Reading

1: Is developing an interest in books

• Scale points 1 – 3 are based on the children’s achievement in their preferred language

• Looking for child to hold book right way up – may turn pages from back to front of book, depending on preferred language

2: Knows that print conveys meaning

• Key developmental point is child’s realisation that it is the print/writing that carries the message, or tells the story

3: Recognises a few familiar words

• A few words – needs to be more than the child’s name

4: Knows that, in English, print is read from left to right and top to bottom

• Assessment of scale points 4 – 9 should be in English

• Child needs to follow print (using finger or pointer) from left to right and top to bottom of the page, as in English

5: Shows an understanding of the elements of stories, such as main character, sequence of events and openings

• Focus on simple stories

• Practitioner needs to phrase questions carefully during discussion as child may not be familiar with technical terms

• “Such as” means that a range, but not all aspects listed, need to be achieved

6: Reads a range of familiar and common words and simple sentences independently

• Should include simple sentences as well as familiar words

7: Retells narratives in the correct sequence,

drawing on language patterns of stories

• Should be based on a simple narrative

• Practitioner can support but not lead in the retelling

8: Shows an understanding of how information can be found in non-fiction texts to answer questions about where, who, why and how

• Teaching implications – child not as likely to achieve this unless there have been previous activities where finding information in books has been presented in appropriate and enjoyable ways

• Read commas as ‘and’ but use judgement – not all questions apply to all non-fiction texts

9: Reads books of own choice with some fluency and accuracy

• Refer to handbook for indication of level of difficulty

• Child may need support if text is unfamiliar or complex

• Must achieve all other scale points prior to 9