Reading at Sherwood State School is taught within the Australian Curriculum. Students decode (a process of efficient word recognition in which readers use knowledge of the relationship between letters and sounds to work out how to say and read written words.) and comprehend (a set of processes to make meaning from texts) a range of literary and non-literary texts.
In Prep to Year 2, an integrated reading approach focuses on explicit and systematic teaching of the core skills of phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary knowledge.
From Years 3 to 6, the emphasis shifts to teaching students how to become expert readers by focusing on reading accuracy and fluency, comprehension, vocabulary skills and motivation and engagement.
At Sherwood State School, teachers use a balanced reading model. In order for students to become independent readers, they must be scaffolded by modelled, shared and guided reading.
DECODING
Decoding is a process of efficient word recognition in which readers use knowledge of the relationship between letters and sounds to work out how to say and read written words (Australian Curriculum). It is the ability to apply knowledge of letter-sound relationships to correctly pronounce written words.
At Sherwood State School, decoding strategies are explicitly taught in the lower years.
Download a Decoding strategy poster here
COMPREHENDING
Comprehension skills need to be developed through explicit teaching instruction that models comprehension skills and strategies to students and provides opportunities for them to apply and practise the skills in a variety of settings and situations.' (Kovalevs, K. & Wickham, J., 2010)
Teachers at Sherwood State School explicitly teach comprehension strategies. Whilst these strategies are explicitly taught individually, they form a collective reading toolbox for students to activate unconsciously and in unison.
Download a Comprehension strategy poster (lower years) here
Download a Comprehension strategy poster (upper years) here