VIEWS & OPINION How to help children develop


early reading skills Comment by GRAHAM COOPER, Chief Marketing Officer at Juniper Education


When the DfE published its guidance document entitled The Reading Framework: Teaching the Foundations of Literacy back in July, schools minister, Nick Gibb described the focus on reading as the single most important reform in boosting children’s life chances. The new guidance aims to ensure children become strong readers at the earliest stages of their education. So how can schools bring the DfE’s recommendations into the classroom? My colleague Kathy Ewers who advises subject leaders in primary English teaching has some words of wisdom.


Build blending skills The reading framework highlights the need to secure the critical phonics knowledge which some children haven’t grasped. One key aspect is the skill of blending, that is the ability to synthesise sounds into words, both orally and in reading. While children might be able to sound out the letters C-A-T, recognising each letter shape and linking them to a sound – or phoneme, they may not always be able to put the sounds together in order to read the word ‘cat’. Many teachers will no doubt have come across children who sound


out the word correctly as c-a-t but then put them together to make ‘car’ – using the first sound. Similarly, some pupils might sound out the word but use the final sound – the T – and say ‘ten’. Other children miss the link completely and say another word altogether. Blending helps children to use their phonic knowledge to help them read. By demonstrating how to blend sounds into words, teachers can


help their pupils master this important skill early on.


Make time for rhyme Poetry, rhyme and song are familiar features of Early Years classrooms but tend to be less evident once pupils move into Key Stages 1 and 2. However the framework suggests that teachers should identify a core set of poems for each year group. The government guidance says that learning poems and traditional


nursery rhymes can heighten children’s awareness of the individual sounds within words through alliteration, assonance and rhyme. Poetry introduces children to the rhythm of language and exposes


them to a new vocabulary. There are so many creative ways schools can bring poetry into the wider curriculum too. A lesson on the jungle could involve poetry about the animals that live there. Including poetry, rhythm and songs in story time can open up a whole new world of language.


Focus on fluency The reading framework defines fluency as being able to read accurately at speed. But many educators consider what are known as prosodic features, that is expression, phrasing, timing and intonation, to be important indicators of reading fluency too. If a child has difficulty reading fluently, it’s a good idea to model


what reading should sound like by encouraging them to put words together in phrases like ‘once upon a time’ or ‘little Red Riding Hood’. When reading books contain dialogue, a teacher could ask the


child, ‘how would she say that? Try that again and make it sound like talking.’ The reading framework suggests explaining the meaning of new


words to children when they are reading to increase their vocabulary and accelerate their reading of words at a glance. This helps pupils see beyond the word as consisting of a series of letters to decode, and prompts them to think about what the word means. The guidance document is well worth a look at a time when schools


are doing all they can to help children become strong, confident and happy readers.


How to ensure your school is Afro inclusive


Comment by MICHELLE DE LEON, Founder and CEO of World Afro Day


Black History Month may be over, but every school can still strive to be history makers all year round so let’s explore the small steps each school can take to make global change for Afro hair inclusion. One in six children in UK schools with


Afro hair and thousands of students all over the world have been experiencing discrimination, simply because their hair grows up instead of down and stays fixed instead of moves. These are the simple differences that could easily be taught in any Biology class but unfortunately, they have led to decades of conflict in schools. When schools punish children for having Afro hair, they can suffer


serious issues with self-esteem and identity. For example, 12-year-old Marli is a mixed-race girl who recently shared her experience with OFSTED as part of a World Afro Day panel. From three years old she was made to feel different when random strangers began touching her hair. Then throughout her Primary school, she was told to sit at the back of the class because of her big hair, which she said made her feel “insecure”. Headteachers have a brilliant opportunity to change this by modifying school policies and punishments, which control the lives of pupils with


November 2021


Afro hair. The Equality Act identifies race as a protected characteristic and Afro hair is indicative of race, so it’s more important than ever for schools to take this issue seriously.


Here is how every school can make a step change towards Afro hair inclusion: • Afro-textured role models for all – increase visibility in school classes and buildings • Use positive language connected to Afro hair • Ensure teachers read academic research on race-based hair discrimination • Update hair policies in line with the Equality Act • Encourage experiential learning about Afro hair – activities and events fostering good relations across the school. Attend the Big Hair Assembly or commission a giant Afro mural from students.


These actions really work. Ladybridge High School Headteacher, Paddy Russell, told me: “Changing our hair policy has had a significant impact on our learners, particularly those with Afro hair. Many students have talked passionately to me about how the changes to our hair policy have helped them to feel happier, more respected as individuals and more valued at school.” Ladybridge High School is one of many in Britain leading change


through our Little and Big Hair Assembly events. 192,000+ children and young people, 560+ schools from 11 countries, united in a global event to end discrimination against Afro hair. The mental health benefits were also evident, for the pupils who attended. Inclusion benefits everyone and your school will achieve better results if


all students have an environment in which they can thrive individually as well as collectively. The time is now to make Afro hair discrimination, history in our schools.


www.education-today.co.uk 23


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