Year 2 Rationale

Whole class reading is placed very highly as part of the reading curriculum at St Michael with St John as it is where the explicit teaching of reading takes place. Whole class reading across school takes place at 1.00pm to 1.25pm in all classes and is led by the class teacher. Each year group has an overview mapping out carefully selected texts for the year. There is one text type allocated per week, which follows a cycle of fiction – nonfiction – poetry.

Each day has a focus on a different reading domain and the teaching sequence is as follows:

Monday- Vocabulary and Prediction

Tuesday- Sequencing (KS1) Summarising (KS2)

Wednesday- Retrieval

Thursday- Inference

Friday- Explanation

Autumn 1

Alongside our whole class reading sessions we also teach reading through our English units. During the first half of the Autumn term the children practise their reading skills through three genres:

• Stories with familiar settings
• Non-chronological reports
• Poems on a theme

During the first half of the Autumn term children look closely at stories with familiar settings. They apply their phonic knowledge and skills to read words until automatic decoding has become embedded and reading is fluent. Once children have read a text, they are encouraged to re-read books to build up this fluency and confidence in word reading. Children are also exposed to a range of texts during this unit at a level beyond that at which they can read independently. They are taught to listen, discuss and express their views about these and to collect favourite words and phrases.

Children in Year Two at this stage in the year are given lots of opportunity to discuss texts in depth. They are taught to make predictions based on what has been read so far and to sequence and discuss the main events in stories. Building on their knowledge acquired in Year One, children are taught to make inferences about characters and events using evidence from the text. After reading, children are taught to demonstrate understanding of fiction texts by asking and answering who, what, where, when, why, how questions.

During the non-fiction unit, children are taught to read accurately by blending the sounds in words, especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes and to read further common exception words, noting tricky parts. They listen to, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently, including non-fiction and read a range of non-fiction texts which are structured in different ways, including information, explanations, instructions, recounts, reports.

Building on their knowledge from Year One, children in Year Two continue to activate prior knowledge when reading. However, this is extended further as the children learn to raise questions about what they have read. Children also learn to identify how specific information is organised within a non-fiction text e.g. sub-headings, contents, bullet points, glossary, diagrams and are taught to locate information from non-fiction texts using the contents page, index, labelled diagrams and charts.

At the end of this unit children can demonstrate their understanding of non-fiction texts by asking and answering who, what, where, when, why, how questions.

Throughout the poetry unit, children are taught to read aloud poems closely matched to their improving phonic knowledge, sounding out unfamiliar words accurately, automatically and without undue hesitation. They listen, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently and learn to recite a range of poems using appropriate intonation.   

During discussions, children are taught to participate, take turns and listen to what others say. They learn to make contributions in whole class and group discussions and can listen and respond to contributions from others. By the end of this unit, children start to make personal reading choices and explain their reasons for these choices.

Autumn 2

During the second half of the Autumn term the children practise their reading skills through two genres:

• Traditional tales 
• Instructions

During the second half of the Autumn term children look closely at traditional tales. They listen, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently and apply their phonic knowledge and skills to read words until automatic decoding has become embedded and reading is fluent. Whilst reading, children are taught to recognise the use of repetitive language within a text and explain and discuss their understanding, giving opinions and supporting with reasons e.g. Hansel was clever when he put stones in his pocket because…

Children also develop and demonstrate their understanding of characters and events through role play and drama, drawing on language from the text and begin to orally retell a wider range of stories, fairy tales and traditional tales.  Towards the end of this unit, children continue to make inferences about characters and events using evidence from the text and make personal reading choices and give reasons for these choices.  

During the non-fiction unit, children listen, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently. They are introduced to and discuss words within the context of a text and link new meaning to known vocabulary. At this stage, children are encouraged to read frequently encountered words quickly and accurately without overt sounding and blending. They are also taught to check that texts make sense while reading and self-correct.

Spring 1

During the first half of the Spring term the children practise their reading skills through two genres:

• Stories by the same author
• Non-chronological reports
•  

During the first unit of the Spring term children are taught to read accurately by blending the sounds in words, especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes and to read further common exception words, noting tricky parts. They continue to build up a bank of vocabulary which they can use to demonstrate their understanding of characters and events, drawing language directly from the text and can identify, discuss and collect favourite words and phrases.

Building on their knowledge in whole class reading sessions, children make predictions based on what has been read so far, sequence and discuss main events and make inferences about characters and events using evidence from the text. When reading aloud, children are taught to use tone and intonation.

By the end of this unit, children are able to demonstrate their understanding of fiction texts by answering who, what, where, when, why, how questions.

During the non-fiction unit, children are taught to read accurately by blending the sounds in words, especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes and to read further common exception words, noting tricky parts. They listen to, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently, including non-fiction and read a range of non-fiction texts which are structured in different ways, including information, explanations, instructions, recounts, reports.

Children in Year Two at this stage in the year continue to activate prior knowledge when reading. However, this is extended further as the children learn to raise questions about what they have read. Children also learn to identify how specific information is organised within a non-fiction text e.g. sub-headings, contents, bullet points, glossary, diagrams and are taught to locate information from non-fiction texts using the contents page, index, labelled diagrams and charts.

At the end of this unit children can demonstrate their understanding of non-fiction texts by asking and answering who, what, where, when, why, how questions.

Spring 2

During the second half of the Spring term the children practise their reading skills through three genres:

• Stories with familiar settings
• Persuasion
• Riddles

During the first unit focusing on stories with familiar settings, children are taught to read accurately by blending the sounds in words, especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes and to read further common exception words, noting tricky parts. They continue to build up a bank of vocabulary which they can use to demonstrate their understanding of characters and events, drawing language directly from the text and can identify, discuss and collect favourite words and phrases.

Building on their knowledge in whole class reading sessions, children make predictions based on what has been read so far, sequence and discuss main events and make inferences about characters and events using evidence from the text. When reading aloud, children are taught to use tone and intonation and are able to demonstrate their understanding of fiction texts by answering who, what, where, when, why, how questions. New learning is introduced at this stage where the children are taught to read words containing common suffixes e.g. -ness, -ment, -ful, -less, -ly.

During the non-fiction unit, children are taught to read accurately by blending the sounds in words, especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes and to read further common exception words, noting tricky parts. They listen to, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently, including non-fiction and read a range of non-fiction texts which are structured in different ways, including information, explanations, instructions, recounts, reports.

Children in Year Two at this stage in the year continue to activate prior knowledge when reading. However, this is extended further as the children learn to raise questions about what they have read. Children also learn to identify how specific information is organised within a non-fiction text e.g. sub-headings, contents, bullet points, glossary, diagrams and are taught to locate information from non-fiction texts using the contents page, index, labelled diagrams and charts.

At the end of this unit children can demonstrate their understanding of non-fiction texts by asking and answering who, what, where, when, why, how questions.

Throughout the poetry unit, children are taught to read aloud poems closely matched to their improving phonic knowledge, sounding out unfamiliar words accurately, automatically and without undue hesitation. They listen, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently and learn to recite a range of poems using appropriate intonation.   

During discussions, children are taught to participate, take turns and listen to what others say. They learn to make contributions in whole class and group discussions and can listen and respond to contributions from others. By the end of this unit, children start to make personal reading choices and explain their reasons for these choices.

Summer 1

During the first half of the Summer term the children practise their reading skills through three genres:

• Animal adventure stories
• Recounts: Letters
• Classic Poems

During the first unit focusing on animal adventure stories, children are taught to read accurately by blending the sounds in words, especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes and to read further common exception words, noting tricky parts. They continue to build up a bank of vocabulary which they can use to demonstrate their understanding of characters and events, drawing language directly from the text and can identify, discuss and collect favourite words and phrases.

Building on their knowledge in whole class reading sessions, children make predictions based on what has been read so far, sequence and discuss main events and make inferences about characters and events using evidence from the text. When reading aloud, children are taught to use tone and intonation and are able to demonstrate their understanding of fiction texts by answering who, what, where, when, why, how questions. They will also check that texts make sense while reading and self-correct. New learning is introduced at this stage where the children are taught to use morphology to work out the meaning of unfamiliar words e.g. terror, terrorised.

During the recount unit, children are taught to read accurately by blending the sounds in words, especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes and to read further common exception words, noting tricky parts. They listen to, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently, including non-fiction and read a range of non-fiction texts which are structured in different ways, including information, explanations, instructions, recounts, reports.

Children in Year Two at this stage in the year continue to activate prior knowledge when reading. However, this is extended further as the children learn to raise questions about what they have read. Children also continue to use morphology to work out the meaning of unfamiliar words e.g. terror, terrorised.

Throughout the poetry unit, children are taught to read aloud poems closely matched to their improving phonic knowledge, sounding out unfamiliar words accurately, automatically and without undue hesitation. They listen, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently and learn to recite a range of poems using appropriate intonation.   

During discussions, children are taught to participate, take turns and listen to what others say. They learn to make contributions in whole class and group discussions and can listen and respond to contributions from others. By the end of this unit, children start to make personal reading choices and explain their reasons for these choices.

Summer 2

During the second half of the Summer term the children practise their reading skills through three genres:

• Stories on a theme
• Explanations
• Poems on a theme

During the first unit focusing on stories on a theme, children are taught to read accurately by blending the sounds in words, especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes and to read further common exception words, noting tricky parts. They continue to build up a bank of vocabulary which they can use to demonstrate their understanding of characters and events, drawing language directly from the text and can identify, discuss and collect favourite words and phrases.

Building on their knowledge in whole class reading sessions, children make predictions based on what has been read so far, sequence and discuss main events and make inferences about characters and events using evidence from the text. When reading aloud, children are taught to use tone and intonation and are able to demonstrate their understanding of fiction texts by answering who, what, where, when, why, how questions. They will also check that texts make sense while reading and self-correct.

In preparation for Year Three, children are introduced to and discuss words within the context of a text. They are taught to link new meanings to know vocabulary and use morphology to work out the meaning of unfamiliar words e.g. terror, terrorised. During a discussion surrounding a wider range of stories, children can explain and discuss their understanding, giving opinions and supporting these with reasons.

During the explanation unit, children are taught to read accurately by blending the sounds in words, especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes and to read further common exception words, noting tricky parts. They listen to, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently, including non-fiction and read a range of non-fiction texts which are structured in different ways, including information, explanations, instructions, recounts, reports.

Children in Year Two at this stage in the year continue to activate prior knowledge when reading. However, this is extended further as the children learn to raise questions about what they have read. Children also continue to use morphology to work out the meaning of unfamiliar words e.g. terror, terrorised.

Throughout the poetry unit, children are taught to read aloud poems closely matched to their improving phonic knowledge, sounding out unfamiliar words accurately, automatically and without undue hesitation. They listen, discuss and express views about a range of texts at a level beyond that at which they can read independently and learn to recite a range of poems using appropriate intonation.   

During discussions, children are taught to participate, take turns and listen to what others say. They learn to make contributions in whole class and group discussions and can listen and respond to contributions from others. By the end of this unit, children start to make personal reading choices and explain their reasons for these choices.