EYFS Reading

At Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School, children in Reception build on their knowledge of letters, words and books from their experiences in the Nursery. The children build their reading skills as they work towards the Literacy Early Learning Goals. The Early Learning Goal for reading is split into word reading and comprehension. 

Word Reading

By the end of Reception, children at the expected level of development will:

• say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs;
• read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending;
• read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words.

Comprehension

By the end of Reception, children at the expected level of development will:

• demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary;
• anticipate, where appropriate, key events in stories;
• use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes, poems, and during role-play.

At school your child will be learning to read through phonics. Phonics is a method of teaching reading and writing to children in which they learn the letter or group of letters that correspond to a sound. Our school follows, 'Read Write Inc' for phonics. Please see our Read Write Inc page for further information. 

How can I support my child’s reading?

When helping your child with their reading, make sure you choose a time when they’re not too tired. Remember that learning to read will take time – be sure to stay patient as your child acquires this new skill!

1. Don’t read the book to your child before they read it to you – they may just remember the words and not get any real practice.
2. If your child can read the story well, that doesn’t mean the book is too easy. It’s important they get plenty of practice reading words containing the letters and sounds they have learnt. Celebrate their achievement with them – reading success is important in building their confidence and enjoyment!
3. If your child struggles with a word, ask them to ‘sound out’ the word by saying the individual sounds in the word and then blending the sounds together (for example, ‘c-a-t – cat’).
4. Don’t let your child struggle too much – if they are really stuck with a word, sound it out for them quickly so that they can hear the word. Plenty of praise when they succeed will help them to keep going.
5. Don’t ask your child to use the pictures to guess the words. Pictures can provide great opportunities to talk about what is happening in a story, but it’s important that your child doesn’t become dependent on them to read.
6. Read back each sentence or page to your child to ensure they have understood.
7. When your child has read the book, talk about it together.

As well as your child reading to you, it’s important that you read stories, rhymes, and non-fiction books to your child. This will increase their vocabulary, develop their comprehension, and encourage the habit of reading – which is a great habit to have!