Reading Strategies and Progress
All students receive a series of baseline tests when they join Ashwell, these include two reading assessments. Reading comprehension skills are assessed using the Hodder Access Reading Test. This involves answering questions on a range of different texts and assesses literal comprehension, vocabulary, inference and analysis.
The Single Word Reading Test (SWRT) by GL Assessment tests student’s single word recognition. The purpose and rationale of the SWRT is to enable teachers to assess pupils’ word reading proficiency and to some extent, the word reading strategies they use. It allows the assessor to see how they not only react to words but how they go about blending and sounding out letters in an attempt to say the word.
We use this information to inform staff of student’s abilities to ensure work is being set at an appropriate level for students to access. We have found this useful as it has helped us to engage students in their learning.
Following our first monitoring visit from the DfE we implemented the Accelerated Reader Programme to ensure students were reading texts appropriate to their ability. This covers all aspects of students reading ability from the lower end to the top end with some students being able to read above their chronological age.
The STAR Reading Test is done by students to assess the level they should be reading at but it also gives us a Standardised Score and Scaled Score which also allow us to demonstrate progress.
We have followed the recommendations of Renaissance Learning who run the AR Programme and reviewed our 15 minutes daily reading time and moved this to period 1 each day from the last 15 minutes of the day.
We have also implemented a rewards system that they discussed with us on our on-site training day. Both myself as the SENCo and Yvonne Yeaman, our Reading and Intervention Co-Ordinator, worked with the on-site trainer to develop a full understand of the STAR Reading Test, AR Programme and supporting student reading.
We then cascaded this information to the Teaching Assistants who work with students on a daily basis through a CPD session and informed them that a Reading Record must now be used to allow us to evidence student reading. Parents have been informed by letter of how we are assisting their child in their reading.
Holly Lockyer SENCO