Reading Investigators for teachers and support staff who want to link up with others and investigate aspects of the teaching and learning of reading Melanie Wilde Leicester University Tony Whatmuff LA

One core aim of WIT …. Provide collaborative and professional development opportunities for teachers and support staff in aspects of teaching and learning of reading Professional development is highly correlated with pupil progress Rdg Investigators2

1. A focus area of investigation is chosen each term Rdg Investigators3 Summer term to Autumn…. barriers to reading comprehension pupils can experience FS-KS1-KS2 -KS3

2. A Support Meeting to plan is held after each Champions’ event (working lunch today!) A literature review on the terms specific topic is provided to participants with signposts to further reading Participants can develop their own ideas for further reading or investigation We provide a list of sample suggestions for investigation Participants can support each other e mail etc Rdg Investigators4

3. Investigations start Support provided termly through a twilight meeting at Leicester University (Thur June pm optional) Rdg Investigators5

4. Participants share outcomes of investigation With their school – performance management?? Summary/ abstract of investigation put on WIT website for others to access At a Champions’ meeting Rdg Investigators6

5. Participants receive a WIT investigation certificate Professional development portfolio Enhanced professional skills and knowledge Rdg Investigators7

Investigate how a parent shares a book with a young child Frequency of book sharing Type and amount of talk that happens around the book…who talks? Genuine conversation/question and answer? Enjoyment both adult and child gain Any pre reading skills that emerge eg what’s a word/what’s a letter..direction left to right..voice print match ? Any implications to discuss with colleagues? 8

From the literature review, do some further reading about one aspect of barriers to comprehension some pupils experience. Put a short summary together Rdg Investigators9

Spot the error! Its very dark underground but for some animals it’s home. Moles,for example, are small dark coloured creatures and fantastic diggers. They have sensitive noses as they cant see very well. Moles are shy and only get active at night. But they can dig the length of a football field in one night! If they see you coming they will avoid you. They have good eyesight. If you see little piles of soil on a field, that will probably be the work of moles. Rdg Investigators10

Effective readers use up to 5 breakdown strategies when they don’t understand. Hear a pupil read and observe what strategies they use when they don’t understand Try using a short piece of text and put some errors in eg nonsense word /2 contradictory statements 11 1 Re read phrase/sentence(s) again to clarify Garner et al Look back and identify key words to get meaning Garner 3Think aloud..verbalise your thoughts Farr and Connor Make a rich picture in your mind Oakhill and Patel Slow down, read back a bit and then on a bit.. use background knowledge and think like a detective Cain

12 Fluency Rubrick…hear 6 pupils read..identify where they are Baby sits up.. crawls.. stands.. walks.. runs Stage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5 Reader has voice print match but reads word by word, usually with a finger. Can have long pauses between words and little evidence of punctuation. Mostly does not listen to own reading Usually reads word by word, often without a finger but may head nod. Takes more notice of punctuation. May re-read to check or problem solve. Sometimes listens to own reading. Some varied pitch and stress Usually reads without finger. On some familiar books may start to read 2-3 words in phrases, esp.in dialogue, so uses eyes flexibly and listens to self. Pitch and stress more varied and punctuation is observed A mixture of word by word reading and reading in phrases. Only familiar books sound fluent. Attends to punctuation. Re- reads to check/problem solve and varied pitch/ stress. Eyes move more flexibly and pupil listens to self Reads in phrases consistently, varied pitch and stress with new and familiar books. Observes punctuation. May slow down for problem solving with re-reading occasionally where necessary