Usborne Phonics Readers - 12 Book Set

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Very little research exists on how secondary schools identify struggling readers, and what they find difficult. Most of this has been outside the UK, often in the US. In the UK, some schools assess pupils’ reading in Year 7, but it is not always clear how they use these assessments to target support and evaluate the impact of that support on improving reading. In one school, we heard how engaging with particular groups, such as struggling readers, was part of the librarian’s performance targets. The librarian created opportunities for struggling readers to use the library more regularly, and frequently had the very weakest readers in the library. Conclusion Note: Major conurbations include London, the West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Tyneside, Merseyside and Greater Manchester. Limitations

Diagnostic assessments of reading can identify specific areas of strength and weakness, so that additional help can be targeted accurately. Used alongside reading ages, diagnostic testing provides more precise and nuanced assessments than reading ages. Rationale for the research A Beka Phonics Readers start very slow, and they only introduce six sounds at once. These are perfect for readers just starting out. The text is large and accessible for the youngest readers. For example, the Little Books your child can sound out: Your student will learn many concepts with the All About Reading: Level 1 curriculum. I love that while introducing new concepts, it also includes several phonics readers that reinforce the concepts learned. Every component of reading is taught: decoding (phonics and structural analysis), vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. The three readers included are Run, Bug, Run, The Runt Pig, and Cobweb the Cat. Here is simple text from the fourth story, which includes simple text and pencil-drawn illustrations: However, this kind of teaching matched to need was described in only 4 of the 30 inspection reports we analysed.

* NEW * Twinkl Phonics and Rhino Readers Teaching and Learning Programme Overview

Using evidence from classrooms as well as data from interventions gave schools additional evidence of how specialised reading programmes and additional teaching were having an impact in the classroom. This was an important aspect of how schools knew what was effective. It showed that the additional teaching for struggling readers was helping them to access the full curriculum. What pupils said about the help they got with reading In other schools, pupils could identify specific aspects of reading they were receiving help with. Each of the 3 pupils below talked about the additional teaching they had been given, and the impact it had on their reading: Strong leadership of reading made sure that these schools had staff with the right professional development and training to teach reading. The culture of reading embedded in all the schools was summed up by a Senior HMI who was part of a research visit to one school: While there is a need for hands-on printables and workbooks, I believe a child greatly benefits from owning their own small Phonics Reader Set. To be able to hold their own books, and be able to synthesize the words without struggling, children will grow confidence! The high status given to reading by leaders created a culture where all departments demonstrated a similar commitment to reading. Staff did not see reading as solely the responsibility of the English department. In 2 of the schools, curriculum subject leaders had a focus on reading in their departmental development plans. These were matched to the needs of struggling readers as well as other pupils. Departments had reading leads who discussed reading at staff meetings, and led professional development on reading.

Morning interventions are something new that we have started doing. We used to do it as part of the day, but this caused lots of disruption to normal lessons. They now have to come to school a little earlier to do the interventions. In schools where teachers were trained to understand and spot reading problems, subject teachers better understood the knowledge pupils needed to become proficient readers, and the gaps in knowledge that might affect this. In one school, it was evident that teachers understood how pupils might struggle with different components of reading, as one of the mathematics teachers explained: Each of the ten little books introduces only 3-4 new letters at a time and builds words with large text and vibrant, colorful images. These are similar to the A Beka Readers, in that they progress slowly and steadily, but they begin with only one vowel (Aa), and add more vowels as they are progressively comfortable for the child. My son, a struggling and impatient reader, has been gaining confidence with these little readers, and I hope they benefit your child as well!!Schools should use assessment to help identify whether problems are related to word recognition, oral language comprehension or a combination of these. [footnote 20] This research explores how some secondary schools use different types of tests for different purposes. It focuses on how they use diagnostic assessments to identify specific areas of reading strength and weakness, and how they match additional help to pupils’ individual reading needs. What pupils said also confirmed the schools’ use of diagnostic reading tests and targeted teaching for specific components of reading. A pupil in Year 7 said the school had assessed his reading and put in place additional teaching to improve his reading fluency. Grade 4 is considered to be a ‘standard’ pass and Grade 5 a ‘strong pass’ at GCSE. Grade 4 is the level students need to get to avoid resitting English language GCSE post-16. ↩

The rationale for this work lies in the need for all pupils to leave school as successful readers and with GCSE English at grade 4 or above. It is essential for pupils to be able to read proficiently, so they can access post-compulsory education and participate fully in society. Our education recovery reports also show that learning loss as a result of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic is making reading a greater issue in secondary schools. [footnote 22] We read to our children every day, but they rely on us to read to them. Reading a book on their own will make all the difference in their learning and desire to read! Oh the first joy to see them read their own book for the first time! The school uses a baseline standardised reading test to screen all new pupils. This gives each pupil a reading age, and identifies which pupils may need additional teaching. The school also tests all new pupils’ spelling and comprehension, and assesses foundational skills such as phonics, word recognition and fluency. All Year 7 pupils do a cognitive ability test in the first 2 weeks of the autumn term. Many pupils said that reading had previously caused them stress and anxiety. This was often when pupils were asked to read aloud in class. One Year 7 pupil said, ‘It was really embarrassing because I didn’t know how to say some of the words.’ Another Year 7 pupil in the same school said:We sometimes have to put literacy over something else… This is controversial… but we’ve made the ethical judgement as a school that, in terms of access to the wider curriculum, they would benefit more from having that focus. When I first joined the school I had to go out a couple of times and do some reading tests with teachers. I started to go into that [reading support] and it helps me a lot with my reading. I don’t stutter as much as I used to.’ We used the NPD to identify 40 top performing secondary schools. In these schools, data showed that pupils who entered Year 7 with below expected standards in reading went on to make accelerated progress, and achieved at least a grade 4 in GCSE English language. All the schools in the NPD sample had at least 35 pupils in Year 11 who had achieved level 3 or below in the key stage 2 reading comprehension assessment in Year 6. [footnote 35] Data was extracted for Year 11 in both 2018/19 and 2017/18. We excluded pupils who speak English as an additional language, because we wanted to identify pupils who struggled with reading specifically rather than English language. Visit school selection