Literacy at St Nicholas
St Nicholas School offers an inclusive approach to Language development that reflects the shared values and ethos of the school. Children experience ‘connective’ learning experiences that develop the child intellectually, emotionally and socially. This is promoted through integrating skills and knowledge of writing, reading speaking, listening, drama, Makaton signing symbols and PECS. We foster a love of literacy through our creative curriculum.
Reading
At St. Nicholas School, we value reading as a crucial life skill. By the time children leave us, we want them to read confidently for meaning and regularly enjoy reading for pleasure. We work to equip the children with the tools to tackle unfamiliar vocabulary. We encourage our children to see themselves as readers for both pleasure and purpose
At St Nicholas School
- Children have daily access to books of their choosing during class activities
- Each class holds regular story times, e.g. reading to class or a small group using multisensory stories, interactive stories, whiteboard stories, singing time, poetry, etc
- Children have the opportunity to read 1:1 with an adult
- Reading books are sent home to support 1:1 reading
- Children may also take a book home from book corner or library to share with an adult (to read with support, for pleasure)
- Children have weekly access to the library to promote reading for leisure and pleasure
- Adults model a ‘love of reading’ through example, e.g. join in with reading time, share something they have read with children, adults demonstrate choosing a book
- Children are exposed to a range of texts from different cultures and reading schemes
- A variety of genres are available and incorporated into the reading curriculum
Phonics
We start teaching phonics in Reception and follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds SEND programme, which ensures children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move through school.
- we teach children to read through 1:1 reading sessions three times a fortnight.
- use books matched to the children’s secure phonic knowledge using the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised assessments and book matching grids.
- each 1:1 reading session has a clear focus, so that the demands of the session do not overload the children’s working memory. The reading sessions have been designed to focus on key reading skills: decoding and prosody - teaching children to read with understanding and expression
Accelerated Reader
At St Nicholas school our children have access to Accelerated Reader. This is an online program used within school that helps teachers manage and monitor children’s independent reading practice whilst developing children’s reading skills, fluency and comprehension.
Children can pick books at their own level and read them at their own pace. When finished, children take a short quiz on the computer. Accelerated Reader gives children and teachers feedback based on the quiz results, which the teacher then uses to help each child set goals and direct ongoing reading practice.
Handwriting Without Tears
For handwriting we use the Handwriting without tears (HWT) programme. HWT is a multi-sensory approach to handwriting, developed by Occupational Therapists to support children who may struggle with their fine-motor skills.
