RWI Parent/Carer Meeting – February 2015 At Ysgol Maes-y-Llan we want to give our children the best possible start. To give a child the gift of reading is to give them the ability to read and learn for the rest of their lives. ‘It’s like learning to ride a bike. Once you learn how to read you never forget. It’s a gift for life.’

Our journey so far… - Reading identified as school priority - Researched programmes available - Decided on RWInc. - Went to visit Sandycroft CP - Model RWInc school / Estyn best practise - Staff went on training - Implemented in school

We know that our new approach to Literacy teaching using Read Write Inc : has been tried and tested over and over again is systematic, structured and therefore results in rapid teaching and learning of sounds & blending means that, importantly and simply, when children know these sounds well and they can blend, they read books that are carefully matched to the sounds they know - this means that children are successful from the very beginning

‘Read Write Inc. has worked wonders in our school. We have had pupils improving their reading ages by over 24 months in as little as a 6 month period.’ Phillip Harrhy, Maesglas Primary School, Newport Estyn best practice reports ‘Shirenewton Primary School, Monmouthshire, has used a wide range of highly effective strategies to significantly improve pupils’ literacy skills. These include fast-paced sessions with no downtime, ensuring that all pupils are active participants in their learning and firm emphasis on the direct teaching of phonics.’ Literacy brings results, Estyn, published 2012 Click here to read more about the impact of RWI in schools in Wales write-inc-welsh-primary-schools/ Shirenewton Primary School in Monmouthshire, Romilly Primary School in Glamorgan, and Sandycroft CP in Flintshire are all Read Write Inc. model schools, and were all recently part of Estyn best practice case studies. project/ project/ 10:30

Read Write Inc. - Changes you may notice. Stage not age – children are grouped based on their reading level – regrouped regularly Children are taught in groups according to their reading ability and so your child may be in a group with younger or older children. This will enable us to teach your child more effectively; children do not struggle because the work is too difficult or get bored because the work is too easy. They will access 100% of every lesson.

Reading diaries – will not be signed Spellings - will not be sent home for children in the programme as children are tested within the RWInc lessons. Some children may be sent home ‘red words’. Attendance is vital due to the speed of the programme. Read Write Inc. - Changes you may notice.

A bit of technical knowledge… Phonics = the sounds in our language. Watch our sound pronunciation guide.sound pronunciation guide. Now it is your turn to practise…

The English language is a complex code… It would be easy if we only had to learn Set 1 and Set 2 sounds. ayigh play eight cake straight right tie kite fly Set 3 sounds

How do phonics help us read? Say “hello” to Fred. Fred can only talk in sounds... He says “c_a_t.” Not cat. We call this Fred Talk. Watch Ruth Miskin explains Fred Talk.Ruth Miskin explains Fred Talk

How to help your child at home…

You can read stories with your child. Relentlessly. Listen to them read. Read their favourite stories to them over and over again. Read some stories at a higher level than they can read themselves. Watch our storytime at home video.storytime at home

How to help your child at home… By reading your child lots of lovely stories and asking lots of questions! Use these prompts to help you: What do you think happens next? What is that character thinking? What is happening? What is the character saying? How do you think that character is feeling now?

You can practise pronouncing sounds. Remember no ‘fuh’ and ‘luh’!

You can have fun with Fred Talk. “What a tidy r-oo-m!” “Where’s your c-oa-t?” “Time for b-e-d!”

Children who read at home do well at school Read fluently Write confidently Speak articulately

You can watch video tutorials. For how to do all these things and more