Grove Primary School and Nursery
'Bringing out the best in everyone'
Interactive Bar
EYFS and KS1
At Grove Primary School and Nursery, we teach the children to read using a structured phonics programme called Read Write Inc. Children begin by learning the letter sounds and how to blend them together. We call this ‘Fred Talk.’ For example:
m – a – t = mat
Children begin by learning the simple sounds:
Children progress to learning the complex speed sounds. For example:
t – r – ai – n = train
f – ire = fire
When reading, we encourage children to find sounds that they already know which we call ‘special friends’. Children are also taught to ‘Fred in their head’ so that they start to become fluent readers.
Reading with your child in KS1:
Before listening to your child read ask them:
- Why did you choose this book?
- Is it fiction or non fiction? How do you know?
- What do you think this book is about?
- Have you read any other books with a giant / little boy / pirate?
- What do you think will happen? (stories)
- Read the blurb and discuss.
When listening to your child read, encourage them to:
- Blend the sounds together to decode the words (children call it Fred Talk) for example:
- n – igh – t = night
- b – l – a – ck = black
- Identify special friends (sounds they recognise) in a word
- Fred in their head
- Clapping out syllables or chunks in words and names can help with reading longer words: Di-no-saur! Cho-co-late! Or point out that some words are made up of two words, so wind and then mill makes windmill
- Recognise high frequency words (children may call them No Excuses words) e.g. he, she, the, me, my
- Notice their own mistakes if it doesn’t make sense
- Self correct.
Talk about their understanding of the text:
- Ask them questions using the bank of questions provided on the next page e.g. what was the character like? Which word in the text means fast? If you were the author which word would you use here? If you were the author how would you change the ending?
- Notice the punctuation
- Read with expression and fluency
- Notice the features in a text, for example: why has the writer put that word in bold / capital letters? Why has the author used an ellipsis?
After listening to your child read ask them:
- Which was your favourite part of the story and why?
- Tell me 2 / 3 / 4 things that happened in the book?
- What happened at the beginning / middle / end?
- After reading a page, can you tell me what happened?
- Can you find me a fact about…? Can you use the index / glossary…?
- Retell the story.
- Make a fact poster with the facts they have learned.
Questions you can ask your child when reading:
Here we have provided you with a selection of questions that you can use to support your child when reading.
- How could the character have chosen to behave in a different way?
- How would that change the story?
- How do you know…?
- e.g. the girl was annoyed / frightened / happy / in a hurry)
- Why do people need to…?
- e.g. look after their teeth, be careful near water
- What did Sam do that might have made Ben angry?
- What made the castle smelly?
- True or false questions
- How is a puppy the same as a human baby?
- Choose an adjective and can you tell me a different word e.g. big – huge, sad – upset
- What does this word mean?
- Which word / phrase tell you…?
- e.g. that the setting is spooky
- There is a word on this page that means fast – can you find it (quick)
- Find and copy a word / phrase that means..
- Who does the dog belong to?
- What is the girl doing?
- Where did the boy travel to?
- When did they find…?
- Which character said…?
- How did the boy get to space?
- Why did the girl go to the park?
- Give two things that the girl finds..
- What happened in the beginning / middle / end?
- What happened after?
- Can you tell me four events that happened in the book?
- Put these events in order.