Why this approach is important

Teaching early reading is much more than enabling children to recognise letters and words. It is about helping your students to make meaning from whole texts. This in turn improves their knowledge of language and their understanding of the world. Children who enjoy reading and become skilled and fluent readers tend to do well in all areas of school.

In order to ensure that all your students engage in and make progress with their reading, it is important that you:

• motivate and encourage them
• observe and assess them
• use the information that you gain from monitoring them to help you to plan the teaching and support that they need to develop this essential skill.