What is reading? Reading is much more than the decoding of black marks upon the page. What is reading? Welcome, register, read aloud, need copies of L&S for next session, copies of reading feedback sheet and notes for observing guided reading and phonics. It is a quest for meaning and one which requires the reader to be an active participant. (Cox Report 1989 Ch.16 para. 16.3)

What kind of reader do you want the children in your class to become? Give time to discuss and feedback on the question. This should inform what you need to teach and why.

Key Terms: Simple view shared reading guided reading word recognition language comprehension

Reading Developmental Continuum a way of looking at what children can actually do and how they can do it, in order to inform planning for further development; makes explicit some of the indicators, or descriptors of behaviour, that will help teachers identify how children are constructing and communicating meaning through language; the indicators were extracted from research into the development of literacy in English-speaking children. It was found that indicators tend to cluster together, i.e. if children exhibit one behaviour, they tend to exhibit several other related behaviours; each cluster of indicators is called a ‘phase’. This clustering of indicators into phases allows teachers to map overall progress while demonstrating that children’s language does not develop in a linear sequence;

Reading Developmental Continuum Individual children may exhibit a range of indicators from various phases at any one time; ‘key’ indicators are used to place children within a specific phase, so that links can be made to appropriate learning experiences; key indicators describe behaviours that are typical of a phase. Developmental records show that children seldom progress in a neat and well-sequenced manner; instead they may remain in one phase for some length of time and move rapidly through other phases; each child is a unique individual with different life experiences so that no two developmental pathways are the same. References: First Steps Reading Developmental Continuum. (1997). Melbourne: Rigby Heinemann. Allow 10 – 15 mins to look through. Pdf available on Blackboard – for inclusion in ELJ.

Activity: exploring reading strategies . . . How was your reading impaired by the unusual presentation of the text? What did you notice? Look at the statements on the sheet – decide with a partner how each one relates to the Simple View of Reading; which statements would come under ‘word recognition processes’ and which would come under ‘language comprehension processes’; would any come under both? Backwards text and ‘I use the pictures to help me’ – decide whether WRP or LCP

Rose report – March 2006 [ref: 0201-2006DOC-EN / phone: 0845 60 222 60] has had the most influence in recent times on the approaches to the teaching of reading. A long-running debate, which continues to rage – they need to investigate this.

Poor word recognition; good comprehension Good word recognition; good comprehension Good Poor Good Good word recognition; poor comprehension Poor word recognition; poor comprehension Poor

Clear distinction between processes Teachers need to separate: processes concerned with recognising the printed words that comprise the written text and … processes that enable the reader to understand the messages contained in the text . . . 9

So that…. they focus clearly on developing word recognition skills through phonics teaching repetition and teaching of ‘tricky’ words and they focus clearly on developing language comprehension through Talking with children Reading to children Teaching comprehension strategies 10

Language Comprehension Processes What are they? Why are they important? How can they be taught?

‘Higher-order’ reading skills involve children developing knowledge and awareness of: Prediction and plot structure Inference and deduction Literal and figurative language

Inference and deduction Inference involves interpreting hints and clues within a text (‘inference’ is the work the reader does when the author ‘implies’). Deduction involves using prior knowledge, from outside the text, to understand what is being said.

The B F G Sophie couldn’t sleep. A brilliant moonbeam was slanting through a gap in the curtains. It was shining right on to her pillow. The other children in the dormitory had been asleep for hours. Sophie closed her eyes and lay quite still. She tried very hard to doze off. It was no good. The moonbeam was like a silver blade slicing through the room on to her face. The house was absolutely silent. No voices came from downstairs. Read and think of some questions that would encourage children to go beyond a literal understanding

Reading in the classroom Shared Reading – the teacher leads whole class sessions where children are presented with a text selected just above the level at which the children can read alone. At Key Stage 2 the focus is on exploring and analysing text, both fiction and non-fiction, to improve comprehension and compositional skills. Guided Reading - the teacher works with groups of children at the same reading level. The teacher provides support to promote successful independent reading. Independent Reading – silent reading, paired reading ERIC . . . Reading aloud to the class Shared reading will be returned to in a later session.

Guided Reading is… carried out with a small group of children (4-6) of a similar ability level. They each have a copy of the same text, which is matched to their ability. The adult uses questioning and prompts to develop deeper understanding and appreciation of the text.

PNS Rationale for guided reading To provide a bridge between shared reading and independent reading; To increase the time for focused teaching of reading strategies To focus on specific PNS objectives; To encourage children to take responsibility for developing independent reading skills and interaction with texts; To enable teachers to teach one group per day differentiated by ability; To work alongside individualised reading programmes; PNS recommend that in guided reading, texts should be well matched to ability of the group ie children should be able to read around 90% of the text. NB Book Bands for guided reading at KS1;Guiding reading at KS2

A suggested format for Guided Reading sessions Decide on teaching objectives and text: Introduce the text / tune in; Discuss reading strategies; Children read independently; Discussion on response to the text. (See guidance on Blackboard in reading resources folder)

Video time: Guided Reading As you observe, use the sheet (notes for observing guided reading and phonics) to support and inform your observation. Afterwards: discuss your observations and reflections with your group; Any questions? Clip from Early Reading Curriculum CPD Resource DVD: Guided Reading: Have you got everything Colin (Reception class) Give out copies of ‘Notes for observing guided reading’ ask students to familiarise themselves with this for a few minutes before observing. Use this to inform their observations. Goldfish bowl activity of guided reading with multiple copies of a text available in N1 or N17). Model structure of session as on previous slide. After the modelled guided reading session, give a few minutes to share reflections and observations, then take feedback and questions. Look at plan for the guided read.

Assessment Focuses for Reading AF1: use a range of strategies, including accurate decoding of text, to read for meaning AF2:  understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text; AF3: deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts; AF4: identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts, including grammatical and presentational features at text level; AF5: explain and comment on writers' uses of language, including grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level; AF6: identify and comment on writers' purposes and viewpoints and the overall effect of the text on the reader; AF7: relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts and literary tradition Explain that these are used by teachers to assess children’s reading progress, now used as part of APP (to be looked at in assessment session) Give out AF key rings – used in lots of schools to support questioning and use of a range of AFs. Guided Reading sessions may focus on specific AFs depending on the needs of the group.

Activity In groups, use the AF key rings to identify the types of questions that were asked during the guided reading session you have just observed. Can you come up with any questions of your own?

For next session: Complete the DLITT unit of study ‘Phonics: discrete teaching and application’ Familiarise yourself with the ‘Letters and Sounds’ resource (read the guidance booklet)

Food for thought . . . “there is no one method, medium, approach, device or philosophy that holds the key to the process of learning to read . . . Simple endorsements of one or another nostrum are of no service to the teaching of reading”. (Bullock Report 1975 paragraph 6.1; cited in Cox report 1989 Chapter 16 paragraph 16.9)