Reading in Dunblane Primary School The greatest gift

Reading in Dunblane Primary School “The greatest gift is a passion for reading” Elizabeth Hardwick

What is reading? At its most basic level it is the recognition and decoding of words. Cf. E outcomes and experiences q Enjoyment and choice q Tools for reading q Finding and using information q Understanding, analysing and evaluating Reading is much, much more than being able to de -code words!

Enjoyment and choice I enjoy exploring and choosing stories and other texts to watch, read or listen to, and can share my likes and dislikes. LIT 0 -01 b / LIT 0 -11 b Tools for reading I explore sounds, letters and words, discovering how they work together, and I can use what I learn to help me as I read and write. ENG 0 -12 a / LIT 0 -13 a / LIT 0 -21 a Finding and using information I use signs, books or other texts to find useful or interesting information and I use this to plan, make choices or learn new things. LIT 0 -14 a Understanding, analysing and evaluating To help me understand stories and other texts, I ask questions and link what I am learning with what I already know. LIT 0 -07 a / LIT 0 -16 a / ENG 0 -17 a

“Teaching reading IS rocket science. ” Louisa Moats Research shows that a balanced approach – where children are encouraged and supported to focus on making sense of what they are reading as well as decoding words- is most effective.

So what do we actually do and what skills do children need to develop? ü ü ü Page turning Knowledge that print conveys meaning Directionality left right and top bottom That the words we speak can be recorded in print The names of letters The names of sounds Some children come to school with some or all of these skills and some do not. Staff quickly identify the children who are familiar with and do these things without thinking- as we do – and children who need taught these skills.

ORT – Oxford Reading Tree Ø Books without words ØImportance of the ‘story experience‛ using some of the skills mentioned earlier Ø Character names ØKeywords ØText closely resembles illustration ØGames and other learning activities

Ø Storyworld ØSoundstart ØNon-fiction ØLibrary books ØEnvironmental print in and Øaround classroom and school Discussion of story – who; what; why; what would you do; have you ever; tell me about a time when. . Helps children understand the story, link to their own experience and assists staff in assessing how well the child is understanding and comprehending.

Different ways to learn the sounds using Jolly Phonics- Action s, a, t, i, p, n Songs You Tube

What can you do to support your child in reading? üReading with your child is vital. Research shows that it‛s the single most important thing you can do to help your child‛s education. üYou are the child‛s first and most important teacher. You open the door to a world of books and learning. Model reading as the norm in your home – let your child see his parents / siblings etc. reading for enjoyment as well as purpose. ü Think of ways to make reading fun – you want your child to learn how pleasurable books can be. If you're both enjoying talking about the content of a particular page, linger over it for as long as you like. üRead aloud to child as often as you can. This is important as it will introduce your child to a much wider and more literary vocabulary than the limited number of words used in every day speech.

ü Put on voices to demonstrate the storytelling quality of reading. üPractice keywords at home in fun ways – word hunt, matching game, making into a silly sentence. Please, please DO NOT üCompare your child‛s reading to peers or siblings. Children all learn at different rates. üBuy the complete works of Oxford Reading Tree or any other reading scheme! This does not help and children need to be exposed to a variety of texts. Force your child to practice reading if he / she is tired. It is not likely to be a positive experience for either of you! Instead you read to them or read a page each. “No skill is more crucial to the future of a child, or to a democratic and prosperous society, than literacy” LA Times ‘ A Child Literacy Initiative for the Greater LA Area‛

Writing • Teacher scribe a story which the child dictates. The child would draw a picture to go with this. • The child tells the teacher a story. The teacher writes with a highlighter and the pupil writes over this.

Writing • The child tells the teacher a story. The teacher writes the story, missing a line each time or on a white board. The child copies the teachers writing.

• The child starts to write independently with a focus on – Ø Letter formation of taught sounds Ø Finger spaces Ø Sounding out of words (CVC) Ø Tricky words Ø Capital letters Ø Full stops

Mental Maths in Dunblane Primary School CLIC

What is CLIC Maths? Daily programme of mental maths with a strong emphasis on learning facts and developing mental agility It develops core skills. All are taught in the same way, repeatedly, to embed these fundamental skills. Big Maths highlights how small steps of progress with core numeracy follow on logically from one to the next.

Why should we use Big Maths at Dunblane Primary School? • Clear progression from year to year • Consistent methods taught and language used throughout the school • Build on prior learning and ensure children are secure in their knowledge • Objectives are clearly matched to Curriculum for Excellence • Improve mental maths skills and general numeracy across the school

How does CLIC work? CLIC is fundamental to Mathematical development as it is the learning sequence through which we all develop our numeracy skills. CLIC provides a constant, daily drive to up-level their numeracy. C Learn to count (Counting) L Learn to remember totals as facts (Learn Its) I Learn to apply those facts in new situations through ‘switching’ the ‘thing’ being counted (It’s Nothing New) C Learn to structure all the previous 3 into a formal calculation (Calculation)

How can I support my child? Help your child to practice their ‘Learn Its’ at home. In Primary 1 these are - Counting in 2’s, 5’s and 10’s - Number bonds to 10 Praise! Celebrate the successes. Visit the publishers website: http: //www. andrelleducation. co. uk/courses/num eracy/big-maths/