1. Guided Reading in Reception Spring 2016

2. Early Years Outcomes The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum states that by the end of Reception children should: ‘Read and understand simple sentences. They use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read.’ Taken from Development Matters, EYFS.

3. How does the school help your child to read? – Daily phonic sessions – Phonics games – Shared reading – Opportunities to read during the day – Guided reading

4. What is Guided Reading? – A way of helping children become independent readers. – Children read in small groups. – Children learn to use various reading strategies. – Guided reading is used across the school from Reception to Year 6. – Once a week.

5. What does a guided reading session look like? – A quiet space. – Children work in small groups (no more than 6 per group). – Sessions are approximately 10-15 minutes. – All children are given the same text but they have their own book.

6. Strategies for guided reading – Use phonic knowledge to sound out the word. – Segment the word: c-a-t – Blend the sounds together to read the word: c-a-t = cat As the children become more confident the focus of reading changes from decoding (being able to read the word) to understanding the text (comprehension) and inference (e.g. why do you think?).

7. The start of the session – First we review any sounds the children have been learning during phonic sessions. We read some words that appear in the text. – Then we spend time looking at the front cover and at the pictures. Encourage the children to talk about what they can see. The role of the adult to develop sentences and ideas. – Child ‘ the girl is walking’ – Adult: ‘The girl is walking though the woods. I wonder where she’s going?’ etc – Next we spend time talking about the about the front cover, what do you think the story might be about? How do you know? Read the title, read the blurb on the back cover. – Finally we begin to read.

8. The middle part of the session – The teacher will remind the children of the strategies that they need to use e.g. – – Use phonic knowledge to sound out the word. Segment the word: c-a-t Blend the sounds together to read the word: c-a-t = cat – Use picture cues. – Each child will read the text at their own pace and as they do this the teacher will work their way round to each child and hear them read a section of the book. – The teacher may stop at a particular point e.g. if there is a common word that the children are struggling with and discuss as a group.

9. The end part of the session – The adult asks the children questions about the book to check for understanding. We also play some word search games. Listed below are a few examples: – Who was the main character in the story? – What happened in the story? – Where did the story take place? – What was your favourite part of the story and why? – Can you find the word/ letter xxxx?

10. Reading at home – Turn off the TV and mobile phone. Make it a special time. – Make it relaxing and fun. Don’t forget to talk about the pictures, make predictions about what might happen next, how the characters might feel, ask a few questions (but not too many). – For reluctant readers gently suggest that you share a book. You start reading and then encourage your child to have a go, or read the book together – both of you blending and segmenting the words. – Segment and blend the sounds in words, ‘c-a-t….cat’. – Once you have finished reading spend a little time talking about what happened, which was the best part? Play word and letter games, ‘ turn to page X, can you find the word hug?’ etc.

11. Reading at home with your child – Encourage children to read everything – simple words in favourite books, labels, signs, look for letters or words in newspapers and magazines - ‘ how many letter a’s can you see?’ ‘ can you find the word and...’ etc. – Little and often- just 10 minutes a day. – Record in reading diary. Please keep reading diary and guided reading book in book bag so a new book can be taken home.

12. websites – www.phonicsplay.co.uk www.phonicsplay.co.uk – www.oxfordowl.co.uk www.oxfordowl.co.uk – www.bugclub.co.uk www.bugclub.co.uk – www.lettersandsounds.com www.lettersandsounds.com