WE LOVE READING!

All classes in the school will experience daily reading and our vision is to foster a growing love for books and reading in the wider world!

Reading underpins learning across all phases and ages in our school, and supports pupils’ development of communication, understanding of the world, and enhances vocabulary.

Learning to read…

Pre-phonics

Here at Cambridge Park Academy, many students are not yet ready to begin to learn to read and write through phonics. This means as a school we work really hard to develop skills that are developmentally essential, prior to learning phonics. We call these our ‘Pre-reading skills’.

Research shows that phonological awareness is an essential foundation to improve word learning and also for speech/sound intervention at phonological level.

As a school and in partnership with other special schools in The Humber Education Trust, we have worked to develop a pre-reading curriculum for our pupils; irresistible activities are planned around the areas of crossing the midline, fine motor and eye tracking, bilateral co-ordination and memory skills. Once students have established these skills, we then stretch and challenge their abilities through learning activities around the seven aspects, before developing their phonological awareness.

Phonics – we are ‘ReadWriteInc’ school!

RWI is a systematic synthetic phonics scheme that aims to support students in developing reading and writing skills. It begins with teaching children one way of reading and spelling the English sounds, using picture hooks in the same shape as the letter. Children then begin to read books carefully matched to the sounds they have been taught. Once the children begin to read the taught sounds in books confidently, RWI then teaches them more ways to read the same sounds (grapheme). Children are never asked to read books containing sounds they don’t know. This helps them gain confidence in reading and feel successful. RWI also supports the development of handwriting and correct spelling.

We also deliver the Fresh Start program, created by RWI, for pupils that are older in age, but still need support in developing their phonics skills. This programme allows the continued teaching of phonics at a more age appropriate level and context for our older readers.

Post Phonics

After phonics pupils participate in the Comprehension scheme. This was developed by RWI, so is really accessible for our learners, as they’re already used to the style of delivery from the scheme. The Comprehension Scheme supports the development of reading comprehension skills such as, retrieval, prediction, emotive language, inference and develops rich vocabulary. This step between phonics and whole class reading sessions supports our pupils to develop confidence and deep understanding each skill, ready to transfer to a range of texts.

How can you help at home?

RWI EBooks (would maybe need to write a guide i.e.- only read the level they’re on or below?

https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/welcome-back/for-school-back/read-write-inc-ebook-library