Our Aim

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OUR AIM

The goal in teaching reading at HBJS is to develop children’s love of literature through reading widely for enjoyment, across fiction, non-fiction and poetry, to develop their imagination, understanding of themselves and knowledge of the world they live in.

We aim to ensure that children can read with fluency, the correct intonation and good understanding [*reading fluency: the ability to read a text quickly, accurately and with proper expression (which leads to) freedom from word identification problems that might hinder comprehension.] Through this, children will widen their vocabulary and develop an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions, which will support their spoken language and writing.

We aim to identify pupils who encounter difficulties and support them in improving their reading attainment, enjoyment and academic progress in all areas of the curriculum, in addition to teaching whole class reading comprehension strategies on a regular basis throughout the school. We also read to the children daily as listening to stories stimulates their imagination and expands their understanding of the world. During their time at HBJS, children will read and take part in high quality discussion about a wide range of stories, poems and non-fiction.

Staff have received training to support individual vulnerable readers in addition to teaching reading strategies in whole class and focus groups to enable children to develop their inference skills. Parent / Carer Workshops provide guidance for parents in supporting their children to read at home and we encourage parents to read to and share stories with their children on a daily basis.

Our expectation is that all pupils will leave HBJS as independent, fluent and enthusiastic readers who read widely and frequently.

‘When you read often and with enthusiasm, usually just for the sheer fun of it, you lay foundations that last for life. You empathise. You access information more easily. Almost by osmosis you internalise the essential skills of spelling, grammar and vocabulary. You learn to express yourself verbally and in writing. You learn to interpret and potentially change your world.’

‘Why Reading for Pleasure Matters,’ Alan Gibbons

Research sources:

Chall’s Stages of Reading Development – Jeanne S Chall, Stages of Reading Development. N.Y.:McGraw-HillBook Company, 1983

The Simple View of Reading – Independent review of teaching of early reading (the Rose Report) published March 2006