In Year 2 we have daily phonics lessons. We consolidate Phase 5 at the beginning of the Autumn term following Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised phonics programme.
Your child will have already learnt the most frequently occurring grapheme–phoneme correspondences (GPCs) in the English language. They will be able to read many familiar words automatically. When they come across unfamiliar words they will in many cases be able to decode them quickly and quietly using their well-developed sounding and blending skills.
In Year 2 the main aim during phonics lessons is for children to become more fluent readers and more accurate spellers.
There are two types of reading book that your child will bring home:
A reading practice book
This will be at the correct reading stage for your child. They should be able to read this fluently and independently. If your child is reading it with little help, please don’t worry that it’s too easy – your child needs to develop fluency and confidence in reading. Listen to them read the book. Remember to give them lots of praise – celebrate their success! If they can’t read a word, read it to them. After they have finished, talk about the book together.
Reading is built up of two key areas. Word recognition and language comprehension make a skilled reader. It is important to listen to your child read and check their understanding of the text by asking comprehension questions.
Click HERE for reading question prompts to support your child.
A sharing book
Your child will choose their own ‘reading for pleasure’ book from the school library each week. Your child may need some help to read this book. This book is for you both to read and enjoy together. Discuss the pictures, enjoy the story, explore new vocabulary, predict what might happen next, use different voices for the characters or talk about the facts in a non-fiction book. The main thing is that you have fun!
Click HERE for the Year 2 Learning Journey for Reading.
Click for the Book Trust list of 100 best books for 6-8 year olds.
You can also use the Book Sorter to recommend more books that you might like.