Teaching Reading... Workshop Michaelmas 2009

How to Read... 1) Phonic method 2) Whole-Word Approach For regular words (80% of English language) Relies on sound – symbol relationship 2) Whole-Word Approach For irregular and high frequency words Relies on practice of sight words

How to Read the word ‘cat’ 1) See the word (eye sight) 2) See it is made of 3 different letters (visual perception) 3) Link the 3 letters to 3 sounds (visual – auditory memory link) 4) Blend the sounds (sequence in particular order and convert to whole word) 5) Say the word and understand meaning (English vocabulary)

4 Stages of reading words Cannot do anything – teach individual sounds Can say sounds but not blend – practice blending and breaking down sounds. Can say sounds and blend to say word – when confident with this, practice sounding out in their head, the next step on the way to fluency; lots of practice needed Can read words automatically – wooo!

Teaching single sounds Be multisensory: E.g. Visual – see letter, colour in/ write in different colours/ big and small Auditory – say sound, repeat sound to each other, discuss what it sounds like Kinaesthetic – link an action to the sound, e.g. ‘mmm’ – rub tummy; ‘t’ – tap the table. Use action for cue if child forgets sound Multisensory Link: You write here + say sound Child copies and says sound Cover top line, child writes + says sound Child writes with eyes closed

Phonological Awareness ...means the ability to hear sounds and structures within words ...is a prerequisite for reading and spelling. Development in children: Separating out words in a sentence Hearing rhyme in words Hearing syllables in words Hearing individual sounds in words and learning to break them down and manipulate them Studies show that regular practice makes the child able to make much faster progress in reading and spelling – i.e. For children learning to read or spell, try to include in every lesson.

Ways to practice... Sound counting exercises: 2 sounds - ‘am’ or ‘it’ 3 sounds - ‘cat’, ‘ship’, ‘note’ (NB sounds not letters) 4 sounds - ‘stop’, ‘lamp’, ‘climb’, ‘stone’, ‘ships’ 5 sounds – ‘stamps’, ‘chicken’ The child repeats the whole word then for each sound claps/ moves a counter/ throws and catches a ball etc. Start simply- 1 syllable and short vowel; when confident move on. If you use only words you know they can spell, try asking them to write the words in columns.

Ways to Practice... Do these words rhyme? If yes, clap/ jump/ throw a paper aeroplane etc. Which of these sounds can you hear at the start of this word/ which vowel can you hear in this word/ can you hear a long or short vowel? Label chairs/tins/spaces on the floor and throw a beanbag at/ put marble in/ jump on correct one etc. Common difficulties – n/m; s/z; s/sh; sh/ch; th/f/v; b/p; d/t

Ways to Practise... Break up these words into sounds/ blend these sounds together 1 closes eyes and listens while 2 ‘talks like a robot’ – “c-a-t”. Then 1 blends. Can also start with whole word to break down. “Say sunshine... Now say it again but don’t say “shine””; “say meat... Now say it again but don’t say ‘m’”

Visual Approach: teaching high frequency words and irregular words Flash cards play ‘grab’: set out cards with words which they are learning, you say word and then you race to grab the card with that word on. Play pairs: put 2 cards of each word face down on the table and shuffle them up; take turns to pick up 2, reading each word as you pick it up. If you get 2 the same you can keep it. Play Snap with words on cards. Regular practice – if it gets boring, try timing them Multisensory link Visualisation – child closes eyes and imagines word. Tell them, “Now turn it blue... Green... Make it bigger etc” Write with finger in the air/ in sand/ lentils while saying it

Before being able to read a book... Practise reading individual words using lots of games – matching pairs, snap, moving a counter around a board etc. Practice reading sentences: write yes/no questions on cards and they have to answer each question. Envelope sentences – write a sentence on an envelope then write the sentence on cards inside the envelope. The child has to read the sentence and memorise it then build it with the cards. Then you take some away and play “What’s missing?” Write sentences about the child and the child has to answer “True or False?” and tick a box if true. In practice sentences/ words make sure you use only words the child knows or is able to work out.

Before reading a book... Discuss what the book looks like – front, back, how many pages etc... Discuss what it might be about, give an introduction, make it sound interesting! Highlight in advance a few difficult words they might come across.

Choosing the right book... Ability– For most effective teaching, choose a book where your pupil can read 9/10 words in the book without help. If reading specifically to improve fluency and expression, try an even easier book. Interest – choose a book you think they would enjoy. For low ability and high interest try non-fiction.

How to improve... Fluency Fluency – Is it very jerky? Try asking them to repeat a sentence more smoothly. (Repeating poems is more acceptable than repeating parts of a book) Do they understand the meaning of full stops, question marks, etc? Demonstrate pausing between sentences/ phrases, voice going up for a question etc. Are they using expression? – Ask them to read as if they are excited, sad etc...

How to improve...Vocabulary Vocab book – take a category, e.g. Weather, stick in pictures and say what their names; Brainstorm words together. Make lists/ draw pictures depending on age of child. Make sentences using new words revise regularly and add a category a week

How to Improve... Vocabulary Games “What’s missing” – e.g. For human vocabulary drawing a face with no eyes etc. Taboo – “Describe a word e.g. “sun” without using the word e.g. “hot” – make cards with target word (“sun”) on one side and forbidden word (“hot”) on the other. Take turns to try and work out the word. Use a timer to make it more exciting! Take a minute to discuss pictures – get your pupil to label things you point to.

How to improve... Comprehension Discuss the book as you go along to make sure they are following. Ask a range of factual questions and questions to engage their imaginations and get them to support their answers from the book. Ask your pupil to tell the story in their own words. Write a summary of the story on cards and mix them up. Get your pupil to sequence the cards.

If your child struggles... ...with getting tired/ distracted – take turns reading a page each or a sentence each.. ...with motivation make sure you give them books that are suitable Give them a choice of two books to choose from. Ask what they would like to read about next week. Stand the book/s up on the table at the start of the lesson – it makes them look more appealing ...with a word - Pause, Prompt and Praise 1) Wait – count to 4 before you jump in 2) phonetic prompt e.g. (“what sound does this make”) or semantic prompt (“it’s big, grey and has a trunk”) 3)Let them have 2 or 3 tries then tell them; Give lots of praise for trying/ for working it out etc.