INSET: September 2006 Children working below Level 3 in reading and writing. To refresh our understanding of the skills involved at National Curriculum P levels. To understand the reading and writing skills of children working at level 1 and level 2. To consider how to support these children across the curriculum.

P levels Levels prior to Level One P1 – P3 Exploration Communication Response Interaction with others Learnt responses Observation

P Levels P4 – P8 Subject specific Further exploration Familiarity Sort & classify Question & answer Recognition Awareness Understanding Selection Repetition Imitation Choice Greater response Creation Expression Play Comparison Rote learning

Level 1c Reading Can recognise sounds and symbols; Can identify initial sounds in words; Understand simple sentences. Writing Can shape letters correctly; Sentence attempts require a discussion to be fully understood.

Level 1b Reading Can read familiar words; Can identify initial & final sounds in words; Can use their knowledge of sounds to build up a word. Writing Can build short phrases, using words they recognise; All letters can be clearly recognised; Phrases/statements show use of full stops; Writing can be understood without discussion.

Level 1a Reading Can use their knowledge of letters, blends and sight recognition words to read simple texts. Writing Clearly shaped letters Phrases and statements to show ideas Use of full stops and capital letters

Strategies to Support Level One Ideas may include: Pair children with a more able reading buddy. Text given should only be very simple sentences without connectives, including pictures for additional clues. Ensure child is following reading text with finger. Play Spot the key word before or during reading or ask child for next word in the sentence. Writing frames to include: mixed up sentences to re-arrange; basic cloze procedures with initial letters given for missing words; key words/word banks; simple sentence starters. Read back written attempts with the child. Provide subject specific word banks to support writing,

Level 2c Reading Read word to word but need help to understand meaning Can recount main facts with support Writing A series of simple sentences Incorrect spelling uses phonetics

Level 2b Reading Reads simple sentence texts with basic punctuation Combine phonic, graphic, grammatical and contextual clues to gain meaning Writing Some sentence punctuation Plausible spelling attempts Variation in simple sentence structure and word choice.

Level 2a Reading Reads unfamiliar texts accurately, beginning to use intonation Can identify main points & express opinion Writing Beginning to write descriptively to add detail. Accurate use of full stops and capital letters Spelling of monosyllabic words is accurate, with phonetically plausible attempts at longer, polysyllabic words.

Strategies to Support Level Two Ideas may include More able reading buddy with time to talk about text prior to class discussion. Recount phrases / facts from text Listen to child whilst reading; read along with child; ask whole class to read aloud simultaneously. Expect 6 – 10 decent simple sentences – provide target number. Key word lists/word banks; Sentence starters with space to add sentences of their own. Verbal prompts to extend / improve sentences: for example… Child has written: I cut out the picture. Teacher prompts may be: I cut out the picture with what / how?