1)To only start reading when children are developmentally ready. To stop using chronological age as a guide for expected progress. To see the growth rather than the deficit.
2)To help all children to love reading from the moment they start reading, to be so interested in reading that they largely self-initiate the process and take an active role in driving their own progress.
3)To concentrate on the fact that 1/3 of children won't learn without explicit phonics and that by using this approach we won't hurt anyone's learning, but instead help everyone. (Neil Mckay)
4)To ensure that within our play-based programme, oral language, visual learning (use of pictures for storytelling and the drawing of understandings) along with lots of stories and shared reading play a huge role.
5)To read individually with children, allowing them to go at their own pace and allowing our teaching to be explicit based on what their need is in that moment.
6) Most of all, for all children to have success. For their journey in reading to be seen as a team effort through Year 1-6.
Last year we started our journey into Decodable books. We found they had a huge impact almost straight away. After some searching I found the Pip and Tim series that Liz Kane Literacy sells through her site. These books immediately helped our teaching.
But we had a conundrum, what about the older children, who have disengaged from reading, while the decodable books are not 'babyish' they certainly don't appeal strongly to these children (I am thinking year 3 and 4 boys here.) After much research and google searching I found a few titles of Project X code through Mighty Ape. I purchased ten of these books (no order) just to try and the children we initially tried them with LOVED them. They were almost transformative for their attitude and sense of success. I then had to work out how to get my hands on the whole set. We ended up buying a set through book depository and I got myself stung with the import tax. It was crucial that we found a New Zealand stockist.
This video gives you a little taster of the excitement Project X has to offer our readers.
The books are beautifully illustrated, they are fully decodable and sequenced through a set of worlds, where wonderful adventures happen. The set end up about level 20.
We were then incredibly lucky to get a donation from a local company for another full set. This time I had found a wonderful supplier of the books here in NZ.
Edify Ltd
www.edify.co.nz
Fiona van der Hor - fionav@edify.co.nz
We are now incredibly lucky to have fundraised enough to have three sets. They are not cheap, but they are incredible. If you are looking to transform reading for those that are struggling, disengaged and needing a phonetic intervention these just might be what you are looking for. Our learning support teacher aide uses these and the children look forward to reading every day!
It quickly became obvious that we needed a wider range of decodable books and luckily brand new of the press are the Alien adventure series and the Superhero series, all again fully decodable and great for classroom use. These are also x code books and available through Edify.
These readers are gorgeous, so engaging and children love them. They are expensive however, but very very worth it. We are currently working on fundraising so that we can have these available to all classrooms up to Year 4 (and beyond if needed.)
Now we have a new wonderful problem, when our children finish the Project X code series at level 20 they are disappointed and don't want it to end. Luckily for us, the Alien adventures series go right up the levels, so we are purchasing these extra levels so these children can still have the X code experience!
If you are thinking of transforming reading and you have similar goals to us....love of reading and success, then maybe these decodable books are also for you?
I feel lucky to have found them!
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