Early Level Benchmarks

P1

First Level Benchmarks

P2, P3 and P4

Second Level Benchmarks

P5, P6 and P7

Read Write Inc

The Read Write Inc. programmes combine into a complete literacy programme aged five to eleven years. They are designed to stimulate and challenge children’s thinking and create enthusiastic, life-long readers and writers. We want your child to love reading – and to want to read for themselves. This is why we put our efforts into making sure they develop a love of books as well as simply learning to read.

How will my child be taught to read?

We start by teaching phonics to the children and this allows them to ‘read’ the sounds in words and how those sounds can be written down. This is essential for reading, but it also helps children learn to spell well.

The children also practise reading (and spelling) what we call ‘tricky words’, such as ‘once,’ ‘have,’ ‘said’ and ‘where’.

Read Write Inc.

The children practise their reading with books that match the phonics and the ‘tricky words’ they know. They start thinking that they can read and this does wonders for their confidence.

The teachers read to the children, too, so the children get to know all sorts of stories, poetry and information books. They learn many more words this way and it also helps their writing.

The way we teach reading is especially helpful for children who might be dyslexic. This is because we use a very well-organised programme that has a strong focus on phonics. This is very important for children who find learning to read difficult.

What can I do to help?

Is there anything that I shouldn’t do?

Your child will bring different sorts of books home from school. Help your child to sound out the letters in words and then to ‘push’ the sounds together to make a whole word. Try not to refer to the letters by their names. Help your child to focus on the sounds. You can hear how to say the sounds correctly by searching on YouTube for ‘Read Write Inc. Phonemes Pronunciation Guide’. Some of the books may seem very basic however, please don’t say, ‘This is too easy.’ Instead, encourage your child to tell you the story out loud; ask them questions about things that happen or what they think about some of the characters in the story.

Fresh Start

Read Write Inc. Fresh Start

‘Read Write Inc. Fresh Start rescues older readers aged 9 and above who are below expected standards in reading and writing.’ Ruth Miskin (website)

Fresh Start is a full teaching programme that:

* Gets all children reading and writing fluently in 33 weeks

* Engages children with age-appropriate anthologies

* Ensures all children can read confidently before secondary school

* Embeds all learning through partner practice

* Assesses children every eight weeks to ensure that they have the best provision to make speedy progress. ‘

At Trinity Primary School, Fresh Start is taught to children in the Upper Primary by Miss Pattinson and Mrs Jackson.

Pupils are taught fast paced lessons in small groups, with an emphasis on partner work and positive praise. Each week we learn new sounds, as well as revising those previously learnt.

Children work through one module a week which reinforces a previously learnt sound and develops reading, spelling and writing skills.

Please find out more from the Ruth Miskin website.