Power of Reading

Power of Reading

The Power of Reading is about teaching Literacy through using high quality books and creative teaching approaches such as art and drama. This approach aims to engage and motivate children in their literacy learning and also enables children to deepen their understanding of texts and provides a meaningful context for writing. Some of the quality texts we have used as a basis for literacy learning.

How are the texts used?

A quality text will be used as the basis for learning over several weeks. Children will explore and discuss the text through creative activities. They will also write in a range of genres as part of the unit. For example they might write a letter in role as a character or write a newspaper recount about the events in the text.

Reading aloud is a key part of the Power of Reading. The strategy enables all children to access quality texts. Reading aloud also enables the teacher to model expressive and fluent reading to the children. Children then echo what they have heard read aloud in their own writing.

Why have we chosen to introduce the Power of Reading at North Walsham Junior, Infant and Nursery School?

• We chose to introduce the Power of Reading in EYFS and KS1 as part of our focus on further raising standards in Literacy. It was introduced in September 2019 to complement RWI. Due to the success we saw in 2019-20, in September 2020 we rolled out the programme across KS2. 

• Analysis from previous cohorts has shown that reading comprehension isn’t as high as reading accuracy. The Power of Reading helps to develop inference and deduction and comprehension skills. It also involves children regularly writing in different genres and creates a more cohesive learning experience.

• Literacy is at the heart of the curriculum and the texts facilitate a range of exciting cross curricular work.