Reading and Communication

We see reading and communication as something which is integral to what we do at Watling View and are closely intertwined with each other. There is a no one size fits all approach for our pupils reading and communication and we are highly ambitious for our pupils to develop reading and communication skills which will enable individuals to flourish and be as confident communicators as they can by the time they leave Watling View.

We teach reading throughout the curriculum and provide a breadth of opportunities for pupils to be exposed to texts and environments which promotes and enhances opportunities for pupils to read and communicate. This includes long term planning documents outlining the genre of focus for the half term and pupils taking part in different events including Literacy Week and World Book Day.

To promote a love of reading the school has installed a new library, each class has a timetabled session to visit the library on a weekly basis and use this as an opportunity to explore different books as well as use their own library card to sign a book out for the week. As part of their on-site work experience pupils in the Upper School help to put returned books back in the correct section.

Pupils at Watling View have access to different materials such as simplified texts, visual aids or multisensory approaches. We know that pupils are at different stages of their reading journey and will classify individuals as either; Pre-Readers, Early Readers, Consistent Readers or Established Readers. As pupils move through the school there is also an emphasis placed on reading in the world around them and this includes supporting pupils to read signs and symbols they could experience in the local community.

Phonics is taught through a personalised approach based on Twinkl Phonics. Across all of our subjects a multisensory approach is adopted and when teaching phonics this can help pupils to develop their understanding of concrete concepts in relation to a new sound or word. The programme provides teachers with lesson plans, online reading books, supporting resources and online CPD. Teachers will make adaptations to the pace, delivery and resources in order to personalise the teaching to each individual student.

Where pupils are able to access a reading scheme we use Rhino Readers and Big Cat Collins as our reading scheme and link the level of book to individuals phonic knowledge. For some of our pupils there is a focus on supporting comprehension and an understanding about what they have read. This is supported by using questions linked to the story they have read and providing individualised and visual resources to enable pupils to answer these questions.

Watling View School is a Total Communication school, incorporating a wide range of communication tools to support individual needs, including: speech, symbols, signing, switches, AAC devices, and Intensive Interaction (please see leaflet for more information). The supports both receptive and expressive skills through a range of strategies which, in turn, supports access to learning, emotional regulation, and independence. We encompass ‘Watling View Communication Golden Rules’ throughout our day-to-day practice to support all students’ communication.

To find out more about Reading and Communication at Watling View please click on the links below.