7. Reading Continuum

Reading: Year 1

Reading age

  • pointing to each word as it is read.

  • attempting unknown words by using knowledge of letter sounds.

  • breaking words into parts.

  • noticing if the word attempt fits the story.

  • reading stories with expression

  • reading smoothly

  • Reading at a good pace using the punctuation correctly.

  • fixing errors by using ‘does it look right, sound right or make sense’?

  • fixing errors with the teacher’s help.

  • answering questions correctly about the story.

Reading Year 2

  • Reading at a good pace using the punctuation correctly.

  • understanding that speech marks means that someone is talking and will read it with expression.

  • using current word knowledge to work out unknown words

  • reading with phrasing and expression.

  • predicting what is going to happen next and explaining the reasons.

  • retelling main ideas in the story.

  • understanding the story as it is read.

  • referring back to the text for answers.

Year 3 Reading

  • using prior knowledge to help understanding.

  • retelling main ideas of the text (beginning, middle and possible endings).

  • making inferences by finding the deeper or hidden meaning

  • using context to understand new vocabulary

  • finding proof in the story to support ideas

  • recognising different parts of a book

  • using parts of a book to find extra information

  • identifying the main ideas in a paragraph

  • reading and recognising speech in a story

  • reading with fluency and expression

Reading Year 4

  • Using prior knowledge to understand more abstract ideas.

  • Making inferences by finding the deeper or hidden meaning

  • Reading a range of texts such as poetry, recount

  • Reading and understanding more complex texts.

  • Using context, graphics, and written explanations, to understand unknown words and phrases.

  • Reading and understanding additional information presented in eg charts and maps.

  • Making meaning from figurative language, such as metaphor, simile or personification.

Reading Year 5/6

  • Identifying key words and main ideas in a text

  • Inferring and interpreting underlying meaning of text

  • Finding and using the relevant part of a text to accurately answer a question

  • Understanding the author’s point of view and purpose

  • Analysing and discussing the effect of a range of language features and vocab choices

  • Regularly reading longer texts over a longer period of time.

  • Using clues in text, along with prior knowledge to help understanding of specific vocab

  • Using clues in text, along with prior knowledge to help comprehension.

Year 7 Reading

  • skimming and scanning to find relevant information

  • making inferences and responding using key information from text

  • using a range of resources to find information

  • interpreting and presenting information from a range of sources

  • understanding vocabulary that is more difficult and specific

  • gathering, evaluating and synthesising information from a text

  • using prior knowledge along with information from the text to interpret/understand a text

  • identifying and evaluating a writers purpose

Year 8 Reading

  • confidently and deliberately choosing the most appropriate strategies for reading in different learning areas

  • reading a greater variety and more complex texts

  • working out more difficult words using a range of skills

  • choosing the right skills and technologies to locate and information and to source reading material appropriate to a topic or purpose

  • gathering, evaluating and synthesising information across a range of texts

  • interpreting ideas in a text using our own knowledge along with the information given

  • identifying and resolving issues arising from varying information from a text.

  • identifying and evaluating the writer’s purpose

  • identifying the way that the author uses language and ideas to suit their purpose