Improving Standards in Literacy Parent Information session Jenna Jones Literacy/Numeracy Project Coordinator

Was it a positive experience? Who taught you to read? Was it a positive experience? Research undertaken by Literacy Matters states that over 80% of those surveyed believed that their parents taught them to read

Reading Skills … a refresher

LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION Reading Skills WORD RECOGNITION LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION Phonic knowledge Graphic Word recognition Contextual understanding Grammatical

How is Reading Taught in Schools?

Reading Skills … decoding

Decoding Print Memory Picture clues Sight recognition Phonic knowledge

How we teach decoding at YGG Abercynon POPAT Tric a Chlic

Story Sack Library

Helping your child to decode Pre-Read It gives the child an overview of the story so that they can concentrate on reading for meaning It prepares them for unfamiliar vocabulary enabling them to read with 95% success It gives the child more confidence to tackle the text

Helping your child to decode Sight recognition Rhyming words Sound buttons Blending/segmenting Picture clues Read sentence leaving out a word. Discuss what the word could be. Word games Positive reinforcement

When a child gets stuck Stay calm! Allow the child time to decode the word before telling them. Encourage sounding out Prompt the child to look at the pictures, there may be a clue. Encourage the child to re-read the sentence, or complete the sentence.

… understanding – (higher order reading skills)

What is Reading? Reading is a complex process. It involves more than just reading the words; it involves getting at the message behind the words. We can be fooled into thinking that learners can read effectively when, in fact, they are merely efficient decoders who gain little understanding of the writers’ message.

What is Reading? Many children are decoders, not readers. Children must know that text is supposed to make sense and they need explicit instruction in how to comprehend.

Making meaning from text

How is Reading Taught in Schools?

How we teach higher-order reading skills at YGG Abercynon Guided reading sessions Whole class reading Use of technology

Guided reading with teacher – approx. 6 in a group Spelling activities / games Follow-up activity from the guided reading session Handwriting activity Independent reading

What Can You Do To Help Your Child? Be a great role model Let them catch you reading Let your children see that you get pleasure from reading Share your favourite books/reading material with them Show them the value of being able to read

What Can You Do To Help Your Child? Make the experience pleasurable Find a comfortable place Give them plenty of time Avoid interruptions Keep the time positive Stay clear of competition and comparisons with others – reading scheme-itis.

What Can You Do To Help Your Child? Provide a wide range of reading material A school reading book is only one part of a child’s reading repertoire Magazines Comics Information books Brochures Catalogues Flyers Newspapers Websites Take-away menus Instructions Guide books

What Can You Do To Help Your Child? 8 magical strategies for improving comprehension Make connections Infer Predict Visualise Question Determine importance Synthesise Fix-up strategies

What Can You Do To Help Your Child? www.booksforkeeps.co.uk www.cool-reads.co.uk www.ukchildrensbooks.co.uk www.booktrusted.com www.redhouse.co.uk www.lovereading4schools.co.uk www.oxfordowl.co.uk

Please help yourself to the leaflets you think will be useful Parent leaflets Please help yourself to the leaflets you think will be useful

— Victor Hugo, Les Miserables Thank You! "To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark." — Victor Hugo, Les Miserables