Literacy
At The Wordsley School, we believe that reading is of great importance as it is key to academic success. Research has clearly shown that pupils who enjoy reading improve their vocabulary, increase their ability to think analytically, become more skilled writers and have sharper memories. Ultimately, it can help them to achieve better results in all subjects. Therefore, pupils who read more also have better opportunities throughout life. Scientific research shows clearly that a pupil who reads regularly for 20 minutes per day is far more likely to be successful at GCSE level and beyond.
We use a number of interventions to support our pupils’ literacy, these include the following:
Lexia
Lexia is a computer programme that helps children develop their literacy skills independently and at their own pace. It has been used in education for 30 years and is one of the most researched and respected reading programmes in the world. Lexia has a personalised approach to learning for each child: it tracks each child’s progress and targets their strengths and weaknesses.
Lexia recognises that there are five critical skills that students must master in order to become proficient readers: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Lexia helps children develop in all these areas in a fun, engaging and interactive way.
Using Lexia, students work independently at their own pace through individualised learning paths to develop fundamental reading skills in a structured, sequential manner helping them to become proficient readers and confident learners. Teachers are notified when students require support or intervention and are provided with the resources for face-to-face instruction.
Accelerated Reader
The Accelerated Reader Programme works by identifying a pupil’s ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) which is essentially a selection of books that will not only match their ability, but will also challenge them to develop their vocabulary. Pupils choose books from the library that fall within this range and, when they have finished a book, they take a short electronic quiz that assesses their understanding of what they have read. This allows the English teachers to have meaningful discussions about a pupil’s reading and how we can help them to develop it.
Pupils are rewarded for their achievements in Accelerated Reader with prizes each time they achieve 100% in a comprehension quiz and when they achieve multiple passes in a row. Pupils who read over one million words are also rewarded with a badge to recognise this momentous achievement.
