SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD WITH READING - YEAR 3
Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their journey to becoming a fluent reader by continuing their practice at home.
There are two types of reading book that your child will bring home:
- A reading for pleasure book. This book will match the current band your child is working within and so they should be able to read this to you independently. This book is for you both to enjoy and discuss together.
- A reading fluency book. This will be at the correct reading stage for your child. They should be able to read this fluently and independently.
The ‘reading for pleasure book’
In order to encourage your child to become a lifelong reader, it is important that they learn to read for pleasure. We therefore send home a ‘reading for pleasure book’ that they have chosen independently. This reading for pleasure book matches the current band your child is working within. Please remember that you shouldn’t always expect your child to read this alone, although they should be able to read this to you independently. This book is for you to enjoy and discuss together. Talk and ask questions about the story, predict what might happen next, use different voices for the characters, and explore the facts in a non-fiction book. The main thing is that you have fun!
The ‘reading fluency book’
In class, children read a six-chapter book over 3 weeks. Books are matched to children’s fluency level and are read in small groups. Once children have completed the book in school, it is sent home with your child to read again, this helps them to extend vocabulary and gain speed and confidence.
If your child is reading their reading fluency book with little help, please don’t worry that it’s too easy – your child needs to develop fluency and confidence in reading. This is also a time that they can show you how well they are progressing with their reading and feel a sense of achievement. When listening to your child read the book, remember to give them lots of praise – celebrate their success! These Fluency books help to ease the transition from learning phonics to becoming independent readers.
Your child’s reading fluency book, reading for pleasure book (book-banded) and their reading record need to be brought back into school every day.
After each read, you should record this in your child's reading record. In order to encourage this and the children's independence, those children who successfully record five reads in a week will be rewarded with a raffle ticket. At the end of each term, a raffle ticket will be drawn and the Sapphire Class child with the winning ticket will receive a book-related prize!
SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD WITH READING - YEAR 4
Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their journey to becoming a fluent reader by continuing their practice at home.
Every day, your child brings home a reading for pleasure book that they have chosen from the class library. This book is colour-banded and has been carefully matched to your child’s current reading level. The expectation is that your child reads this book on a daily basis, as ‘little and often’ practice helps to develop their reading fluency and comprehension, and a life-long love of books and reading.
After each read of their colour-banded book (whether independently or with an adult), you should record this in your child's reading record. In order to encourage this and the children's independence, those children who successfully record five reads in a week will be rewarded with a raffle ticket. At the end of each term, a raffle ticket will be drawn and the Sapphire Class child with the winning ticket will receive a book-related prize!
Please remember that you shouldn’t always expect your child to read alone. Read to or with them. When listening to your child read, remember to give them lots of praise – celebrate their success! If they can’t read a word, read it to them. After they have finished, talk about the book together. Discuss the story, predict what might happen next, use different voices for the characters, explore the facts in a non-fiction text. You are welcome to make comments about what you have talked about in your child's reading record.
Your child’s reading for pleasure book (book-banded) and their reading record need to be brought back into school every day.
Home Learning
- Reading at least five times a week, with an adult acknowledging this in the reading record.
- Spellings – your child may have an individual spelling list which will be sent home in their personal spelling book and updated frequently.
- Maths homework will also be set on Google Classroom. This homework will meet the requirements of the KIRFs (Key Instant Recall Facts) for the term.
- Times Tables will also be set in order to develop the children’s knowledge of multiplication facts.
In line with our Home Learning Policy, there will be homework projects which can be accessed through Google Classroom. These will be posted in Term 1, Term 3, Term 4 and Term 5. For each home learning project, children will choose a number of tasks from a selection linked to different areas of the curriculum in order to complete the project, which will then be presented and evaluated in class. These projects enable children to research and to work creatively, choosing what they would like to do and how they will present their learning. They are also another opportunity at school to develop their oracy skills and their confidence when presenting to an audience.
Please help us to encourage your child to complete their homework to the best of their ability and hand it in on time as this will support their learning and also develop their independence as they prepare for Emerald Class. If you find that homework is a struggle for your child then please inform us immediately and together we will find ways of overcoming this.
If you have any questions or information to share with us relating to your child's class work or friendships then please email us at sapphire@alfriston.e-sussex.sch.uk. The emails are checked after school every day. If there is an urgent matter, please phone the school office.
Equipment
All equipment and resources are provided for the children when at school, children do not need to bring anything into school other than their P.E kit, their school banded reading book, their reading record booklet, their snack and their lunch (if required), their water bottle and appropriate outer layers. They must not bring in a pencil case.
PE
Our PE sessions are on Monday and Thursday afternoons. The children will need their P.E kits in school on those days but are advised to have them in school all week.
Planning, preparation and assessment time
The weekly planning, preparation and assessment time takes place on Wednesday afternoons when the children will be taught by Mrs Bliss.
