READING
OUR CURRICULUM
CURRICULUM VISION
At Walker, we recognise that reading is a fundamental life skill: a golden thread which runs throughout our curriculum. It is imperative that students learn to read and read to learn. Beyond this, we aim to foster a real love of reading.
All staff at Walker embody this approach and in our wonderfully resourced library, our Academy Librarian guides students to become avid readers.
We have our bespoke 'Walker Reading Routes' which map out over twenty whole texts which all students will read with us over their time here.
We have a dedicated team of experienced staff in our Reading Champions, whose focus it is to help students learn to read:
Struggling readers are identified through New Group Reading Tests.
They then meet one to one with one of our reading team for a battery of diagnostic assessments.
Students are then given targeted intervention to catch up as quickly as possible. Catching up our struggling readers is one of our most important jobs at Walker. Students are given access to:
► That Reading Thing: a phonics intervention which specifically targets older students with gaps in their phonetic code.
► Lexonik Leap is used to support our EAL students who are learning the language.
► A bespoke reading fluency programme runs for our students who need practice to become more fluent readers.
► Lexia PowerUp is used for students who may need a more holistic approach to reading intervention.
Our new approach to reading, Forensic Reading, puts language, critical ideas and imagery under the microscope to arrive at a deeper understanding of the world in which we live. Students read critically from a range of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, journalism and multimedia.
Students read in all subjects and each curriculum area has its own bespoke reading strategies so that students recognise the specific challenges of reading within that discipline.
Some key fundamentals underpin our approach to reading across all subjects:
Key vocabulary is identified, pre-taught and highlighted on knowledge organisers
Students are explicitly taught background knowledge so all students have a level playing field when it comes to understanding a text
The adults read first - meaning that students hear how an expert in that field should read a text.
CURRICULUM INTENT
For information on each of our reading intervention strategies, select a title below:
► Click HERE for more information about REGISTRATION READING
► Click HERE for more information about DROP EVERYTHING AND READ
► Click HERE for more information about READING INTERVENTION
OUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
We are determined to build a culture of reading that gives our students the foundations needed to live happy and successful lives. For this reason, we have TWO Libraries, here at WRA; The Library @WalkerRiverside, and The Study@Library2.
Students can access the library between 8:30 and 8:50 in the morning, during break, during their scheduled library lesson and after school.
Our library has a suite of computers so that students can complete homework or research in a quiet place.
Dr Gregory and Miss Simcox will be assisted by our team of Student Librarians whose job it is to arrange displays, put books away and make the library an inviting place for their fellow students.
WALKER'S READING ROUTES
