud by school adults, even before they arrive at school, by posting videos of us reading to children on Tapestry.
During the Autumn Term in Reception we introduce children to their sounds following our 'Sunshine Phonics' scheme, which makes use of some of the 'Letters and Sounds' phonics programme, and also uses the 'Jolly Phonics' songs, signs and actions for a multisensory learning experience.
Once Phase 2 sounds have been learned and children are competent at blending, they begin to bring home phonetically decodable books. All children also have access to 'Bug Club' online. We do not stick to one scheme only, as different schemes appeal to different children, but all the reading books the children use are closely linked to their phonic phase.
Once children are into phase 3 and have a small sight vocabulary through learning 'Wizard words' as well as phonics from Autumn half term, they will bring a greater range of books home, which include these high frequency words.
As well as teaching reading using phonics and other strategies, we believe that a love of reading, as well as good inference and deduction skills, comes from an early foundation of being read to by adults.
Research on effect of being read to
We have a valued 'Reading Army' of volunteers from the local community, who come and read with our children.
Our current Key Stage 1 chapter book for our Wednesday 'book assembly' is: Hotel Flamingo by Alex Milway
As our way of learning that 'Black Lives Matter', we are urgently seeking to address the imbalance in the representation of black characters in the books we read and share with our children. Please click here for more information and resources.