Early Reading

                                                 If pupils cannot read, they will not be able to access the curriculum, and will be disadvantaged for life.                                          Education inspection framework: January 2019

Early Reading and Phonics 

The initial teaching of reading and writing is taught through the Read, Write, Inc. (RWI) Phonics programme, where children learn the underpinning skills to be able to decode to read and segment to write. To ensure consistent coverage across the school, children begin this journey at the earliest opportunity in reception and continue on the programme until they have achieved proficiency in reading and writing. We deliver high quality teaching through tightly-structured, small-steps that are progressive throughout the lesson, the week and through the groups. RWI is taught cumulatively with the aid of simple, clear resources that are familiar to children.

What might an observer typically see in a Read Write Inc. lesson?

Every RWI lesson begins with the teaching of a new sound alongside recapping sounds that have already been taught. This overlearning is essential in enabling children to recall and use their sound knowledge confidently within their reading and writing. They learn how to read the new sound and previously learnt sounds within real, nonsense and multi-syllabic words. 

Children then learn how to spell using the new sound, as well as practise spelling with previously learnt sounds, again providing spaced repetition to allow for overlearning to take place. Children are similarly taught sounds and words from a book that they work on for a number of days, depending on their grouping and level of learning. They engage in ‘partner practice’ to teach each other the sounds and words from the book.

 The teaching of reading is systematic as the books that children read within our RWI lessons match the children’s phonic knowledge. Teachers read the book to enable children to hear confident, fluent and expressive reading. Children will read the book at least three times: once for decoding, once for fluency and finally once for comprehension, so they learn to read with confidence, expression and fluency and develop a solid understanding of what they have read. 

The comprehension activities that are taught throughout the week teach children to accurately retrieve and infer from the text alongside developing their reasoning and explanation skills when giving their opinions and predictions. The definition of unfamiliar vocabulary is explicitly taught at word level so children gain a better understanding of the text.