SUMMER TERM 2024
Reading Recovery
A brand new cohort of children are receiving help with reading this term. They are working hard at their reading, writing, letter work and word work! Writing about topics of interest has been a really important motivating factor. When children are interested in what they are writing about, they are far more inclined to want to write!
First Class Literacy
First class have been practicing their listening and attention skills by relaying their news to each other every day. They have asked each other questions about their news and have written lovely sentences about what has been going on in their lives. The children have been working hard with sounding out words and remembering their capital letters and full stops.
Sixth Class Literacy
It has been somewhat bittersweet working with sixth class on their literacy skills in what is now their final term in primary school. I will miss seeing them all every day and I have been blessed to have worked with such a mannerly, industrious group! I have noticed how much their vocabulary has progressed this term and how well they have engaged with our Super Six Comprehension Strategies. Best of Luck Rang a Sé as you embark on the next chapter!
EASTER TERM 2024
Reading Recovery
I am amazed at the progress the children have made on their Reading Recovery journey! They have developed self-extending problem-solving systems and they are well on their way to becoming more independent learners. Below are some pictures showcasing some of the elements of a typical Reading Recovery lesson.
A typical Reading Recovery lesson:
1. Familiar Reading: this provides a familiar entry point to the lesson for the children. One or two books are chosen to read (usually a level or two below the level the child is currently reading at). Books chosen for Familiar Reading are books that have been read many times. This boosts the child's confidence at the beginning of the lesson.
2. Yesterday's New Book: a running record is then taken of yesterday's new book. This provides a snapshot of the child's processing and indicates whether the current level is Easy, Instructional or Hard. It also provides a useful insight into what the child is controlling well during reading and what they are neglecting (i.e. they may be overly attending to the print, but neglecting picture clues).
3. Letter Sort/Word Work: the child matches magnetic letters together that are the same. They might also build words using magnetic letters, break words (h....en), add beginning and endings to words to make them longer, etc. (i.e. see/seeing, look/looking, hen, pen, ten).
4. Writing: the child thinks about something they would like to write about. This gives the child ownership, control and motivation with writing. They write a sentence in their book and then rearrange a cut-up sentence. Sometimes a funny picture is used to help the children to compose their sentences.
5. Introduction of the New Book: the child predicts what the story is about based on the title. The child does a picture walk of the book and usually I draw the child's attention to any unusual words or phrases they might not use in their day to day lives so they don't stumble when they encounter them on the first read, i.e. mother, father, grandmother, "I am pleased," etc.
1. Familiar Reading: this provides a familiar entry point to the lesson for the children. One or two books are chosen to read (usually a level or two below the level the child is currently reading at). Books chosen for Familiar Reading are books that have been read many times. This boosts the child's confidence at the beginning of the lesson.
2. Yesterday's New Book: a running record is then taken of yesterday's new book. This provides a snapshot of the child's processing and indicates whether the current level is Easy, Instructional or Hard. It also provides a useful insight into what the child is controlling well during reading and what they are neglecting (i.e. they may be overly attending to the print, but neglecting picture clues).
3. Letter Sort/Word Work: the child matches magnetic letters together that are the same. They might also build words using magnetic letters, break words (h....en), add beginning and endings to words to make them longer, etc. (i.e. see/seeing, look/looking, hen, pen, ten).
4. Writing: the child thinks about something they would like to write about. This gives the child ownership, control and motivation with writing. They write a sentence in their book and then rearrange a cut-up sentence. Sometimes a funny picture is used to help the children to compose their sentences.
5. Introduction of the New Book: the child predicts what the story is about based on the title. The child does a picture walk of the book and usually I draw the child's attention to any unusual words or phrases they might not use in their day to day lives so they don't stumble when they encounter them on the first read, i.e. mother, father, grandmother, "I am pleased," etc.
First Class Literacy
The children is first class love when we start off by playing Beat Your Own Record! The children are given 5 minutes to write as many words as they can. If they write 10 words today, they try to write 11 words tomorrow. We also play Sight Word Bingo, Roll a Word and we write simple sentences. The children have enjoyed pushing counters into boxes for the sounds they hear in words such as: cat, pen, pig, red, etc. They have also written word shapes and enjoyed telling and hearing each other's news. All the children have worked so hard this term!
Wellbeing
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The wellbeing group enjoy coming together to talk about self-care reminders and to take part in fun activities such as: making smoothies, baking, mindful colouring, sensory walks, cooperative games and much more! The children really enjoy their wellbeing time!
Literacy 5th & 6th
I have really enjoyed working with 5th and 6th class this year. We have been working on building up vocabulary through revising known stories from the children's class textbooks. Re-reading these stories has helped to deepen the children's understanding of them. The children select appropriate words to fill in the blank spaces and rearrange jumbled up sentences from the stories. We have been focusing on The Super Six Comprehension Strategies during our sessions (Questioning, Visualising, Monitoring, Summarising, Predicting and Making Connections). The group are so industrious and so well mannered. I am very proud of how hard they have all worked this term!
Christmas Term 2023
Literacy Lift Off!
The children from Rang a haon have been very busy this term with their Literacy Lift Off sessions.
The children have been taking part in the sessions every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and I am so proud of how hard they are all working!
Typically, Literacy Lift Off comprises of three stations: Familiar Reading (with Clara), New Reading (with Ms. Sweeney) and Writing (with myself).
Familiar Reading provides an important confidence boost to the children, while simultaneously revising what they have already learned. Writing activities are based on the children's New Reading Book as this deepens the reciprocal nature of reading and writing with one activity enhancing the other.
The children spend 15 minutes at each station and they get a little bit of homework based on what they did at school.
I am amazed at how much their writing has come on in just 5 weeks! They are absolutely super!
The children have been taking part in the sessions every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and I am so proud of how hard they are all working!
Typically, Literacy Lift Off comprises of three stations: Familiar Reading (with Clara), New Reading (with Ms. Sweeney) and Writing (with myself).
Familiar Reading provides an important confidence boost to the children, while simultaneously revising what they have already learned. Writing activities are based on the children's New Reading Book as this deepens the reciprocal nature of reading and writing with one activity enhancing the other.
The children spend 15 minutes at each station and they get a little bit of homework based on what they did at school.
I am amazed at how much their writing has come on in just 5 weeks! They are absolutely super!
Halloween Term 2023
Reading Recovery
This year, I am training in Reading Recovery which I am thoroughly enjoying.
Reading Recovery is a school-based, short-term series of literacy lessons designed for children aged between five years nine months and six years six months who are experiencing challenges with reading and writing after one year at school.
A typical 30 minute Reading Recovery lesson involves: Familiar Reading, Letter and Word Work, Writing and an introduction to the New Book.
I am really enjoying getting to know the children better and it wonderful to see the confidence grow in each individual child through engaging in the process.
-Ms. Maguire
Reading Recovery is a school-based, short-term series of literacy lessons designed for children aged between five years nine months and six years six months who are experiencing challenges with reading and writing after one year at school.
A typical 30 minute Reading Recovery lesson involves: Familiar Reading, Letter and Word Work, Writing and an introduction to the New Book.
I am really enjoying getting to know the children better and it wonderful to see the confidence grow in each individual child through engaging in the process.
-Ms. Maguire
