Read. Support. Improve
At Alt Bridge, we have a commitment to developing the reading ability of our learners. Not only have we developed a specialist reading development curriculum but we also have a whole school reading strategy which all Cluster areas are committed to using. This includes:
- Teachers reading aloud to students:
At Alt Bridge, our teachers and support staff love reading and we model the best ways to read for our students to learn and enjoy different texts.
- Mindful questioning:
Our teachers use pre-planned mindful questioning approaches to check for comprehension and learners’ understanding of a text.
- Strategic vocabulary planning:
Teachers ensure that challenging vocabulary is identified prior to learners accessing a text. This allows teachers to pre-teach vocabulary which allows all learners to access reading materials in a lesson.
Reading Development Curriculum
In order access the reading development curriculum at Alt Bridge, all learners’ reading abilities have been screened which then allocates them to a specific reading package; these are red, amber and green packages. Learners complete termly reading tests, using Star Reader, to monitor their progress and ensure they graduate to the most suitable reading package.
Red package.
Students whose reading age is significantly lower than their chronological age will access the Lexonik Leap phonics package. With specially trained teachers and support staff, we can offer the Lexonik Leap package to learners in order to improve their phonics ability.
Amber package.
Students whose reading age is slightly below their chronological age will access the Amber Package which aims to improve learners’ ability around phonemes, graphemes and automaticity of reading.
Green package.
Students whose reading age is in line/above their chronological age will access the bespoke Green Package which focuses on reciprocal reading and comprehension strategies to boost reader autonomy and develop confident word learners. Learners will complete different topical units (from Sporting Heroes to Politics) and learn a variety of strategies to effectively predict, clarify, summarise and explain information from a text.
In addition to these bespoke sessions, our students will also have the opportunity to enjoy a reading book as part of their reading package.
Keeping it Spicy!
At Alt Bridge, we are committed to boosting the vocabulary of our students and, as part of this pledge, we ensure that we seek out as many opportunities as possible to share spicy and exciting vocabulary. Using our Learning Intentions, we include vocabulary which provides opportunities to dissect and discuss exciting new words with students.
Accelerated Reader
All students at Alt Bridge are enrolled in Accelerated Reader and all of our library books are linked to the Star Reader results. This allows students to liaise with our librarian and find the perfect book for their reading ability. Following this, students can complete quizzes on books which they have read.
